Annual WGS Essay Contest
CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS
MARIA PULZETTI AND JESSE GILLIAM AWARD
for the best undergraduate essay focused on women, gender, and/or sexuality written during the 2025-2026 academic year.
ZORA NEALE HURSTON AWARD
for the best graduate essay focused on women, gender, and/or sexuality written during the 2025-2026 academic year.
Both awards carry a cash prize.
SUBMISSION DEADLINE: May 1st 2026 at 3 pm
Students may submit their own work or a faculty member may submit outstanding papers. A student need not be a Women, Gender & Sexuality major or minor to be eligible.
Authors are limited to a single submission.
There is a minimum page requirement of 15 pages, and a maximum submission length of 50 pages. Please limit submissions to a full-length senior seminar paper or one chapter or excerpt from a senior thesis or dissertation.
Submissions under 15 pages or over 50 pages will not be given consideration.
Please submit the paper electronically to wgsuva@virginia.edu and include the essay contest cover sheet.