Kristen Romes, a junior in the University of Wisconsin-Madison's College of Letters & Science, is one of three undergraduate student winners of the annual UW System Liberal Arts Essay Scholarship Competition.
Now in its ninth year, the competition was established to support and promote liberal education throughout the state's public university system. UW System President Ray Cross announced the winners — Romes, along with UW-Whitewater's Bonny Bobka and UW-Sheboygan's Nicholas Schefsky — earlier this week.
This year's essay prompt invited students to reflect on their own education in the context of the William Cronon essay, "Only Connect," about the qualities that distinguish a liberally educated person. Cronon is the Frederick Jackson Turner and Vilas Research Professor of History, Geography, and Environmental Studies at UW-Madison.
Romes, who is majoring in English and history, wrote an essay entitled "Waive Your Flag," in which she drew on lessons learned in J.R.W. Smail Professor of History Alfred McCoy's History 319 The Vietnam Wars.
The winners will each receive a $2,000 scholarship to help fund the remainder of their undergraduate education.
"Every day I am in this position, I become more impressed with the quality of the students who attend our institutions, and there is no greater testimony to that quality than this year’s winning essays," Cross says.
The annual competition, which is funded by private funds, is part of the UW System's Liberal Education Initiative, which seeks to 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 http://liberaleducation.uwsa.edu/scholarship/.