“Mason Reads” Essay Competition

April 5, 2022, 9:00 AM to May 15, 2022, 12:00 AM KST
Mason Korea (119 Songdomunhwa-ro, Yeonsu-gu, Incheon, Korea), Email submission only

The purpose of the “Mason Reads” Essay Competition is to promote the values and learning outcomes of the “Mason Reads” program as well as to provide an audience for first-year student writers. Since the “Mason Reads” selected book is provided to all Mason Korea first-year students, everyone has an equal chance to participate regardless of their major or prior knowledge on any subject. The book for the 2021-2022 academic year is Karla Cornejo Villavicencio's The Undocumented Americans. Student essays may be any combination of expository, argumentative, persuasive, or narrative in style.

The competition is open to all freshman students at Mason Korea, and there are scholarship prizes in the amounts of KRW 400,000 for 1st Place, KRW 250,000 for 2nd Place, and KRW 150,000 for 3rd Place. There is also a special 'DEI' award of KRW 150,000 that goes to the paper that the judges feel promotes understanding and discussion related to diversity, equity, and inclusion. The DEI award can be given to a paper that also places in the top 3, or it can be given to a paper that isn’t included in the top finalists.

Please take a look at the competition writing prompt for full details. If you have any questions about the competition, don't hesitate to contact Professor Kifer (jkifer@gmu.edu).