Franklin Miller Awards

On some occasions, you meet a student and think "Man, I really hope they take my class!" because their presence alone amplifies the social dynamics and rigour of a classroom. Marilyn Gates is that person. In fact I have had conversations with colleagues who have expressed, unprompted, that Marilyn is "the real deal": a kind and generous thinker, who blends her creative and critical acuity so seamlessly together. But it also beyond the classroom where Marilyn truly shines: she is a co-founder of WACK (Writing After Class at Kenyon), which nurtures low-pressure creative writing, a Kenyon Review associate, whose assessments of submissions are always robust, and she has even contributed her own work alongside professors at a "My Professor Reads Poetry," which is a great example of her extroverted collegiality with others. Marilyn Gates embodies Kenyon's values of creativity and intellectual empowerment, fostering respect and integrity, and meaningful connections. We've been very fortunate to have her on our campus, and while she graduates in December, I feel that her imprint will last a long time.

—Nominated by William P. Rice Associate Professor of Literature Orchid Tierney

Today I am writing to recommend Ms. Laney Tullius for the Franklin Miller Award. Ms. Tullius would be a wonderful recipient due to her remarkable engagement with our community as well as her strong tutoring skills and learning style.

I first met Ms. Tullius last fall when she was working with KEEP and FiGLi to figure out the best ways to create a mentoring program between Kenyon students and local high school students. Her dedication to assisting others and mentoring them in college preparedness impressed me immediately. She was only a first year, and she was already thinking about how she could pay it forward while involving her local community. I asked her to apply to become a writing center tutor as I knew she’d be a force for good on and off our staff. I was not wrong.

In the spring, Ms. Tullius enrolled in my ENGL 217 course to become a tutor. She worked diligently in and out of the classroom, continuing her mentoring goals for the program we now know as BEACON while also being mentored herself in the best practices for tutoring. She was a wonderful student, completing all assignments with thoughtful insight and in a timely manner. I was repeatedly impressed by the way she conducted herself in class, too, asking questions and searching for answers with her peers while considering the role of the writing center on our campus.

Today, Ms. Tullius is a full-fledged tutor, working with writers from across the disciplines while also continuing to mentor MVHS students and Kenyon students through BEACON, the aforementioned student-lead program to assist students with college advising. It not only helps our larger community, it also gives Kenyon students a brilliant opportunity to engage in meaningful collaborations that aid them in developing their professional communication skills. She brought this fact home when she volunteered at September’s First Friday down in Mount Vernon for over four hours, interacting with interested parents, grandparents, and the students themselves. She has now set up seven mentorships (at my last count, it could be higher) through this work. And again, she’s only a sophomore!

I cannot think of a more-deserving candidate for the Franklin Miller award. Her dedication not only to our local Kenyon community but the broader Mount Vernon one is remarkable. Her work as a tutor and a mentor is unparalleled. And her wisdom and kindness of spirit are unforgettable. I cannot recommend her highly enough because the great work she is doing deserves recognition.

—Nominated by Director of Writing Center, Anna Scanlon