Each year, the Common Reading Experience Essay Contest honors excellent writing that addresses our book's themes. The winners are recognized at an awards ceremony.
You can enter if you're enrolled in one of the following courses, or will be enrolled in the spring:
ENGL 103P
ENGL 103
ENGL 103ESL
ENGL 203
ENGL 203ESL
ENGL 204
ENGL 451
ENGL 452
ENGL 453
UNIV 101
Submission Guidelines
Your essay should address the themes of social justice, institutional racism, discrimination, identity and others raised in "Born a Crime." For a list of themes, visit the current book page.
The first page of your essay should be a cover sheet that includes the following:
Name.
Z-ID number.
Campus address, email address and phone number.
ENGL or UNIV course, instructor and section number.
Save your essay as a Microsoft Word document (.doc or .docx). Email it to Ellen Franklin at efrankli@niu.edu by the specified deadline.