New Scholar Essay Prize for Catholic Studies in the Americas
Now Accepting Submissions: 7th Annual New Scholar Essay Prize
The Francis and Ann Curran Center for American Catholic Studies invites applications for its seventh annual competition for the New Scholar Essay Prize for Catholic Studies in the Americas. We invite the submission of essays penned by new scholars that offer cutting-edge research about Catholics and Catholicism in North, Central, or South America and/or the Caribbean. Those eligible for the prize include current Ph.D. candidates who are A.B.D. ("all but dissertation") or those with a Ph.D. or Th.D. conferred no earlier than 2019.
The purpose of the prize is to advance, highlight, and support excellent scholarship pertaining to Catholicism in the Americas.
Please click on the links for information about previous years’ prize winners, Tuan Hoang, Ph.D., Kelly Schmidt, Ph.D., Brian Clites, Ph.D., and Raul Zegarra, Ph.D., Susan Bigelow Reynolds, Ph.D,. and Brittany Acors, Ph.D.
The prize once again comes with a $1500 award.
The winning essay will:
- Have been published or been fully accepted for publication in a peer-reviewed journal or scholarly collection within twelve months of the application deadline of March 31, 2026 (published or accepted for publication between February 15, 2025-March 31, 2026)
- Make a groundbreaking contribution to the study of Catholics and Catholicism in the Americas through:
- disciplined and innovative use of sources;
- creative and well-grounded argument advancing scholarly conversations; and/or
- substantive connection to broader humanistic concerns in the study of religion.
Essays that advance the understanding of historically-underrepresented Catholics (with Latinx, Indigenous, African, and/or Asian heritage) will receive special consideration. Scholars from all humanistic disciplines are encouraged to apply, including those rooted in history, art, anthropology, ethics, literature, religious studies, theology, and related subfields.
Applicants should submit materials below, including the following elements, by March 31st, 2026, 11:59 pm:
- Applicant CV
- Abstract-500 words or less describing the essay.
- Essay-An essay of 12,000 words or less, published or accepted for publication by a peer-reviewed journal or scholarly collection in either English or Spanish. If the essay is queued for publication, the applicant must provide evidence of acceptance and a timetable for publication.
- Nomination Support Letter (recommended)-A letter from a colleague or mentor from a relevant disciplinary field speaking to the merits of the essay as a contribution to Catholic Studies in the Americas.
The application period closes on March 31st, 2026 at 11:59 pm. The winner will be announced in May or June of 2026.
For questions or issues with submitting the form, please contact us at [email protected].
6th Annual New Scholar Essay Prize Winner Announcement
The Francis and Ann Curran Center for American Catholic Studies at Fordham University is thrilled to announce a winner in our latest, sixth annual, New Scholar Essay Prize for Catholic Studies in the Americas competition.
The prize this year goes to Dr. Brittany Acors, Ph.D. for her essay entitled “‘God wanted me to have another chance’: American Catholic Women, Disability, and Vocation in Polio Memoirs.” It was published in U.S. Catholic Historian in 2024 and can be accessed, free of charge, here.
Dr. Acors will deliver a talk based on her essay on March 3, 2026 at Fordham at 5:30 in Butler Commons (3rd floor) in Duane Library. A flyer for the event can be found here and on our social media channels. Congratulations to Dr. Acors, whose win comes with a $1500 cash award!
We hope her work will be widely read and celebrated.
Please see above for the announcement of our seventh annual competition, with a deadline in Spring of 2026.