The Program in Rhetoric and Composition invites students to submit their work to the Jessie O'Kelly Composition Award, which recognizes U of A undergraduate students for writing exemplary papers in composition courses.

The award's monetary prize is $500.

The criteria for submission:

• Students must be currently enrolled as full-time undergraduates.
• Papers must have been written for Composition 1 or 2, Technical Composition 2 or the Honors or online versions of these courses.
• Students must have taken the composition course in spring, summer or fall 2024.
• Students must have been a first- or second-year student when taking the composition course.
• Papers must be at least three pages long, in a recognized academic format (MLA, APA, Chicago, IEEE or other) and incorporate multiple outside sources.
• Students should include their university ID number with each submission.
• Students may submit more than one paper.

Submit your papers via email, with "Jessie O'Kelly [your name]" in the subject line, to rhetcomp@uark.edu by midnight March 25. Submissions will be judged by Program in Rhetoric and Composition teaching staff, who will select winners.

The Program in Rhetoric and Composition is proud to recognize outstanding student writers. Please contact LewEllyn Hallett at lhallett@uark.edu or Kat Gray at katg@uark.edu if you have any questions, but submit only to rhetcomp@uark.edu.

The Program in Rhetoric and Composition develops and manages writing courses that help students become better writers, thinkers, researchers and rhetoricians. These courses emphasize the development of the reading, writing, thinking and research skills and processes necessary for student success in the university and beyond. In addition to first-year writing, the program offers undergraduate courses in developmental writing, advanced composition, essay writing and technical writing. A focused study in rhetoric and composition is also available as a secondary emphasis for students working towards the Ph.D. in English or the M.F.A. in creative writing.