Student Essay Contest

The annual Scott Wright Student Essay Contest is in honor of Scott Wright (July 27, 1964 - June 08, 2003), past editor of Community College Week, recipient of the 1998 Award for Excellence in Higher Education Journalism, and the reporter who brought national attention to developmental education and the unique mission community colleges possess in providing an accessible education.
Student authors are asked to describe a faculty member, staff member, or administrator who encouraged them to complete a course, finish a semester, or graduate from college and how that encouragement helped them reach their goal(s) in a 500-word (or less) essay. Only students currently enrolled at NISOD member colleges are eligible.
The Prize
- Three (3) winning student authors will each receive a $1,000 check.
- The featured faculty members, staff members, or administrators in the winning essays will each receive a $1,000 check.
- The winning essays will be presented during NISOD’s annual conference taking place virtually, April 28-30, 2021.
- Each winning student author’s college will receive a complimentary 2021-2022 NISOD membership (July 1, 2021 – June 30, 2022).
- The winning student essays will be published on NISOD’s website along with the photos and names of the winning student author, the featured employees, and the winning student authors’ college presidents.
Evaluation Criteria
Submissions will be evaluated based on the following criteria:
- Content
- Originality
- Clarity
- Organization
- Conciseness
- Grammar
Timeline
- Contest opens: August 21, 2020
- Submission deadline: March 12, 2021
- Winners notified: March 26, 2021
- Winners’ photos due: April 16, 2021
- Prize and essay presentations at NISOD conference: April 28-30, 2021
Past Student Essay Contest Winners
- 2020 Scott Wright Student Essay Contest Winners
- 2019 Scott Wright Student Essay Contest Winners
- 2018 Scott Wright Student Essay Contest Winners
- 2017 Scott Wright Student Essay Contest Winners
- 2016 Scott Wright Student Essay Contest Winners
- 2015 Scott Wright Student Essay Contest Winners
Submission
Please review the Criteria and Terms before submitting your essay.
Visit our FAQ page or contact Nicole Novelli at Nicole@nisod.org or (512) 471-7545 for more information.
To spread the word about the contest on your campus, please use the flyer below: