The Çiğdem and Hossein Dabir Award for Excellence in Short Fiction

About the Award

The Çiğdem and Hossein Dabir Award for Excellence in Short Fiction was established in 2022 by ENG Program members. It is awarded to exceptional short fiction writing in English by Bilkent students, submitted for the ENG 312 – Introduction to Creative Writing course. The contest is judged by a panel of three judges from the ENG program and the ELIT and COMD departments.

The award not only recognizes and promotes the talent and creativity of Bilkent student writers, but also commemorates the lives and service of our treasured colleagues Çiğdem and Hossein Dabir:

Çiğdem and Hossein Dabir were lifelong advocates for creative expression and student achievement. Both generously contributed to the design and delivery of earlier forms of the ENG 312 course. Çiğdem’s love for short fiction and Hossein’s love for students formed the genesis of this award. Their passing, in 2015 and 2020 respectively, was a great loss to the Bilkent Community. This award, in remembrance of their grace, serves to honor their memory by providing Bilkent students the opportunity to be recognized and share their artistry with us all. (Bilkent News, 2022)

Awards are presented to winners at a ceremony at the start of the following Spring semester.