Essay Competition Announcement 20.11.2008-19-12.2008

American Councils for International Education in St. Petersburg, Russia would like to announce an essay contest on the following theme: “What is the role of international education and cultural exchange programs during times of global economic crisis?” The competition is open to all 1st through 5th year university undergraduate students studying in St. Petersburg. Essays will be judged on the following criteria: Structure and Organization of Essay – 25 points Does the essay have an introduction, body, and conclusion with smooth transitions? Persuasiveness – 25 points How convincing are the arguments? Does the author provide concrete supporting evidence? Clarity of Expression – 25 points Does the author use concise, grammatically correct language? Do sentence structure and variety contribute to overall clarity? Originality – 25 points Are the writer’s ideas fresh? Does the writer choose unusual examples and supporting evidence? Style and Structure requirements: -Maximum length of essays: 2 double spaced pages -Font: All essays will need to be 12 pt. Times New Roman -Margins: Margins should be of normal Word document -All essays need to be written in English At the top right hand corner of all essay submissions must be the full name (First, Middle, and Last) of each participant, their class year, university, and major. All essays should be sent electronically to adviser@americancouncils.spb.ru. The deadline for all submissions is December 19, 2008. Winners will be announced at the American Councils office on January 23, 2009 at 18:00. The top 3 winning essays will be awarded prizes and certificates. Their essays will also be posted on the American Councils website.