2:27 p.m., Dec. 17, 2010----Four students have been awarded prizes in the Strength in What Remains essay contest sponsored by the University of Delaware's First Year Experience Program.

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The contest is based on the book Strength in What Remains by author Tracy Kidder, who visited UD on Sept. 1 to discuss his acclaimed nonfiction works as part of the University's 2010 First Year Common Reader program.

The winners, all freshmen, and their prizes include:

-- Andrew Kelly, College of Health Sciences ($500);
-- Kierstan Tagnosky, College of Arts and Sciences ($200);
-- Natalie Castelluccio, Alfred Lerner College of Business and Economics ($100); and
-- Cedric Steenberghs, College of Arts and Sciences ($50).

A key theme in the book is the education of Deogratias (Deo) Niyizonkiza, a Burundian refugee, who survived a civil war in his home country and eventually returned to help provide basic health care at Village Health Works, a clinic he founded in Kigutu, Burundi.

Essay contestants were asked to compare the role of education in Deo's life with that of their own, and to draw upon their own experiences and college goals in writing their essays.

“We felt it was a way to really engage the freshman class in a meaningful conversation about the book and contribute to an academic culture at UD that rewards student engagement,” Avron Abraham, faculty director of the First Year Experience Seminar, University Studies and Academic Enrichment, said. “The essay contest also has helped to raise the awareness of the importance that UD places on writing as highlighted by UD Provost Tom Apple.”

The essays, which were read by representatives from the Office of Educational Assessment and the University Writing Center, were evaluated on excellence in thesis construction, structure, use of evidence, analysis, logic, argumentation and mechanics.

Recurring themes in the essays, Abraham noted, were the disparity between their privileged lives and the lives of people in other countries, where just obtaining basic necessities can be a constant struggle.

Abraham also said that the essayists had taken their own educational opportunities for granted until they reflected on the lengths to which Deo and others in similar circumstances endure to get an education.

Barbara Lutz, associate director, University Writing Center, said that many students also identified with Deo's hardships adjusting to a new life in New York City.

“They too, are struggling to adapt, perhaps for the first time, to life away from family and the comforts of familiar routines,” Lutz said. “In all, the book appears to have sensitized many students to human struggles and inequalities, acting as a steppingstone in their acculturation to global awareness.”

Margaret Andersen, associate provost for academic affairs, offered congratulations to the winners and to all participated in the contest.

“We wish we could have recognized all of you. Your participation in this essay contest demonstrates your engagement in the expression of ideas, especially as expressed through written words,” Andersen said. “I hope that you will continue with a habit of frequent writing, a practice that will serve you well during your time at the University and beyond.”

Article by Jerry Rhodes
Photo by Ambre Alexander