Hello, hello!
It’s that time of year again and we are happy to announce that the Common Read Essay Contest is ready for submissions!
The Prompt:
Piper Kerman’s story is a window into a world most readers have never seen before. With each person she meets, Piper struggles with critical issues for understanding what it means to be a part of her new community: race, gender, socioeconomic class, sexual orientation, power, and privilege. This book is an invitation to reflect on how everyone’s stories intersect but are also shaped and informed by those larger social issues, too. How does Piper’s experience illuminate the opportunities and challenges ahead, as you begin to live and work with people from different cultures and experiences at UMass Amherst?
The Rules
- All fall 2014 new incoming undergraduate students are eligible to enter.
- Essays should be between 3-5 pages long, or approximately 750-1,250 words, typed, double-spaced, with one-inch margins and 12-point type.
- Direct quotations from Orange is the New Black should be appropriately marked and cited, with page numbers in parentheses.
- The first page of the essay should include your name, campus address, phone number, and UMass email address. Please give your essay a title.
- Essays should be submitted electronically as an email attachment (either PDF or Word) to commonread@sacl.umass.edu .
- Essays must be received no later than Monday, September 1st, 2014, at 5:00 pm EST.
The Prizes!
- Gift card from the University Store
- Write-up in The Daily Collegian
- Recognition and essay publication on the Common Read blog
- Announcement at the Piper Kerman dinner event
- Certificate of recognition
So, now that you have the details it’s time to get writing or, if you haven’t started reading, you can get on that too!