Williams Prize
The Williams Prize is given each year, or when appropriate, to one or more undergraduate philosophy majors who distinguish themselves for their love of philosophy and their commitment to doing philosophy well. The prize is the namesake of William H. Williams (1934-1994). Williams, who studied at Princeton University, was the first full-time philosopher at Virginia Tech and was deeply committed to undergraduate teaching. "His memorials are the persons and institutions transformed by him," said colleague Harlan Miller. "For thousands of students, Bill was a careful, gentle, but demanding teacher and a boundlessly patient advisor."
Williams Prize Recipients
- 2025: Maria Surdu
- 2024: Aria Abedinzadeh, Meghan Flaherty
- 2023: John Hunter, Vibhas Pachal
- 2022: Olivia Rogers
- 2021: Colleen Malley
- 2019: Sahara Shrestha
- 2018: Maria Jernigan
- 2017: JC Wright
- 2016: Andrew Barber
- 2015: Kwamina Orleans-Pobee
- 2014: S. Robert Masters Jr.
- 2013: Sarah Pelham
- 2012: Gabriele Seltzer
- 2011: Smantha Plourde
- 2010: Jesse Paul
- 2009: Harold Metz, Jason Vick
- 2008: Patrick Epley
- 2007: Garret Flagg, Gregory Sagstetter
- 2006: Cherilyn Blumenthal, Sophia Bous
- 2005: Ezra Wegbreit
- 2004: Katherine Amelia Eriksson, Shomir Jeffrey Wilson
- 2003: Michael L. Geruso, Laura A. Ward
- 2002: Anubav Vasudevan
- 2001: Shanti Salas
- 2000: Justin Chiarodo, R. Brandon Stewart
- 1999: Eliot P. Brenner
- 1988: John M. Ennis
- 1996: Christopher Fox
- 1995: Andrew Baxter