If you are passionate about sharing your experiences with others, submit your writing to the student competition sponsored by the Humanities and Ethics Center. The competition asks students to write a response to the prompt: “What record of human experience has affected you?”

Dr. Katie Gilbert is excited to host this competition for students who are willing to reflect on their own human experiences through sharing the historical figures, books, artworks and more that have influenced their lives.

“We are, at the end of the year, trying to get students to reflect on things that they have studied that have had a lasting effect on them,” said Gilbert. “We are doing this as a way to celebrate the power of the humanities, how influential they can be, and get us thinking about the human experience as a whole. We want to recognize the importance of the study of objects, texts and documents and how they boost both our understanding of the world and our personal happiness.”

Students should submit a photograph of their humanities-related document or object along with a 300 word response about how it has affected them. Submissions should be emailed to Dr. Gilbert at kgilbert@drury.edu. The task is simple, and students will benefit from the creative freedom of this contest.

“The first thing the student should do is pick an image that is of the thing they will be writing about. The picture can be downloaded or taken by the student themselves. They will not be judged on the photography. It is just so that we have a visual of what the student is writing about,” said Gilbert. “[The response] should be about whatever is in the image that has inspired them or has left a lasting impression on them and their lives.”

Gilbert recommends that students give themselves time to revise their work before sending it in.

“The best entries will be those that have a lot of thought and detail put into them. It will involve a personal element in it—a connection,” said Gilbert.

Students should not delay. The deadline for submissions is Thursday, May 3 at 5:00 p.m. The winners will be announced Friday, May 4 at 5:00 p.m.

“I will personally be going through the entries and picking the first, second and third place winners,” said Gilbert. “I would also really like to give students the opportunity to publish their work on the Humanities and Ethics Center’s blog. They are not required to do it, but I would love to have students be open to the idea of having their pieces be viewed for others to see and get inspiration from.”

Not convinced you should submit yet? The winning submission will receive $75. Second place will receive $50, and third place will receive $30.

“This is an easy way to possibly earn money. I also think students should take part in this contest because it gives them the time to pause and really think about what has impacted them. Our lives are so hectic and busy, and I know students are always running from thing to thing. Sometimes they tend to hurl themselves through classes, and they never really get the chance to stop and think, ‘Wow, that book really got me inspired.’ This competition will give students that moment to reflect. The humanities are all about reflecting on how things have changed the world as a communal experience,” said Gilbert.

For information or questions about the competition, contact Dr. Gilbert at kgilbert@drury.edu. Also, check out the Humanities and Ethics Center’s blog at http://humanities.drury.edu.

Article written by Kate Bequette.