Departmental Prizes

Each year, the History Department recognizes outstanding graduate students with five awards:

George Romani Prize

George T. Romani was a scholar and teacher of modern European history, especially Italian cultural and intellectual history, who was on the faculty from 1947 until his death in 1977. This award is given for the best research paper by a First Year Graduate Student. The current amount of this award is $2500.00, which may be split into two awards of $1250.00 each.

Lacey Baldwin Smith Prize for Teaching Excellence

Lacey Baldwin Smith taught at Northwestern from 1955 to 1993 and was the author of twelve histories of Tudor England, widely read and admired both by the general public and his fellow scholars. This award is given to the most outstanding graduate-student teachers each year, up to two awardees, either as TAs or section leaders. Awards are given to graduate students who show high levels of creativity and intellectual rigor in the classroom. The amount of each award is $500.00.

Henry Binford Prize

A renowned teacher, Henry Binford has taught American urban history to nearly five decades of Northwestern students.  The Binford Prize is awarded to a team of TAs.  It is given to that group of TAs who have all taught with distinction and who have worked together successfully.  The amount of each award is $400.00.

T.W. Heyck Prize

T. W. Heyck, a distinguished historian of British and Irish History and master teacher was on the History Department faculty for 40 years and trained dozens of graduate students, who carry on his legacy. This award, first given in 2008, is for outstanding graduate research in British or Irish History. The current amount of this award is $500.00.

Harold Perkin Prize

Harold Perkin, an innovative social historian who began his career in England and taught at Northwestern from 1985 to 1997, was known for his exceptional capacity to synthesize information into a clear and compelling narrative with a strong argumentative through-line. This award is given for the best dissertation of the year. The current amount of this award is $2500.00. The award may be split into two awards of $1250.00 each.