In Honor of S. Mary Florence Burns ’46, CSJ, Ph.D.
Recent St. Joseph’s University, New York graduate Audrey Ella Scott ’26 made history as the recipient of the inaugural S. Mary Florence Burns ’46, CSJ, Ph.D. English Award.
Presented by Executive Dean Phillip Dehne, Ph.D. and Associate Chair of the English Department Susan Nakley, Ph.D., the scholarship award was named in honor of S. Mary Florence Burns ’46 CSJ, Ph.D., a former English professor, academic dean and vice president for academic affairs at the university.
Audrey’s Hard and Dedication
During an intimate ceremony hosted in Lorenzo Hall on the Brooklyn Campus, Scott was joined by several professors from the English department who spoke highly of Scott’s talent and creativity.
“Audrey’s written work is original, careful, varied and creative. Audrey has a range of writing from comedic to critical, from verse poetry to drama and memoir to literary close reading,” said Dr. Nakley. “I have had the pleasure of watching her develop and improve her writing and research skills in several directions over the years.”
More about the Scholarship
The award was established by S. Mary Florence Burns’ niece, Dr. Mary Jo Burns Clark, and Douglas A. Clark to honor her dedication to scholarly work in the field of English.
Recipients are chosen by members of the English faculty and must be a full-time, graduating English major on the Brooklyn Campus who has excelled academically and will continue on to graduate school. The purpose of the scholarship is to assist with the cost of furthering the recipient’s graduate studies.
Audrey’s Next Steps
Scott, who weeks ago crossed the stage to receive her bachelor’s degree during this year’s commencement ceremony, was also a member of the Brooklyn Bears softball team. Originally from Sacramento, California, she plans to remain in New York City and was recently accepted into SJNY’s Brooklyn Writer’s Foundry Low-Residency MFA program.
“It means a lot to win this award because I have tried my best throughout my four years. To see the work pay off and the people who believe in me give this award is very big for me,” Scott said. “I’m sure that it is going to help greatly so I don’t have to worry too much about grad school and I can continue to be a writer at St. Joseph’s through the writer’s foundry, but also with the backing of the English department that I’ve gotten to know so well.”
