IEW Essay Contest
Share your story in celebration of International Education Week at Emory.
The 2025 Essay Contest submissions are now closed. Winners will be notified in the coming weeks.
Access the official contest flyer HERE.
In a world shaped by diverse cultures, identities, and perspectives, education plays a vital role in fostering empathy, understanding, and global responsibility. Reflecting on the theme “One World, Many Voices: Education for a Compassionate Future,” you are invited write an essay exploring how international education can help build a more compassionate and inclusive world.
You may choose (but are not required) to respond to one or more of the questions below.
- Describe a time you encountered a cultural difference or challenge during an international education experience. How did navigating this challenge contribute to your personal growth and understanding of the theme "One World, Many Voices"?
- Reflect on an international education experience you have had in the past. How did this experience change your perspective and deepen your understanding of another culture?
- Drawing on your own observations or experiences, discuss how the principles of a globally-minded education can be applied to address a pressing local or global issue that you are passionate about.
Format: Your essay should be between 500 to 750 words, typed, double-spaced, in 12-point Times New Roman font, in Microsoft Word or an editable document and adhere to the contest guidelines and rules. We encourage you to draw upon your identity, personal anecdotes, specific examples, lived experiences, and thoughtful analysis to craft a compelling and insightful essay.
Winners: The review committee will select one graduate student winner and one runner-up, and one undergraduate winner and runner-up.
Deadline: 11:59 p.m. EST on October 3, 2025.
Prizes:
Graduate First-place Winner Prize: $500
Undergraduate First-place Winner Prize: $500
Graduate Runner-Up Prize: $250
Undergraduate Runner-Up Prize: $250
Essay Contest Guidelines:
- Must be written in English;
- Include a title and a cover sheet with the author's name and contact information;
- No identifying information should be within the essay itself;
- Only one essay may be submitted per person;
- All aspects of the Emory Honor Code will be enforced, citing any references or copyright materials where relevant; and
- AI Tools (e.g. Chat GPT, Grammarly) can be used to edit a draft, but not to formulate ideas or write an initial draft. If used, AI tools must be credited at the conclusion of the essay.
- Read the detailed list of official rules here.
SUBMISSIONS ARE NOW CLOSED FOR THE 2025 IEW ESSAY CONTEST. WINNERS WILL BE NOTIFIED IN THE COMING WEEKS.
2024 IEW Essay Contest
Take a look at our 2024 International Education Week Essay Contest winners, who wrote essays on the theme "Local to Global: Celebrating International Education at Emory."
Listed from Left to Right: Liping Li, Graduate Honorable Mention; Khushi Agarwal, Undergraduate Honorable Mention; Calvin Osei Tenkorang, Graduate Runner-Up Winner; Wendy Lee, Graduate First-Place Winner; Aay-Janae Taylor, Undergraduate Runner-Up Winner; Sabrina Lane, Undergraduate First-Place Winner and Camila Quinde Villacres, Graduate Honorable Mention.
Photo by Jenni Girtman
List of Winners and Runner-Ups:
Undergraduate Winners:
Sabrina Lane
Undergraduate First-Place Winner: "Echoes of War, Threads of Peace: Lessons from Bosnia and Herzegovina to Emory"
Aay-Janae Taylor
Undergraduate Runner-Up: "A Cultural Exchange"
Graduate Winners:
Wendy Lee
Graduate First-Place Winner: "Panacea Lost and Found"
Calvin Osei Tenkorang
Graduate Runner-Up: "From the Streets of Accra, Ghana to Global Classrooms"
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