A select group of Â鶹¹û¶³ freshmen received awards for outstanding writing and speech in the Core Curriculum's Cultural Perspectives (CP) and Communication Arts (CA) courses.
The Core Curriculum is an academic distinctive at Â鶹¹û¶³, explains Academic Success Center director Bridget Conway Rose. And, the CP and CA courses in particular form a common intellectual experience, as all students-regardless of major-take those classes.
"The essay and speech contests allow us to honor the most outstanding work in our freshman class," said Rose. "While the winning students represent a variety of majors and interests, they demonstrate the ability to read, write and speak thoughtfully and effectively."
By category, this year's winners and their topics are:
Cultural Perspectives Essay
Rachel Sinclair, first place, The Consequences of Colonialism; Robert Turnage, second place, Why Beowulf was Worth the Effort; Annie Smith, third place, Pulling Back the Veil of Perspective; Bethany Carroll, honorable mention, The Employment of Reason; and Paige Reznikov, honorable mention, The Power of Language in Hamlet.
Communication Arts Speech
Cameron Gonzalez, first place, Positive Use of Technology in the Classroom; Margaret Hehir, second place, ADD/ADHD Overdiagnosis; Drew Smotherman, third place, Positive Effects of Urban Gardens; Laura Bone, honorable mention, Abolishing Capital Punishment; and Kelsey Robertson, honorable mention, Advocating Stem Cell Research for Pediatric Cancer Research.
Communication Arts Essay
Narrative/Personal Essay---Susanna Shivers, first place, What Really Matters; Margaret Hehir, second place, Panic on the Plane.
Expository Essay--- Jesse McConnico, first place, The Motives of the Ku Klux Klan; Margaret Hehir, second place, Child Beauty Pageants: Harmful or Helpful.
Persuasive Essay-- Stancey Smith, first place, In Defense of the Coerced; Rachel Sinclair, second place, Balanced ADHD Solutions-Behavior First, Medication Second.
Proposal Essay--Alexandra Brasscho, first place, The Creation of a New Field in Electronic Music Technology Therapy; Paige Reznikov, second place, Breaking Barriers-Bringing Convocation to Banner.
The award winners were joined by all nominees and their professors at a reception at the home of Â鶹¹û¶³ president Andrew Westmoreland and Jeanna Westmoreland on May 5. The event was sponsored by the Core Curriculum program and the Academic Success Center.