WHO’S YOUR INSPIRATION? POSTER/ESSAY WRITING CONTEST
Rules and Regulations (2016)
Famous figures like Martin Luther King Jr. and fictional characters like Sherlock Holmes influenced the
lives of millions in their time and their legacies live on in the hearts and minds of people today. This is
your chance to tell us which famous figure or fictional character has had the greatest impact on your life
and why. Tell us in 300-500 words why this person inspires you and you will have the chance to have a
poster of your icon immortalized and win other sweet prizes.
The 1st place winner of the competition will have their story featured on the walls of the Student
Experience Office (SEO) lounge underneath a carefully selected poster of their icon. In addition to having
their icon placed on the SEO walls, the winner will also receive a $200 cash contribution and some sweet
Carleton swag. The runner up (second place) will receive $100 and Carleton swag.
An Important Note: As this contest is about getting your poster to grace the wall of a university office,
you need to give some consideration to selecting a figure (real or fictional) of whom it is reasonable to
find and purchase a poster. For example, the while the inventor of the flying car may have been a
wonderful inspiration (this was a past entry), if the person is relatively unknown it becomes impossible
to find a picture or poster of that person. Even with the internet! Please keep this in the back of your
mind as you think about your inspiration.
In addition to giving students the opportunity to win some cash and swag, this contest is about making
the SEO a more inviting and hopefully inspirational place to be. This contest has been inspired by the
poster-plastered walls of any residence room or student apartment. The hope is the selected posters
will add similar flare to the SEO Lounge.
Deadline:
March 29, 2016
Categories:
There are no categories. Your icon can be fictional, real, recent, or long gone.
*All stories must be within the word limit of 300-500 words.
OFFICIAL CONTEST RULES
1. The competition is open to students currently enrolled at Carleton University. Members of the
panel are not eligible to enter. Participants may submit entries only as individuals.
2. The contest closes on March 29, 2016 at 4:30 p.m. EST.
3. By participating, entrants agree to these Official Rules and decisions of the panel, which are final and
binding in all matters relating to this competition.
4. How to Enter: Participants may enter repeatedly, but each individual story must be entered with the
following:
a) When: All entries must be received by the Student Experience Office in 430 Tory
Building or submitted by email to [email protected] by March 29, 2016 by
4:30 p.m. EST.
b) Where: Submit your entry by printing all of the contest’s Entry Form from the
Student Affairs website and submit the entry in person to the Student Experience
Office in 430 Tory Building OR send your entry by email to
[email protected]. If you send your entry electronically, you are agreeing to
the rules of contest as they are outlined in this document and the entry form as it is
found on the website. Please include your CUID in your email or your essay.
c) Format: Your essay must stay within the 300-500 word limit and your text size
cannot go below 10-size font. All entries must be typed. Entries not meeting these
requirements or those that are improperly formatted will be disqualified.
d) Caution: If winner if found to be ineligible (not a registered student), or not in
compliance with these Official Rules, disqualification will result. Plagiarized entries
will not be accepted.
5. Judging: Eligible entries will be judged by a panel consisting of the Director, Student Affairs and three
students at large. The content of each story should highlight the influence of a famous figure or fictional
character on the student’s life -- how did this icon change, inspire, or challenge your beliefs, attitudes, or
behaviours, and how have you applied these iconic principles or ideologies in your own life? Judging will
be based on the following criteria:
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Originality of approach (feel free to be creative in your writing)
Thoughtfulness (provide deep thoughts that resonate with and for you)
Overall grammar and etc (you’re in university – good grammar, spelling and the rest of it is a
must)
Effectiveness (did you convince the panel regarding the why and how your entry inspires you?)
7. Originality: All entries must be original, unpublished, and created solely by the submitting entrant(s)
and not violate the intellectual property rights, copyright, or right of property of any third party, and
must not have been submitted in any other competition.
9. Ownership: Contestants must be the sole authors and owners of the copyright in all stories entered
and consent to the possible multiple use of the original entry or any part of the entry for use in Carleton
University printed or online publications. Carleton University reserves the right to edit or revise stories
that are used for university promotional pieces.
10. Publication: All stories submitted, whether as a winning entry or not, will become exclusive property
of Carleton University and may be used, royalty-free, in promotional material including printed and
online publications. By sending your stories in for consideration, you provide Carleton University with
ownership of the story.
11. We (Student Affairs) reserve the right to amend the contest rules without prior notification.