Before announcing the winners, Professor of Political Science and Department Chair Laurel Elder commended the students for their dedication.
“Each of you knows that this was not easy,” Elder said. “It required you to spend time thinking about the essay topic and working on it during college breaks when many of your friends and colleagues were relaxing. And it required you to finalize your essay and turn it in in mid-February above and beyond all your other spring semester coursework. I am so glad we have a moment to recognize and congratulate each of you.”
A total of $25,000 in cash prizes was awarded, including $6,000 for the first-place winner.
Winners:
1st Place – Tianna Wyskowski ’25, “Freedom Cut Me Loose: The Contradictory Nature of ‘Freedom’ in Trump and Harris’ Presidential Campaigns.”
2nd Place – Meer Singh ’28, “Belonging: The Body of Community”
3rd Place – Dylan Dwyer ’26, “The Politics of Freedom: Two Parties, Two Visions.”
4th Place – Jack Magee ’25, “My Dad Told Me Medicare Is Why We Can’t Have Nice Things.”
5th Place – Chloe Bartholomew ’25, “Shaped by Experience: An Educator for Democracy.”
6th Place – Cooper Cohen ’28, “Breaking the Game: Redefining Freedom in America.”
7th Place – James Dema ’25, “Not a Communist, Not a Redneck: Finding My Own Path in Politics.”
8th Place – Tatyana McGuire ’25, “The System and the Soul: A Memoir of Resilience and Political Awakening: A Childhood Shaped by Struggle.”
9th Place – Josephine Becker ’26, “My Own Little Kapilvastu Palace.”
10th Place – John Reichel ’26, “Notched and Drawn: How Freedom Is Aimed and Released.”
Honorable Mentions:
Lucille Walker ’28, “Potato Chips and Panic: Freedom and Compromise in 2024.”
Zackary Corbett ’27, “Liberal Among Mass Conservatism: A Navigation of Self and Community.”
Jeaicha Sylvain ’27, “Keep Going.”
Jefferson Cruz ’26, “Crossing Ideologies: My Political Evolution.”
Vaughn Wagnecz ’26, “A Coin Flip on a Thin Line.”
Wyskowski, the grand prize winner, is a sociology and criminal justice double major with a minor in anthropology. “I am really thankful for my professors and my classes that gave me the tools to critically engage with what’s going on in our country right now,” she said. “I had the privilege of doing this essay competition two years ago when I was a sophomore. It was a great experience then and it’s still an amazing experience now.”
Zachary McKenney, assistant professor of sociology, served as one of this year’s judges. “The essays this year were absolutely incredible,” McKenney said. “This is quite possibly the best batch we’ve ever received. Students addressed so many critical issues, from employment to homelessness to reproductive rights to immigration.”
This year, students were asked to respond to one of two topics: the meaning of freedom in American democracy or the personal and societal influences that shape their political views and goals as citizens of the United States and/or the world.
Held every two years, the competition highlights Hartwick’s commitment to civic engagement, critical thinking, and preparing students to lead in a democratic society.
