Saint Xavier students can submit their writing, either creative or academic, to be considered for the Saint Xavier University Excellence in Writing Award by Monday, March 17.
According to Eileen Doherty, the Dean of Students, the award, which is sponsored by both the Office of Academic Affairs and the Office of Student Affairs, has been around for over 35 years.
The ability to communicate clearly through writing is a skill that serves students well both here at Saint Xavier and beyond.
According to Dr. Gina Rossetti, the lead judge for the award, “The purpose of the award is to celebrate student achievement in both academic and creative writing at both the undergraduate and graduate levels.”
There are four categories that students can apply for and they are: Undergraduate Academic Writing, Graduate Academic Writing, Undergraduate Creative Writing, and Graduate Creative Writing.
Academic writing, at both levels, may include documented research papers, literature reviews, case studies, and analyses of either a literary text or work a work of art.
Creative writing, on the other hand, may include personal narrative or other creative works of non-fiction, fiction, or poetry.
A panel of nine judges, including a lead judge who is noted as having experience in evaluating papers, review the entries.
Once received, all submissions have names removed from the papers, catalogued, and then distributed to two colleagues on the panel.
These members of the panel rank the papers and then give their recommendations to the lead judge who makes the final decision.
When it comes to the judging process Dr. Rossetti states, “The use of blind review ensures the integrity of the process, as well as it mirrors the process for any faculty or staff member who submits their academic or creative writing samples for publication.”
The four winners will receive both cash awards and recognition at the University Award Ceremony in April.
All students are eligible, which includes both graduate and part-time students.
Any work submitted must have been used for a class between March 15, 2013 and March 15, 2014.
Every entry submitted must be a clean-physical copy without student names, grades, comments, or marginal annotations and will be accompanied by the SXU Excellence in Writing Awards Submission Form.
Four clean copies along with a submission form must be submitted to the Office of the Provost in A-219.
The submission form can be found at:
http://www.sxu.edu/admissions/scholarships/wide/writing.asp.
Catlyn Hicks
Senior News Editor