Participate in the 2025 Neureuther Essay Competition by Washington University. Submit by March 7!
About the Contest
Now in its 37th year, this contest honors Carl Neureuther, a 1940 graduate of the School of Business, who established an endowed book fund to promote reading for pleasure. Open to both undergraduate and graduate students, the contest invites participants to write short essays about their personal book collections. Whether your collection is focused on science fiction, cookbooks, literary criticism, or queer comics, it’s the passion behind your collection that matters most.
Eligibility
Except for previous Neureuther winners, any full-time, student is eligible to participate. Students enter by filling out an entry form and uploading a two- to four-page essay and a bibliography of their collection. Collections of any size and on any subject are eligible. Judging is based on collection description, personal value, and writing quality.
Prizes
The competition offers four cash awards:
- Graduate Level: $1,000 (first place) and $500 (second place)
- Undergraduate Level: $1,000 (first place) and $500 (second place)
How to Enter?
Students can submit their essays electronically through the contest’s online portal. The entry must include:
- A completed 2025 entry form.
- A 2-4 page essay about the book collection.
- A bibliography listing the books in the collection.
Submission Guidelines
- Completed entry forms must be submitted via the online portal. Submission deadline: March 7, 2025, at 5 pm.
- An essay. The essay should be typed, double-spaced, on white, 8 ½ x 11-inch paper, at least two pages but no longer than four pages. See the Judging section below for essay criteria. Please submit the essay as part of the online entry form.
- A formal bibliography to demonstrate a representative sampling of the book collection. This can be attached to the end of your essay. Use an established style guide, such as the Chicago Manual of Style, the MLA Handbook, or one of the APA Style series. Visit our Citing Your Sources Research Guide for additional assistance. Please submit the bibliography as part of the entry form.
Judging Criteria
Essays will be evaluated by judges from the faculty and university community based on:
- The scope of the collection.
- It’s thematic unity.
- It’s personal value to the collector.
How to Submit?
Interested participants can submit through this link.
Deadline
Submit your entry by 5:00 p.m. on Friday, March 7, 2025.
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