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Department of Gender and Sexuality Studies

Susan Ford Wiltshire Awards

The Department of Gender and Sexuality Studies gives two awards each spring — one for the best undergraduate essay ($100 prize) and one for the best graduate essay ($200 prize), in honor of Susan Ford Wiltshire. The submitted essays must be on a topic concerning gender, race, ethnicity, class, and/or sexuality. They must have been written during the previous calendar year (spring, summer, or fall). The competition is open to students in all schools and colleges of the university, including graduating seniors.

Essay Criteria

  • The essay can be written for any university course or requirement.
  • It can use any methodology or approach.
  • It must be prose, not poetry.
  • Undergraduate submissions should be 8-10 pages.
  • Graduate submissions should be 20-25 pages.
  • We will not accept essays that have been previously published or considered for publication.
  • We will not accept essays that are pending grades.
  • One submission per person

Essays will be judged on

  • Originality
  • Creativity
  • Insight
  • Clarity of analysis
  • Quality of writing

To submit an essay, email it to gsstudies@vanderbilt.edu. Please do not include your name on headers or footers within the essay.