MONMOUTH, Ore. —Western Oregon University’s English Department is proud to announce the 10th annual 2026 Peter Sears Poetry Prize winners. This competition received over 60 poem submissions. A committee of English faculty and past Peter Sears Prize recipients selected 10 poems that were forwarded to the final judge, acclaimed poet Michael McGriff.
First prize goes to student Richard Loos for his poem “He Might Wake Everyone.” Loos is a Monmouth native, studying English and Education and serves in the U.S. Navy. Second prize was awarded to English major Lizzie Saager from Newberg for her poem “Opossum.” Third prize was awarded to history major Jandika Borden from Sherwood for her poem “Even the Road.”
The first-place winner will receive a $200 cash prize and all winners will receive cash prizes and read their work at the English session of the Academic Excellence Showcase which took place on May 28.
Final judge, Michael McGriff, an acclaimed author who directs the creative writing program at the University of Idaho, wrote that “He Might Wake Everyone” is a “poem of uncommon understatement, control, and irreconcilable complexity.”
See last year’s award winners and learn more about the Peter Sears Poetry Prize.
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About Western Oregon University
Western Oregon University, established in Monmouth in 1856, proudly stands as Oregon’s oldest public university. Hosting around 4,000 students, Western embodies a mid-sized, NCAA Division II institution, with approximately 80% of its students hailing from within the state. Notably, its diverse student body comprises individuals from underrepresented backgrounds, veterans, and non-traditional learners. Western stands as the preferred campus in Oregon for those pursuing an enriching education within a nurturing, student-focused environment, characterized by faculty-led instruction. WhereYOU belong.