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Department for Gender and Sexuality Studies

Wiltshire Essay Competition

The Department of Gender and Sexuality Studies gives two Susan Ford Wiltshire awards each spring — one for the best undergraduate essay ($100 prize) and one for the best graduate essay ($200 prize). 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 (winter, spring, summer, or fall 2020).

Please join us in congratulating the winners of the 2021 Susan Ford Wiltshire Award!

Undergraduate Award

Joseph B. Miller, “Christian Nationalism and LGBTQ+ Cultural Flows”

Graduate Award

Benjamin B. Schwartz, “We, the People’s Plaza…”: Nashville’s 2020 Uprising and Its Implications for Activism”

The competition is open to students in all schools and colleges of the University, including graduating seniors.

  • 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 (excluding bibliography).
  • Graduate submissions should be 20-25 pages (excluding bibliography).
  • 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 are judged on the following criteria:

  • Originality
  • Creativity
  • Insight
  • Clarity of Analysis
  • Quality of Writing

Questions? Email Barbara Kaeser