The LSUS Archives and Special Collections
Historical Essay Competition Criteria
2008-2009 Academic Year

LSUS Archives and Special Collections sponsors two awards each year for outstanding essays on historical topics. The purpose of the competition is to encourage historical research and scholarship by Louisiana college students, to foster interest in the history and culture of the Ark-La-Tex area, and to promote the use of Archives and Special Collections at LSUS. First prize, the William B. Wiener, Jr. Award of $1,000.00, honors the competition’s founder, local architect and preservationist, Bill Wiener. Second prize, the Goodloe Stuck Award of $500.00, honors prominent local historian and author, the late Goodloe Stuck. Both awards are given for outstanding research and writing by Louisiana post-secondary students on a topic related to local or regional history.

Eligibility Criteria:

  The competition is open to students currently enrolled in a Louisiana college or university.
  Contestants must have completed a minimum of three (3) credit hours of history at the college level
or three (3) credit hours in any academic course at the college level and be currently enrolled in a
college-level history course. Contestants do not have to be history majors.

Contestants must submit an application packet containing the following:

  Completed application form
  Two (2) written recommendations from professional educators.
  An essay on some aspect of the history and culture of the Ark-La-Tex area.
Essays must:
a. Utilize materials in, but not limited to, LSUS Archives and Special Collections
b. Be a minimum length of 1000 words
c. Be typed (double-spaced in font size 12)
d. Conform to Chicago Manual of Style, 15th edition

The applicant must be willing, upon request, to interview with the awards committee comprised of LSUS faculty and library staff.

Application forms will be available beginning on the first class day of the fall semester and may be obtained in Archives on the third floor of Noel Library or requested by e-mail at Laura.McLemore@lsus.edu. The completed application and required documents must be submitted by the first Monday after Spring Break to LSUS Archives and Special Collections in Noel Memorial Library. Questions concerning the awards or requirements may be directed to:
Dr. Laura L. McLemore, Archivist
332 Noel Memorial Library
318-797-5378
e-mail: Laura.McLemore@lsus.edu.

Award winners must be willing to present their research findings before an audience. A copy of the winning essays will be permanently retained in LSUS University Archives.

NOTE: The selection committee will not consider:
a. Incomplete application packets
b. Packets received after the due date
c. Essays not in correct CMS format