Topics to Consider
- The fundamental differences of what is “right” and “wrong”
- Competing advocacy for the best course of action
- Personal dilemmas
- Unexpected consequences that resulted from a well-intended action
- Important policy decisions and their implications
- The obligation to help humanity and/or the environment
The topics above and many more can drive the thesis of an ethics essay. An ethics essay can be any essay that explores ethical situations and ideas.
Eligibility
Any current Ursinus student may submit one essay. Students of all disciplines and grade levels are eligible to compete. Your essay submission can be from any class or from your independent writing outside class.
How to Submit
The current contest is closed. Submission information for 2025-2026 will be posted in October 2025.
Prizes
Up to $6,000 in prizes!
Judging and Scoring
Winning essays will be selected by a panel of Ursinus alumni. Submitted essays will be scored on their capacity to confront important topics with a sense of perspective, tenacity, and eloquence while maintaining a captivating flow.
Ethics is the difference between knowing what you have the right to do and what is the right thing to do.
2025 Winners
First Prize: “The Influence of Institutional Barriers and Personality on Gendered Occupational Choice” by Mia Sideris
Second Prize: “The Ethics of Gene Editing Hereditary Deafness” by Jasmine Borie
Third Prize: “The Complex Legacy of Martha Graham” by Izabella Entrekin
Honorable Mentions: “The New Antebellum: A Sociological Interpretation of Christian Nationalism and its Danger to Both Christianity and American Democracy” by Paige Dickerman, “Doing More Good for Less: Salvaging Development Aid” by Trey Dykeman, and “Classic Philosophers on Modern Issues: The Ethics of Germline Editing” by Grace DeCostanza