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Maryland student Jaya Basu bags Sophie Kerr Prize
The playwright and poet received the $86,702 Sophie Kerr Prize, one of the largest undergraduate literary awards in the United States.
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Malvika Choudhary - Mon, 18, May 2026
- 10:47 EDT
- 28
Jaya Basu / Washington University
Jaya S. Basu, a graduating senior at Washington College, has been named the recipient of the 2026 Sophie Kerr Prize, one of the largest undergraduate literary awards in the United States.
The award, now in its 59th year, carries a prize of $86,702. The announcement was made at Hotchkiss Hall ahead of commencement weekend, where students, faculty, parents, and community members gathered for the annual tradition.
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Basu, who uses he/they pronouns, is an English and theater double major with a minor in creative writing from Bethesda, Maryland. Their winning portfolio included poetry, fiction, nonfiction, and playwriting exploring themes of attraction and the forces that shape human experience.
“As a writer I pride myself on being very multi-disciplinarian,” Basu told the university press. “I try to get my fingers in as many pies as possible and learn as much as I can. I tried with my portfolio to show how I can blur the lines between genres.”
Beyond writing, Basu has been active across multiple artistic disciplines during their time at the college, including theater direction, acting, costume design, music composition, visual art, and playwriting. They are also returning to the student literary magazine Collegian as poetry editor.
Sean Meehan, associate dean for curricular innovations and co-chair of the English department, said Basu’s work stood out for its range and ambition.
“Jaya’s writing combines erudition and urgency with beauty, surprise, ambition, and purpose,” Meehan said. “These aren’t traits that easily cohere for professional writers let alone undergraduates.”
The committee also cited Basu’s growing recognition in literary and theatrical circles. Their poem “Romance of the Kitchen Sink” recently won the Spencer Undergraduate Poetry Award Sonnet Prize at West Chester University. Their original play “Mahamoha” received honors at the American College Theatre Festival, including the Nathan Louis Jackson Playwriting Award.
James Allen Hall, director of the Rose O’Neill Literary House at Washington College, described Basu as a writer committed to inquiry and community.
“Jaya's writing shows a willingness to explore, and an openness to inquiry,” Hall said. “Jaya is a consummate writer who understands language's power to connect us, to make us feel less alone.”
Accepting the award, Basu reflected on their experience at the predominantly white institution and thanked the communities that supported them during their years on campus.
“I stand here as one of very few people of color who have won this award at a predominately white institution,” Basu said. “All of my experiences have shaped me as a person. I’m proud of myself.”
The Sophie Kerr Prize was established through a bequest from early 20th century novelist Sophie Kerr and is awarded annually to a graduating senior at Washington College demonstrating exceptional literary promise.
Over the decades, the endowment has also supported literary programming and brought prominent writers including Toni Morrison, Joyce Carol Oates, and James McBride to campus.
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