MADISON, Wis. – University of Wisconsin System President Kevin P. Reilly announced three undergraduate student winners of the fifth annual UW System Liberal Arts Essay Scholarship Competition. The competition, which was established to support and promote liberal education throughout the state’s public university system, invited students to discuss the transformative nature of their educations by focusing on an experience that changed how they viewed themselves and the world.
Three students have been honored for writing outstanding essays:
- Colleen Jurkiewicz, UW-Milwaukee, “Liberal Education: A Metamorphosis of the Soul”
- Adria Kaufman, UW-Marinette, “With Which to Paint Our World”
- Evan Mast, UW-Madison, “The Importance of Cartography”
Winners will each receive a $2,000 scholarship to help fund the remainder of their undergraduate education. Honorable mentions also were awarded to four writers: Elena Bantle, UW-La Crosse; Nenad Jakovljevic, UW-Baraboo/Sauk County; Logan Middleton, UW-Marathon County; and Hope Schuhart, UW-Oshkosh.
“Students from 11 UW institutions took up the challenge to write essays for this year’s competition. The results highlight for all of us the outstanding students we are privileged to have at each of our institutions,” Reilly said. “The winning essays offer creative and compelling insights into how a liberal education provides students with the tools, skills, and habits of mind they need to be engaged and effective citizens.”
The competition, which is funded by private funds, is part of the UW System’s Liberal Education Initiative, which seeks make the goals and outcomes of liberal arts education accessible and valuable to all UW students, regardless of major or degree program. Through a partnership with the Association of American Colleges & Universities and its national campaign, Liberal Education and America’s Promise (LEAP), the initiative further seeks to spark public debate about the kinds of knowledge and skills that are needed to prepare today’s students for their future roles as citizens. For more information about the initiative and to see the winning essays, visit https://www.wisconsin.edu/liberal-education/.