The Ruth Paetz Braun Undergraduate Connected Learning Awards Program at Lasell University is made possible through the generous support of Ruth Paetz Braun, class of 1954, in honor of her 50th reunion from Lasell University. The purpose of this program is to support annual writing awards for undergraduate students in conjunction with the University's annual Connected Learning Symposium in April of each year. $100 prizes are awarded for student writing assignments in the following categories:

• A piece written for an assignment in a 100 level course
• A piece written for an assignment in a 200 or 300 level course
• A piece written for an assignment in a 400 level course
• Creative Prose

The winners are selected by a committee of faculty and announced in a special session of the Lasell University Spring Connected Learning Symposium where they read short passages and describe the experience of writing their pieces.

2026 Braun Writing Award Winners

Narrative

• Lia Jimenez, “The Struggles of First Gen”
  (WRT101: Writing I, Professor Gregory Cass)

100 Level

• Zoie Laskiewicz, “The Dangers of AI Therapy”
  (WRT102: Writing II, Professor Deborah Mael)(WRT102: Writing II, Prof. Sara Large)
  

200 Level

•  Rose Rudich, “Genre Trace”
  (WRT201: Scientific & Technical Writing, Professor Sara Large)

300 Level:

• Robin Mullin, “Us Versus Them”
  (HON305: Ethical Reasoning, Professor James Lincoln)

Creative

•  Anya Misage, “Wallpaper”
  (ENG219: Creative Writing, Professor Kevin Farrell)

Read all of the winning essays in our annual publicayion, Fresh Thoughts