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The Selden Whitcomb Prize in Poetry was established by Edna Osborne Whitcomb, widow of Selden Lincoln Whitcomb, as a bequest made to the college at the time of her death in 1932. Selden Whitcomb was a Grinnell graduate (Class of 1887) who also taught here from 1895-1905, serving eventually as the Chair of the English department. The conditions of Mrs. Whitcomb's bequest state that "the prize, or prizes, if there is enough for several, shall be awarded annually for the best original poetry written during the year by Grinnell students in the College." The winners of the prize are decided through an annual competition judged in spring semester.

Rules and Guidelines: Deadline: Wednesday, April 1, 2009, 4:00 p.m. 1. Entrants must be currently enrolled Grinnell College students in good standing. 2. Entries may not have been previously published in Grinnell Review nor have won a monetary prize or been a finalist at Grinnell College. 3. You should submit four poems to be judged as a collection. 4. Your name should NOT appear on the poems. Instead, attach a cover sheet with your name, mailbox number, and titles of the four poems. Cover sheets will be removed for judging so that the entries may be judged anonymously. 5. Clip rather than staple entries. 6. Submit entries to Mears Cottage 103, Academic Support Office. Also submit an electronic copy to [montgomm@grinnell.edu]. No late entries will be accepted. 7. Cash awards are $500 for first prize and $100 each for two second prize winners. 8. Award winners will be announced at the Grinnell Review Reading, Thursday, May 7, 2009. Direct any inquiries about the contest to Carolyn Jacobson, English Department, Mears 112, or jacobsoc@grinnell.edu.