The Sydney Prize is an esteemed award that can be bestowed upon students across many fields of study. It typically honors writers who have written about an issue that resonates with them or which they care deeply about, giving students an outlet for expressing their ideas while strengthening writing abilities and gaining confidence as writers. If you wish to apply, be sure to understand its rules and regulations first before applying.
Sidney Cox, professor of English at Dartmouth College, has received several honors since he joined Dartmouth in 1977, among which is the Sydney Prize. This annual honor recognizes undergraduate writing which most closely adheres to the high standards of originality and integrity he set both for himself and his students in teaching as well as through Indirections for Those Who Want to Write book; Sidney championed these ideals through teaching methods as well as by encouraging undergraduate students to follow their scholarly interests while following their dreams. The Sydney Prize memorializes these ideals while encouraging undergraduate students in pursuing both their scholarly interests as well as their dreams.
Recent winners of the Sydney Prize have tackled social issues. Fred Clasen-Kelly and Carol Motsinger won in February for their reporting on how Greenville urban renewal program affected black residents in Greenville city, finding “detrimental effects on residents’ health, happiness and self-esteem,” along with misappropriated funds being misapplied.
David Brooks of the New York Times won a Sydney Prize for his article on student hypersensitivity, which argued that safe spaces and sensitivity training programs were leading to mental health problems in students as they prevented them from adapting to real-life situations. Brooks coined this mental state “vindictive protectiveness”, adding it was harming both national security and the economy of his nation.
The Neilma Sydney Short Story Prize is another Sydney prize dedicated to rewarding young writers. Open to students across Australia, this competition provides an ideal platform for authors of any age to have their writing published and exposed to a wider audience. The winner receives $1,000 along with spending one day working in The Herald newsroom; two runners-up will each be awarded with $500 and an 12-month digital subscription subscription; this year’s judges included senior Herald editors as well as Overland magazine publisher Tara June Winch as judges.
Sydney Prizes recognize not only scholars and professionals, but also writers who address social issues through writing. For instance, authors such as Neilma Sydney Prize laureates are known to address topics like indigenous rights, climate change and sexual assault while individuals who raise their voices against injustices or human rights abuses can win this honor.
The Sydney Peace Prize is an Australian prize that recognizes individuals for their efforts in helping the community. Established in 1999 and awarded annually since then, its purpose is to advance principles of peace and humanism within Australia.