Please confirm that you are eligible for participation in the Betty G. Headley Award by reviewing the following prerequisites:

Course-related Essay ($1,500 Award)

Essays written for any third or fourth-year level course taught at St. Jerome's University or any University of Waterloo campus or affiliated institution may be submitted by students currently registered at St. Jerome’s University or the University of Waterloo. Essays written for courses may be revised prior to submission.

• An entry form must be included with each submitted essay.
• Students may submit a maximum of one essay in each category for consideration per award year. However, qualifying students may submit entries in subsequent years.
• The Selection Committee reserves the right to forego the presentation of the awards if no worthy recipient is identified.
• Papers must not exceed 4,500 words (approximately 15 pages in length).  There is no minimum length.
• IMPORTANT: To ensure an impartial review process:
  
  • the student’s name, course number, and professor’s name should appear only on the entry form—NOT on the essay itself;
  • a clean, unmarked copy must be submitted; and
  • the student’s UW ID number should appear on the front page of the essay and as a footer on each page.
• Essays written for courses may be revised prior to submission.
• Personal reflective essays written expressly for this award competition must be identified as such.
• Copies of submissions will not be returned.
• Essays should have been written in the 2024 calendar year.
• “Currently registered” means registered in Winter 2024, Spring 2024 and/or Fall 2024.
• Entries failing to meet these guidelines will not be considered.

Visit our PAST WINNERS page to learn more about previous winning essays.