Essay Prize in Ethics
The Schellhase Essay Contest asks students to think critically about the moral principles that drive human actions and behavior. The Schellhase Essay was created in honor of Richard T. Schellhase, a former professor at Ursinus College.
Topics to Consider
- The fundamental differences of what is “right” and “wrong”
- Competing advocacy for the best course of action
- Personal dilemmas
- Unexpected consequences that resulted from a well-intended action
- Important policy decisions and their implications
- The obligation to help humanity and/or the environment
The topics above and many more can drive the thesis of an ethics essay. An ethics essay can be any essay that explores ethical situations and ideas. Students of all disciplines and grade levels are eligible to compete.
How to Submit
Email your submission in MS Word format to the Center for Writing and Speaking at cws@ursinus.edu.
The 2020-2021 Schellhase Ethics Essay submission date is currently under review and will be
released promptly.
Prizes
1st Prize - $2,000
2nd Prize - $1,000
3rd Prize - $500
Judging and Scoring
Winning essays will be selected by a panel of Ursinus alumni. Submitted essays will be scored on their capacity to confront important topics with a sense of perspective, tenacity, and eloquence all while maintaining a captivating flow. A draft of the full rubric is available here.
Essay Contest Winners
- The 2017 contest winning entry by Christopher Tan.
- The 2016 contest winning entry by Alexander Lowe.
*Note: past contests had different topics and themes*
Have additional questions or concerns?
Reach out to mcumpstone@ursinus.edu for clarification on requirements, dates, and eligible topics for the essay.
Need inspiration for your essay topic?
Check out this external link containing over 200 ethical topics to dig into.
Ethics is the difference between knowing what you have the right to do and what is the right thing to do.
- Potter Stewart