Philolexian Centennial Washington Prize

Among Columbia's oldest prizes, the Washington Prize was endowed to the Philolexian Society by alumnus J. Ackerman Coles (CC 1864) on the occasion of its centennial celebration. The prize was originally a bronze replica of Jean-Antoine Houdon's bust of George Washington to be imported from France, was to be awarded once every four years to the member of the society deemed to have delivered the finest oration on a patriotic theme. The society now administers the competition, open to all undergraduates at Columbia University and Barnard College in conjunction with the Office of the Dean of Columbia College. The last competition was held in 2013 on the theme of public service.

Prize Winners

• 2013 - Will Tant, GS
• 2009 - Adam Hoffman CC '09, "Hedgehogs and Foxes"
• 2005 - Andrew Liebowitz CC '06, "Of Mystics and Social Workers"
• 2000 - Carson Cistulli CC '00
• 1951 - Robert Gottlieb
• 1947 - Donald Friedman CC '48, "Children have the alarming habit..."
• 1939 - James O'Connor CC '40, "An Appreciation of Justice Brandeis"
• 1927 - Jacques Barzun CC '27, "The Gospel of Loyalty and the International Mind"
• 1919 - Archie O. Dawson CC '21
• 1915 - Douglas M. Black CC '16
• 1911 - Dixon Ryan Fox CC '11, "Balance"
• 1907 - Fremont A. Higgins CC '08, "The Patriotism of the Fathers" (Runner up: A. Joyce Kilmer CC '07)