Every fall the Liberal Education Program sponsors a Research Essay Contest for students in their first college writing course, Writing 105. Students who choose to participate must submit a research essay of at least 1,000 words. The essays were judged on style, accuracy, clarity, cohesion, research and sophistication of thought by Assistant Professor of Humanities Margaret Wiley and Librarian Carrie Thomas.
This year, 28 students submitted essays for the contest, an increase over last year's submissions. Prizes were awarded for first place($100), second place ($75) and second runner-up ($50). All three contest winners, whose pieces are featured below, were taught by Christiane Andrews, an adjunct faculty member who teaches in the Humanties Department.
First Place: "Offshore Outsourcing: Its Merits, Its Drawbacks and Its Future"
Pengxiang Ding, a first-year student from China, plans to major in business administation. He chose to write about international outsourcing because he wanted to learn more about this "hot topic." He says that while he comes from China, one of the biggest outsourcing destinations for the U.S., he has an objective attitude and wanted to share his perspective.
Second Place: Are Energy Drinks Worth the Buzz?
Samantha Marquis of Mechanic Falls, Maine, is a first-year student who is interested in pursuing a major in sociology or psychology. She enjoys helping others and aspires to work in the human services field. Until she began to research energy drinks for this assignment and learned about the ingredients and potentially negative effects on human health, Marquis says she loved and drank a lot of Red Bull.
Second Runner Up: Color and Its Effect On Us
Sarah Fischer, a native of San Antonio, Texas, who describes herself as a latecomer to college, has enjoyed a life of travel and finds her move to New Hampshire a "nice change of pace." She plans to study biology and studio art and loves to draw, play video games and search for new music.