The most selective colleges and universities, among them Ohio Wesleyan, have students whose thirst for knowledge surpasses those of most of their peers. They are eager to transcend the ordinary challenge of everyday courses and laboratory work with their professors and adopt a pace appropriate to their extraordinary talents and motivation. It is to the recruitment and/or retention of these students that the T'ai Merion Award is directed.
The recipient of this award will be chosen by a group consisting of the director of creative writing and the professors who teach playwriting and screenwriting and may include consultation with other OWU staff or faculty members as deemed appropriate. Recipients are chosen at the end of their sophomore year and will hold the award for both their junior and senior years.
T'ai graduated from Ohio Wesleyan magna cum laude with a prize in English and Philosophy. He was also co-captain of the Wesleyan swim team and was co-founder and editor of the Satirical newspaper.
He provides us with lasting impressions. He was intelligent and talented, he was endearing and compassionate. He is deeply missed by those who knew him.
While in college, he founded a computer consulting company with clients from both the East and West Coasts. After graduation, he continued work as a contract consultant.
T'ai had an intense interest in theater. He played leading roles in several student productions and planned to continue professionally in this field.
T'ai was both charming and caring. He was non-judgmental in accepting how other people believed or expressed themselves--as long as there was tolerance of others and recognition of the intrinsic value of each individual.
This award was established in 2000 and is awarded to juniors and seniors who demonstrate excellence in the fields of playwriting and screenwriting. Please find the last five (5) years' award winners listed below. For an exhaustive list of past recipients, please email the department at eng@owu.edu.
| Year |
Recipient |
| 2024 |
Pedro Oliveira Figueiredo |
| 2023 |
Emma Foster |
| 2022 |
Isabelle Tinti-Kane '24 |
| 2021 |
N/A |
| 2020 |
N/A |
