The Robert A. and Sandra S. Borns Jewish Studies Program at Indiana University is pleased to announce the Henry A. Bern Memorial Essay Competition. The prize is awarded annually to stimulate and encourage undergraduate excellence in the field of Jewish Studies through meaningful scholarly projects.  $500 is awarded for the winning essay written in English; $250 is awarded for for the winning Hebrew essay.

Eligibility

This competition is open to any current Indiana University Bloomington undergraduate student, who is taking or completed a Jewish Studies class during 2024.

Note: Students who are 21st Century scholars, Groups grant recipients, Pell Promise/HHSP recipients, or Wells (or Cox) Scholars, etc. may not be eligible to benefit monetarily by being awarded a scholarship because their institutional award/s may affect further funding.

Rules

1. English research papers, essays, and creative writing are all accepted. Hebrew essays are accepted and will be judged by level.
2. An author may submit a maximum of two entries, including one written with multiple authors. Essays in Hebrew may be at different levels.
3. Entries may have been previously submitted for IU course credit.
4. English entries must be typed and double-spaced, with footnotes wherever applicable. They should not exceed 25 pages and must be submitted in Word.
5. Students submitting a Hebrew essay from levels H100, H150, or H200 should submit a handwritten essay, writing on every other line – double-spaced. Students submitting Hebrew essays for the H250 or above levels should submit Hebrew typed, double-spaced submissions. Hebrew essays should clearly indicate the title (in Hebrew) and note the student's Hebrew level (H100, etc.)
6. Both English and Hebrew entries should have numbered pages at the bottom of each page.
7. English multimedia entries must be submitted as a URL link to a hosted website.
8. Student name(s) must only appear on a separate “cover” sheet which should also include the student ID number(s), IU e-mail address, telephone number, paper/project title, and for Hebrew submissions, the student's Hebrew level (H100, etc.). Student name(s) should NOT appear in the file name or URL/host site. This information is to appear only on the cover sheet to maintain anonymity. Submissions will be numbered for judging purposes.
9. Among the criteria considered significant for English submissions will be clarity, focus and development of the subject or problem, quality of evidence, use of sources, craftsmanship, and originality. Among the criteria considered significant for Hebrew essays will be correct use of language per the defined level, focus, and development of the subject matter, creativity, and originality.

Deadline

Submissions with cover sheet, should be e-mailed in Word to iujsp@iu.edu before midnight on December 20, 2024. (We accept submissions for any essay submitted for a class during the calendar year of 2024.) Please include in subject line: “Bern Essay Submission”.

 

This scholarship was established to honor the memory of Henry A. Bern by his family and friends.  Henry Bern was a professor of Education at Indiana University where he was committed to teaching and the world of learning.

For more information, email iujsp@iu.edu.