Politics department announces first annual essay contest

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Politics department announces first  annual essay contest
Hillsdale College’s Central Hall. Carmel Kookogey | Collegian

The Hillsdale College Politics Department is hosting its first-ever essay competition, the Robert H. and Susan M. Rewoldt Essay Contest in Politics. Undergraduate students of all majors are invited to submit essays with a maximum word count of 1,500 words on the topic of “Socialism and the Challenge it Poses to Freedom.” The first-place winner will receive $5,000, with second and third prize being $3,000 and $1,000, respectively. Entries are due April 1.

“The topic of socialism was chosen because it’s clearly an ideology that is gaining popularity among the young, and our donor is curious to see how a Hillsdale student might go about reflecting about it,” said Associate Professor of Politics Khalil Habib, who is helping to coordinate the contest. “It’s an invitation to weigh in on a very important issue that impacts us all.” 

According to an informational sheet provided by Institutional Advancement, the contest is sponsored by Susan M. Rewoldt, who has established an endowment to fund the contest in honor of her late husband, Robert. The Rewoldts have been dedicated supporters of the college, funding the Robert H. and Susan M. Rewoldt Endowed Merit Scholarship in Politics for students with a declared major in politics as well as the Robert H. and Susan M. Rewoldt Scholarship for the George Washington Fellowship.  

The essays will be judged by politics faculty and copies of the winning essays will be forwarded to Rewoldt. While there is no set rubric, Habib said judges will be looking for several qualities in a winning entry.

“Obviously, the essay has to be well written,” Habib said. “But ultimately we will be looking for the most rigorous and coherent arguments. Given the word limit, it cannot be a long academic dissertation or a senior thesis, but it should be clear, direct, and well-argued.”

Habib encouraged students of all majors to participate.

“Students interested in sharing their views and testing their ability to write persuasively should enter the competition,” Habib said.