2016 UC Merced Study Abroad Returnee Essay Contest Rules, Disclaimer, Consent, and Prizes
More than ever, our world is interconnected and, in order to be successful, students must be able to interact across cultures and be able to analyze global issues. As an academic program at UC Merced, study abroad helps to promote international understanding through education. Students that study abroad develop cultural competencies and a deeper understanding of the world in which they live. The Returnee Essay Contest aims to capture the essence of study abroad by encouraging students to reflect and write creatively about their unique learning and living experiences abroad.
Eligibility
The Returnee Essay Contest is open to any UC Merced study abroad returnee. The returnee does not need to be a current UC Merced student in order to participate.
Writing Guidelines
Essays will be shared broadly across the UC Merced and study abroad communities as well as to future study abroad students so think about the information you were interested in when planning for study abroad.
Essays should be thoughtful, carefully composed, and creative. While we welcome stories about any aspect of your study abroad experience, please note that we are not looking for a travel log, diary, or journal of your experiences.
Need more writing ideas? The Office of International Affairs (OIA) is interested in essays that touch on the following topics:
- Help us understand unique cultural or social aspects, events, or practices of the country in which you studied.
- Explore ways your views of college life, your major, or your career may have changed because of studying abroad.
- Discuss personal and/or cultural challenges abroad and how you overcame these challenges.
- Explore your learning experiences about yourself, your home country, your culture, or the world.
- Reflect on your cultural immersion.
- Discuss life-changing events or an experience that caused a great deal of introspection for you.
- Discuss the challenges of being an informed global citizen in the 21st century.
- Discuss the perceptions others had of the United States. Did their opinions have an effect on you?
- Discuss the impact your study abroad experiences had or will have on your future professional work.
- Did your study abroad experience contribute to finding yourself and your place in the world?
Have fun! This is your chance to really reflect and share the deeper learning experiences of your time abroad. By sharing your story you help prospective students, their families, professors and others in the UC Merced community know, feel, and appreciate the importance of studying abroad.
Essays should not include narratives about alcohol and/or drug consumption. OIA reserves the right to disqualify an essay for inappropriate content.
Format & Word Count
Essays should be no more than 3 pages or 1,500 words single-spaced in 12-point Times New Roman font. The author’s first and last name must be on every page in the header. All essays must include a cover sheet containing the author’s name, title of essay, program name, and term of participation.
Contest Terms
Entries must be submitted via online webform by Tuesday, March 1, 2016 at 11:59:59 pm. Entries received after the deadline will not be considered. By submitting an essay, the participant agrees to the following terms:
- Submissions must be received electronically through our online form. OIA is not responsible for late, lost, incomplete, or technical malfunctions that may occur in the submission process.
- Submissions will be disqualified if plagiarized. Essays need to be written in your own words. Resources must be cited if used.
- Essays will be judged by a panel of OIA staff. All decisions are final and cannot be contested.
- Students may only submit one essay.
- Up to three photos can be included in entry but the total length of submission must not exceed 3 pages or 1,500 words. We are looking for more than travel photos of historical landmarks and pretty scenery; the best photos will be of UC Merced students participating in activities in the host country. Photos must include captions.
- OIA reserves the right to cancel the Study Abroad Returnee Essay Contest in the event that an insufficient number of entries of suitable quality are submitted.
Disclaimer and Consent
By uploading your essay and any photos:
- You certify that your essay is your own work and is not plagiarized.
- You certify that any photos are yours and that you own the rights to distribute them as you see fit. You certify that these are not photos that do not belong to someone else and are not protected by any copyright.
- You grant permission to the University of California (including the UC Merced Office of International Affairs, the UC Merced Office of Communications, the University of California Education Abroad Program, and other University of California units) to reproduce any submitted text or images for the purposes of publicity, marketing, and communications. The text and/or images may appear in University catalogs, brochures, news releases, websites, general study abroad promotion and preparation materials, and other communications or study abroad-related materials.
Awards
The winning entry will receive one $75 electronic gift card to Amazon.com and will be notified via email by March 15, 2016.
The winner must be a UC Merced study abroad returnee. Peer advisors and interns from the Office of International Affairs are ineligible to win.
The winning entry will be made available on our website, Facebook, and Twitter.
