American Culture Undergraduate Writing Awards
for the Best Essays in American/Ethnic Studies
Each year, the Program in American Culture will award two prizes to American Culture and/or Latina/o Studies concentrators for the best essays on a topic related to the field of American Studies/Ethnic Studies. The establishment of these annual awards in 2007 marked the 55th anniversary of the Program in American Culture at the University of Michigan and celebrates the Program’s ongoing commitment to support our undergraduate students in the pursuit of academic excellence.
To download instructions and the application form, click here.
Congratulations to our academic year 2008-2009 winners!
Adonia-Lynn Arteaga, for her essay entitled, "Is It Hard? Is It Easy?"
Andy Kroll, for his essay entitled, "A Feast for Peace: How Feasts of the Dead Created Intertribal Alliances, Sustained Crucial Kinship Networks, and Promoted Peace."
Eligibility
Applicants must be American Culture or Latina/o Studies concentrators. Essays written during the current academic year are eligible for the competition. Students must have been enrolled at the Ann Arbor campus of the University of Michigan during the semester in which the essay was written, but the essay does not have to have been written for a class. Each author may submit only one entry.
Criteria
Essays are evaluated by the American Culture undergraduate committee. The committee will judge essays for their contribution to our understanding of some aspect of American culture, including issues emerging from ethnic studies, history, literature, media studies, performance studies, the social sciences, and other related fields. Essays will be judged on their originality and the clarity of presentation.
Format
Please submit one application form (see PDF application form above) along with four (4) copies of your essay. Essays should be no longer than 30 pages, typed and double-spaced, including notes and/or bibliography. To ensure blind review, the title page should include only the title of the essay.
2010 Deadline
Essays must be submitted by April 1, 2010 to the Program in American Culture, University of Michigan, 3700 Haven Hall, 505 S. State Street, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1045. We cannot accept papers submitted by fax or email.
Prize
Two entries will be declared the winners. Each winner will receive a certificate and a prize of $500, and will be honored at the Program's graduation ceremony in April.
Publication
Winning essays will be published in undergraduate section of the American Culture website, www.lsa.umich.edu/ac/undergrad/award.
Questions? E-mail the undergraduate assistant.
