The series of four different essay contests, spread over the course of the academic year, is open to the entire undergraduate campus community* and designed to engage students and inspire rich intellectual dialogue.

A message from Provost Tom Apple

To write—and to write well—is no easy task. And yet the art of written communication is a crucial skill for anybody entering and competing in today’s global world. Whether marketing a business through 140 characters on Twitter, or publishing research findings in the world’s most storied academic journals, the ability to articulate a point through the written word in a way that is clear, concise and coherent is not just a skill to be learned, but rather, a necessary trade to be mastered.

The University of Delaware is a Citizen University that values Idea Leadership and therefore places great emphasis on our students’ ability to write effectively. As chief academic officer for UD, I am proud to announce the launch of the University’s “Excellence in Writing” competition. This series of four different essay contests, spread over the course of the academic year, is open to the entire undergraduate campus community* and designed to engage students and inspire rich intellectual dialogue. It is my greatest hope that our entire student body will participate in this initiative, as the excellence in our students’ writing is part of what makes us a Talent Magnet for the best and brightest in the world.

Tom Apple
Provost

* with the exception of the First Year Experience writing contest, open only to students in the FYE program