Call for Submissions: Jon Sultan Writing Award ($1,000)

Mr. Steven A. Sultan and Mrs. Susan E. Sultan established the Jon Sultan Writing Award in memory of their son, Jon, who was an integral part of the first Integrative Studies cohort in 1995. School of Integrative Studies (SIS) will present the Jon Sultan Writing Award to a first year student who shows exceptional talent, versatility, and potential as a writer. The Sultan Award winner receives $1,000 and a certificate. See below for details on the award and judging process: 

Nominations:

  1. The award is open to all first-year Integrative Studies or Environmental Sustainability Studies students.
  2. Students must submit the writing sample materials listed below, along with the name and contact information of an SIS faculty member who could, if needed, act as a reference. 

Writing Samples:

Nominated students who wish to compete for the Sultan Award will submit one PDF document of the combined writing samples. The submission should include three pieces of written work (this can include more traditional essays as well as multi-media projects with a substantial written component, such as digital stories) completed in INTS learning communities with a short introduction (500 words maximum) that explains the author’s choice of writing samples, focusing in particular on how these samples showcase his/her talent and versatility as a writer and his/her development as a writer over the first year of college. The introduction should also briefly summarize his/her future writing plans. These materials should be digitally submitted to Andrea Barabach (abarabac@gmu.edu) by 5 p.m. on March 2nd, 2018. 

Criteria for writing:

The three writing samples submitted must altogether show evidence of the following:

  1. Well-reasoned arguments that are supported by logic and evidence
  2. Overall strong foundational elements of writing
  3. A comprehensive knowledge of the subject matter and principles treated in the student's learning communities
  4. Creativity - a high degree of originality and independence of thought
  5. A superior ability to organize, analyze, and synthesize ideas
  6. An outstanding ability to communicate these ideas (through language, composition, excellent grammar, and accurate use of citations)

Judges:

The panel of judges will consist of SIS Awards Committee members. They will convene shortly after the deadline to evaluate and select a winner, who will be announced before the end of the spring semester.