UPEI celebrates 13th annual MacLauchlan Prizes for Effective Writing
Members of the MacLauchlan family and the UPEI campus community celebrated the achievements of students, faculty, and staff at the 13th annual MacLauchlan Prizes for Effective Writing on Tuesday, January 21, in Schurman Market Square, Don and Marion McDougall Hall. The event recognizes writing excellence or leadership in the development of writing among UPEI students, staff, and faculty.
This year, prize recipients included 34 students and one faculty member. Leading the celebrations was UPEI President Emeritus Wade MacLauchlan; President and Vice-Chancellor Wendy Rodgers; Vice-President Academic and Research Greg Naterer; and guest speaker Paul MacNeill, publisher of community newspapers, award-winning journalist, political panelist for CBC TV, and community advocate.
The prizes recognize of the importance of effective writing as a foundational skill for academic success and lifelong learning and were established in 2011 by the MacLauchlan family to honour MacLauchlan’s contributions to the University and his 12 years of service as president and vice-chancellor from 1999–2011. Up to $30,000 are distributed annually in awards.
“Effective writing is foundational to success in our society,” said Rodgers. “On behalf of the entire UPEI community, I thank the MacLauchlan family for their generosity and President Emeritus Wade MacLauchlan for his commitment to encouraging excellence in writing among our students, faculty, and staff at UPEI.”
Naterer was the master of ceremonies for the event.
“Congratulations to all students who have received the MacLauchlan Prizes for Effective Writing,” he said. “These students have created exceptional written work or have shown substantial improvement in their writing skills. Special thanks to faculty and staff members who have contributed to the development of these writing skills.”
Students Rachael Chigier, Faculty of Science, and Marie-Pier Thibault-Messier, Faculty of Nursing, read excerpts from their award-winning submissions.
MacNeill spoke about the importance of local news in Canada and, by extension, the imperative of effective writing.
In his address to the prize winners, MacNeill said they should be proud to have earned this significant honour.
“The skills displayed will hold you, and our community, in good stead for many, many years to come. Use your writing skills to promote organizations you are involved with, write a letter to the editor, or a note of support to someone under troll attack on social media,” he said. “I’m not sure if the MacLauchlan family envisioned how important this prize would be in relation to the challenges we face today as a society. We are very fortunate it is here to challenge UPEI students because effective writing is a needed skill that will last your lifetime. Keep writing. Your words matter.”
The MacLauchlan family has made previous contributions to the Harry W. MacLauchlan Scholarships in Entrepreneurial Leadership, MacLauchlan Arena, Robertson Library, athletic scholarships, and student prizes in mathematics and entrepreneurship.
2025 Recipients of the MacLauchlan Prizes for Effective Writing
COURSE WORK
MacKenzie Alexander, McDougall Faculty of Business
Haia Alzoubi, Faculty of Science
Rachael Chigier, Faculty of Science
Chloe Dobrinsky, Faculty of Arts
Elias Doherty-Kirby, Faculty of Arts
Mikkayla Ellsworth-Reid, Faculty of Sustainable Design Engineering
Ally Felix, Faculty of Education
Elliott Fraser, Faculty of Sustainable Design Engineering
Quanhe Hao, Faculty of Science
Jimmy Hulton, Faculty of Sustainable Design Engineering
Arjun Kundu, Faculty of Science
Zoe Leger, Faculty of Arts
Rachel Macaulay, Faculty of Arts
Brian MacDonald, Faculty of Sustainable Design Engineering
Brennan McDuffee, Faculty of Arts
Eve McMillan, Faculty of Science
Maretta Angeline Stephanie Moore, Faculty of Arts
Olaoluwatofunmi Moses, Faculty of Arts
Eve Murphy, Faculty of Arts
Caitlin Perrot, Faculty of Arts
Easton Power, Faculty of Arts
Adontae Pratt, Faculty of Arts
Kenton Slaa, Faculty of Education
Marie-Pier Thibault-Messier, Faculty of Nursing
Mallory Travis, Faculty of Arts
Karina Wentzell, Faculty of Arts
Sabine Wyatt, Faculty of Sustainable Design Engineering
Regan Sentner, Faculty of Science
COMMUNITY
Deborah Langston, Faculty of Arts
Adedamola Adedeji, Faculty of Nursing
Syed Imran Ali, Faculty of Sustainable Design Engineering
FACULTY AND STAFF
Dr. Brenton Dickieson, Faculty of Arts
WEBSTER CENTRE
Miyuki Fujimaru, Faculty of Arts
Madeleine Lafreniere, Faculty of Science
Rupinder Singh, Faculty of Science
