Walter L. Arnstein Prize for Dissertation Research in Victorian Studies
The Midwest Victorian Studies Association offers the annual Walter L. Arnstein Prize for Dissertation Research in Victorian Studies, a prize of $1,500 for dissertation research in British Victorian Studies undertaken by a student currently enrolled in a doctoral program in a U.S. or Canadian university. The Prize is intended to fund research activities essential to the completion of a dissertation, such as archival visits, fieldwork, and purchase of resources.
Proposals may be submitted in literature, history, art history, or musicology but should have a significant interdisciplinary component that will render them of interest to scholars studying Victorian Britain across a range of disciplines, approaches, and subfields.
Click here for a complete list of Arnstein Award winners.
Applicants for 2026 must submit:
- A cover sheet
- A statement on research (maximum 3 single-space pages, 12-point font). Please provide a brief overview of your dissertation topic, remembering that your proposal will be reviewed by faculty members in several disciplines. Indicate clearly the present state of your work and explain how an award would assist you in conducting your dissertation research (for example, by providing partial travel support, enabling purchase of materials, etc.);
- A current CV (maximum 2 pages single-spaced, 12-point font)
- TWO letters of reference; these must be submitted directly by recommenders to arnsteinprize@midwestvictorian.org
For more information about the 2026 Walter L. Arnstein Prize requirements, download this year’s Arnstein Call for Proposals.
DEADLINE: January 2, 2026
Please submit cover sheet, statement, and CV by email to arnsteinprize@midwestvictorian.org. (The recipient will be notified in February 2026.)
To request more information about the Arnstein Prize, send an email to arnsteinprize@midwestvictorian.org.
William and Mary Burgan Prize
The William and Mary Burgan Prize for the Outstanding Presentation by a Graduate Student at the Midwest Victorian Studies Association conference recognizes a graduate student who exemplifies the qualities of an excellent teacher as well as a capable scholar by giving a presentation that demonstrates “teacherly” qualities. Criteria include an unhurried, well-organized presentation that meets the time limits; good eye contact with the audience; effective use of visual and verbal aids (though visual aids are not a requirement); an obvious passion for the work presented; and grace in handling questions at the end. In short, the winner of the Burgan Prize should demonstrate promise as a teacher as well as a scholar. The 2019 co-winners are Claire Landes of Texas Christian University for “The (Im)material Feud: Dickens and Elliotson v. Crowe and Martineau,” and Aaron Long of the University of Kansas for “Biomimicry and Biopower in Jules Verne’s Nautilus.” The honorable mention recipient is Heather Asbeck of the University of Missouri–Columbia for “‘The Fresh, Unsullied Satin of the Bag’: Privacy, Violation, and Coercive Control in Charlotte Brontë’s Shirley.” Click here for a complete list of Burgan Prize winners.
receives congratulations from members of the Executive Board.
Endowed by former Executive Secretary Keith Welsh, professor of interdisciplinary studies at Webster University in St. Louis, the William and Mary Burgan Prize encourages young scholar-teachers and acknowledges the contributions of Bill and Mary Burgan to Victorian studies and to this association. The award honors two people who are admirable scholar/teachers in their own right, and who, during their distinguished service at Indiana University, always evidenced sincere care and concern for graduate students. Bill and Mary Burgan have long been mainstays of Victorian studies, and each has done significant interdisciplinary work. But in addition to being fine scholars and teachers, they are wonderful human beings.
MVSA Lifetime Achievement Award
The MVSA Lifetime Achievement Award is awarded to individuals who have made significant contributions to Victorian studies, including the pursuit of interdisciplinary exchange, collaboration, and publication; have made significant contributions to MVSA through active, engaged membership including, but not limited to, work as an officer, board member, committee chair, or committee member; and have been a mentor to students and scholars in the field.
Click here for a complete list of MVSA Lifetime Achievement Award winners.
To contribute to the fund for the Arnstein or Burgan Prizes, use the linked text to donate online, or visit the Membership section of the website for instructions on sending a check.