The second annual Farquhar Writing Contest offered NSU undergraduate students the opportunity to reflect on the academic theme of “Life and Death” and how it has impacted their lives. More than 30 students submitted essays for this year’s contest, and the Farquhar College of Arts and Sciences honored the top three writers at a ceremony and reception on May 2.
Second Annual Farquhar Writing Contest Winners
First Place: Elizabeth Goldberg | “Emblazoned Forever”
Second Place: Lauralee Lawrence | “Father, May I?”
Third Place: Alyssa Biestek | “Life and Death: The Changes Attached”
During the ceremony, the students discussed their winning essays, describing their writing processes and the experiences that inspired them to enter.
First-place winner Goldberg wrote about her grandfather, who was diagnosed with leukemia. Her essay provided a personal account of the pain she endured as a teenager losing her grandfather to cancer.
“It was really, really difficult to write … but I’m glad I wrote this [essay],” said Goldberg, a biology major. “It turned out to not only ‘temper the sting of loneliness’ in college, but it was also very fulfilling for my family to read it.”
Contest entries were evaluated by 11 judges, including college faculty members and current students and alumni from the college’s M.A. in Writing program. The Farquhar Writing Contest was co-organized by Star Vanguri, Ph.D., and Kelly Concannon Mannise, Ph.D., assistant professors at the college.