The Sidney Prize is an award given to a student who has demonstrated outstanding academic achievement in a particular unit or program of study. These prizes are awarded by the University and are recorded on your transcript.
The award was established in memory of the late Professor A.M. Ardern, who devoted much of his life to teaching and to encouraging the study of English Literature. The Prize is designed to reward students who show a high level of promise and ability in their first two years of graduate study.
In the field of history, York University Professor Edward Jones-Imhotep was a 2023 winner of the Sidney Edelstein Prize for his book, A Dam for Africa: Akosombo Stories from Ghana (Indiana University Press). Jones-Imhotep is only the second faculty member of a Canadian university to receive this prestigious prize in its 50-year history.
Sidney Altman, a molecular biologist, shared the 1989 Nobel Prize in Chemistry with Thomas R. Cech for their discovery that RNA, previously known only as a carrier of genetic codes between parts of the cell, also aids chemical reactions within cells. Their research changed the way scientists thought about cells and opened up new fields of cellular biochemistry.
Each year, a number of prestigious writing competitions are held in the United States and Canada. Some are open to all writers, while others are limited by age, subject matter, genre, or nationality. These awards offer authors the opportunity to have their work recognized for excellence in a specific area, and they may even win a financial reward.
The Sidney Hillman Foundation has been giving monetary awards to journalists and writers since 1950. Its name honors the former president of the Amalgamated Clothing Workers union, a predecessor to both Unite Here and Workers United, SEIU. The foundation’s leadership includes left-leaning labor activist Danny Glover.
Overland’s Neilma Sidney Short Story Prize, established in 2007, is an annual award for exceptional short fiction that explores the theme of ‘travel’. This year the prize was judged by Patrick Lenton, Alice Bishop and Sara Saleh. They selected a shortlist of eight pieces, and chose the winning writer as well as two runners-up. To enter the competition, you must subscribe to Overland at our special subscriber rate and have your submission considered by our editors. When submitting your entry, please indicate whether you identify as part of any community or experience that is underrepresented in the publication. This question is optional, but it helps the judges to understand your perspective. We take pride in the fact that we are able to support such important literary initiatives. If you have any questions about the competition, please do not hesitate to contact us. Thank you. Best of luck! – Sara Saleh, Overland Editor