America-China Talk (ACT) Essay Contest, 2023-2024
ESSAY TOPICS (choose one)
Topic 1: If you could be a professor and were to teach something related to China, what would
you teach and why? Please offer concrete examples of topics you’d like to teach and explain
why you think it would be interesting or important to teach these topics to undergraduate
students.
Topic 2: UC Davis has a diverse student population, including many students from China. As a
result, there are many opportunities for Chinese students to interact with students from other
cultural backgrounds, in both academic and extracurricular settings. What do you find most
meaningful in your interactions with Chinese students? Do you find that Chinese students think
or do things differently?
CONTEST Criteria Each entry must be original work by a student in good standing at UC Davis
in 2023-24. The contest is open to undergraduate students only. One entry per student.
1. Your essay is a personal reflection. It is NOT a research paper with footnotes and
bibliography. The essay should be in the range of 1,600-1,800 words.
Entries will be reviewed by a panel of judges. In entering the contest, you are granting
ACT the right to publish the winning essays in appropriate venues.
CONTEST PRIZE: Up to three prizes, $1,000 each
CONTEST DEADLINE: June 6, 2024, 11:59PM PST
HOW TO ENTER
- Email your essay to Program Coordinator Sofia Feliciano at smfeliciano@ucdavis.edu with the subject heading: “ACT Essay Contest – Your Last Name“
- Send from your UCD email address.
- Send your essay in PDF as an attachment.
- Include a cover page including: the title of the essay, your name and major, and a bio of 3-4 sentences.
