Papal Visit—Student Essay Contest Rules

Essay Topic
Title:  How Catholic education has changed my life.
How and why has your Catholic education been important to you?
 
RULES

1. The essay contest is open to all current registered undergraduate, graduate and law school students at CUA. Part-time and full-time students are eligible.
   
2. Students may submit only one essay. 
   
3. Only individual entries will be accepted (no group entries are permissible).
   
4. All entries must be submitted before 4:30 p.m. EDT March 18 to be eligible for consideration. 
   
5. Essays must be hand-delivered to the Office of Public Affairs, McMahon Hall, Room 311.  Entries must be delivered between the hours of 9:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.  Each entrant will receive a receipt and confirmation number.  
   
6. Essays must be typewritten and must be double-spaced.
   
7. An essay may not exceed 500 words. 
   
8. Any quotations or copyrighted material used in the essay must be identified properly.  
   
9. Contestants must submit the following information about themselves on a separate cover sheet stapled to their essay:
   
   Name
   Local Address
   Telephone number
   E-mail address
   CUA school and class
   Student ID number (Student ID numbers must be included on every page, including cover sheet.)
   Name or any other identifying information (with the exception of student ID number) must NOT appear on essay pages. 
   
   
10. Students must submit six copies of their entry.  Each copy must be numbered (for example, copy 1 of 6, copy 2 of 6, copy 3 of 6, etc.). 
    
11. All entries, including the winning entry, become the property of The Catholic University of America and students retain no ownership interest in them. By submitting an entry, students understand and agree that CUA may modify and/or reproduce essays without obtaining permission from the author or granting the student additional compensation for the right to do so.  Essays will not be returned.
    
12. Winner and runner-up will be notified on or before April 9, 2008. 
    
13. Failure to adhere to any one of the aforementioned rules will result in disqualification.

Judging

1. A panel of qualified judges will evaluate the essays.
   
2. Essays will be judged on both style and content.
   
3. The winner and runner-up will be chosen by Very Rev. David M. O’Connell, C.M., president of CUA

Awards

1. The winner and runner-up will each receive a ticket to Pope Benedict’s address on Catholic education to be held on April 17, 2008, at Catholic University’s Edward J. Pryzbyla University Center.  Receipt of event ticket is contingent on successful completion of a security check to be conducted by the U.S. Secret Service.
   
2. The winner of the contest will be introduced to the Holy Father by Father O’Connell.  Meeting Pope Benedict is contingent on successful completion of a security check to be conducted by the U.S. Secret Service.

Questions?  Contact Emilie Wittenberg in the Office of Public Affairs at 202-319-5238 or wittenberg@cua.edu.