FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Nov. 24, 2008
Contact: Macaulay Knight
662-329-7119
mknight@pa.muw.edu

Essay contest announces winners

The Mississippi University for Women Common Reading Initiative program has selected its winners for the 2008 Essay Contest.

First place and a $100 gift certificate from the Bookend went to Bridget McAdam of Collierville, Tenn. Second place and a $50 gift certificate to Books-A-Million was awarded to Kristen Barnes of Jackson. Third place and a $25 gift certificate to Books-A-Million was awarded to Kelsie Brock of Columbus. These students received a signed copy of Bragg’s most recent book, “The Prince of Frogtown,” and were recognized at the MUW Honors Forum on Oct. 30. The winners were invited to a private dinner with Bragg following the forum.

The contest provided MUW students with the opportunity to deepen their understanding of issues raised in this year’s reading selection, Rick Bragg’s “All Over But the Shoutin.” The CRI program aims to foster intellectual inquiry in written form and to develop the intellectual community among students, faculty and staff.

The Common Reading Initiative is a campus-wide project involving the Office of Student Life, the Ina E. Gordy Honors College, the Office of Academic Affairs, Food Services, the essay-contest committee and the CRI committee. The year’s contest was co-sponsored by the Southern Women's Institute and the MUW Foundation and the Book End provided the prizes for essay winners.

For more information about the Common Reading Initiative visit http://www.muw.edu/advising/cri/.