2025 International Undergraduate Writing Contest!
Do you enjoy writing and want to show off your skills? Do you like the idea of having a writing contest on your resume?
Submission Deadline: 12:00 PM (Noon) Friday, March 7, 2025
Contest Rules:
Four prizes will be awarded for essays written by international undergraduate students for a course in the Program in English as a Second Language (ESL 117 or ESL 118) during the 2024/25 academic year. The work can be on any subject, but must be informative, analytical, or argumentative.
- 1st Place: $250
- 2nd Place: $150
- 2 runners up:$100 each
Questions?
Submission Procedure:
- 6 single-spaced, typed pages maximum (plus your reference page)
- Stapled and double-sided
- 12-point font, Times New Roman
- Do not include your name on the essay
- Include the cover sheet available in the ESL Office, from your instructor, or upload the coversheet from the Writing Contest Cover Sheet link
- Students may not submit more than one essay
- Note: The Independent Research Project (IRP) from ESL 118 may not be entered in the contest
- Submit 5 printed copies of your essay, along with one copy of the cover sheet to the ESL Office, 5134, 5th fl., Helen C. White Hall during the office hours.
- Monday – Wednesday from 9:00 am – 3:00 pm
- Friday from 9:00 am – 2:00 pm
- Please note: Essays that do not conform to the guidelines will not be considered.
Submission Deadline: 12:00 PM (Noon) Friday, March 7, 2025
First Place: Yijia Zhang
Essay: “When Emojis Confuse Instead of Clarify: Understanding the Impact of Platforms, Age, and Culture”
Instructor: Danielle Scheffler
Yijia Zhang is a freshman from Beijing, China, majoring in Mathematics for Data Science.
“I enjoy writing because it gives me time to reflect and organize my thoughts, allowing for clearer and more thoughtful expression. I chose this topic because I often use emojis to make online communication feel warmer and more approachable. However, I’ve been curious about how universal emojis actually are, especially considering how their meanings can vary across different platforms, age groups, and cultural backgrounds. I’m interested in mathematics and its applications in health-related fields. I plan to pursue graduate studies after completing my undergraduate degree.”
Second Place: Naqib Bin Mohd Nazri
Essay: “The Impact of Childhood Trauma on Perfectionism in Adulthood”
Instructor: Lidka Rao
Naqib Nazri is a sophomore from Johor Bahru, Malaysia, and a major in Data Science & Economics.
“Personally, I think writing is an effective tool for expressing complex ideas in your own words without restrictions. My motivation for choosing this topic stems from my curiosity about what causes some university students to excel to the point that they become afraid and anxious about facing failure. I am eager to continue my journey with data, specifically in the field of economics. As I have a passion for economics, I want to explore it further by becoming an analyst.”
Two Runners Up:
1). Mingwei Zhang
Essay: “Click, Share, Discriminate? The Role of Social Media in Amplifying Different Discrimination”
Instructor: Karen Best
2). Yuhan Xing
Essay: “The Extent to Which Psychological Measures Are Exploited By Magicians”
Instructor: Karen Best
Yuhan Xing, from Hangzhou, China, is currently a freshman and major in electrical engineering.
“Writing is never easy for me, so I find it especially important to find a topic that interests me; and to get myself to sit down and start typing, things became easier after starting. I chose this topic because I have always been fascinated by magicians and watched a lot of magic shows since I was a kid. I hope to have a wonderful experience for my time here at UW and to continue learning and experiencing new things.”
First Place:
Hiroaki Taniyama (Instructor: Karen Best)
Second Place:
Abigail Wu (Instructor: Shauna Crowther)
Two Runners Up:
- Xingrun Lu (Instructor: Stephen Timm)
- Ralitsa Wong (Instructor: Jenny Wilson-Farley)