Natalie Lauren Butz, daughter of Sam and Leslie Butz of Falls Church and a student at Washington College, is one of five finalists for the Sophie Kerr Prize, the largest undergraduate literary prize in the nation, this year valued at more than $58,000.

Butz, an English major who minors in history, psychology and creative writing, has served as editor-in-chief of the student newspaper, The Elm, worked in the writing center, participated in drama productions, joined the Douglass Cater Society of Junior Fellows, and achieved distinction as a member of Phi Beta Kappa.

Her writing portfolio includes excerpts from a historical novel-in-progress, short stories and articles published in The Elm, the Chestertown Spy and Washington College Magazine. “Her creative work is distinctive for its commitment to research, and she tackles difficult topics such as race, class and gender with real honesty,” judges from the Sophie Kerr Committee said of her portfolio. Butz graduated from George C. Marshall High School.