During Homecoming each year students are encouraged to learn about BYU’s founders—past leaders who have made significant contributions to the university. One way is through the George H. Brimhall Essay Contest, a university-wide competition open to full-time undergraduate and graduate students.
This year participants in the essay contest will research Alice Louise Reynolds (1873–1938), BYU’s honored founder for 2006. Reynolds studied under Karl G. Maeser and was a driving force in building BYU’s library holdings. She was also the first woman to teach college-level courses at BYU. (See “A Lighter of Lamps.”)
The contest is funded by the generosity of the Brimhall family, whose ancestor was an early president of BYU. Five winners will share $3,350, with the first-place winner receiving $1,500, the second-place winner receiving $750, the third-place winner receiving $500, and two honorable-mention winners receiving $300 each.
Entries should be about 750 words long; focus on the 2006 Homecoming theme, “Lighter of Lamps”; and contain insights on Alice Louise Reynolds as well as personal reflections. The winning essay will reflect strong writing and the best connection to the founder. Entries are due Sept. 29.
Those interested in entering the contest are welcome to attend a workshop with a contest judge in September. Another source of help is the bibliography on Reynolds at the Harold B. Lee Library’s Special Collections; visit sc.lib.byu.edu and select “Search” and then “Popular Search Topics.”
