Winners of the Montclair Book 2013 Essay Contest

The Center for Writing Excellence is pleased to announce the winners for the Montclair Book 2013 Essay Contest; congratulations go to Alexis Raven Marrero, Khadijah Danielian, and Gysel Espinoza. The Montclair Book Essay Contest was offered as part of the year-long activities surrounding Montclair Book, a common reading program using Rebecca Skloot’s book, The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, as the selection for 2012. The essay prompt asked undergraduate students to discuss the most critical questions raised by the story of Henrietta Lacks and her family, her cells (which were taken without her knowledge or consent), and her enduring legacy, including race, bioethics, the politics of science, and a person’s right to his or her own body.

The CWE consultants faced a challenging task in choosing the winning submissions from the many provocative entries. Thirteen entries were received; three outstanding essays were chosen, representing various perspectives.

Alexis Raven Marrero’s essay, “At the Expense of Patients” was awarded the winning prize of $100.

Two runner-ups were selected and awarded $25 each:
Khadijah Danielian, “Ownership of Oneself: Scientific Gain vs. Individual Rights”
Gysel Espinoza, “Medical Infringements”.

A certificate for honorable mention will be given to essays that qualified for the final round.
Rebecca Haupt, "Achieving a Compromise"
Andrea Miller, "The Ethics of Patient-Practitioner Relationships"
Charlotte Vangsnes, "The Miracle of Immortality".

A certificate of recognition will be given to the other students who submitted their essays to the contest.

The CWE will host a celebration honoring the winners and participants on Wednesday, May 8, 2012 at 4:00 pm. The CWE is located in Sprague Library inside the Reference Area.