Eligibility, Prizes, and Categories

Eligibility

Eligibility for the President’s Writing Awards is as follows:

• Contest categories are open to all manuscripts produced for undergraduate coursework at Boise State anytime from Spring 2024 through Spring 2025.
• Previously published work is not eligible.
• A student may enter multiple categories but may submit no more than one entry to each category.
• A student may re-submit work that was entered but did not win in 2024, provided that it was completed within the stated time frame.
• All submissions should be written in English.
• All submissions must have any identifying information removed from the final manuscript.

Deadline

To be considered, manuscripts must be submitted during the submission window which begins December 1, 2024 and ends March 7, 2025.

Prizes

Two prizes are awarded in each category:

1. First prize, $200
2. Second prize, $100

Categories and Guidelines

There are nine available categories for manuscript submissions.

1. Creative Nonfiction

Submissions are open to one work of creative nonfiction completed for coursework during an eligible semester. Submissions should not exceed 20 pages.

2. Critical Analysis

Essays in the Critical Analysis category should critically evaluate or analyze a piece of literature, a theatrical performance, a work of visual art, a historical moment, a philosophical argument, a social movement, etc. Submissions should not exceed 20 pages.

3. First­-Year Writing

Any student enrolled in English 101P, 101, 102, or 112 during an eligible semester may submit an essay of any kind on any topic for the First-Year Writing category. There are no length limits for this category.

4. Foundations of Ethics and Diversity

For the Foundations of Ethics and Diversity category, submissions are open to essays completed for UF 200 during an eligible semester. Students are encouraged to submit an essay exploring civic, ethical, and/or diversity on a local, regional, national or international topic. If your essay is the product of a team project, all names must be submitted and all team members will share the award. Essays should not exceed 20 pages.

5. Fiction

Submissions are open to one piece of fiction completed for coursework during an eligible semester. Submissions should not exceed 20 pages.

6. Identity, Culture, and Languages

The Identity, Culture, and Languages category welcomes submissions that focus on exploring elements of identity, culture, or languages, through the written word. This category seeks writing that investigates the human experience, particularly through perspectives that are frequently marginalized or excluded, which may include members of the LGBT+ community, people with disabilities, non-citizens, and multilingual writers. Submissions are open to projects written in any course, at any level. There are no length limits for this category.

7. Journalism and Public Relations

Submissions are open to one work of creative nonfiction journalism or public relations completed for coursework during an eligible semester. Submissions should not exceed 10 pages.

8. Poetry

Submissions for Poetry are open to one poem that was completed for coursework during an eligible semester. Submissions should not exceed 5 pages.

9. Research Based

Submissions in the Research category are open to research topics in any field: STEM, Social Sciences, Business, Humanities, etc. Submissions should use the documentation style appropriate to the discipline and should not exceed 20 pages.

Submit a Manuscript

Review the Submit a Manuscript page for more details and to enter your manuscript for consideration.
Submit a Manuscript