This year marks the centennial of the life of William F. Buckley, Jr., considered the father of modern conservatism through his political philosophy and his founding of National Review in 1955.
To honor his legacy the Buckley Institute is announcing its second annual National Essay Contest, open to any U.S. citizen enrolled for undergraduate study at an accredited American college or university. Winners receive $3,000 for 1st place, $1,000 for 2nd place, or $500 for 3rd place, and are invited to the Buckley Institute’s Annual Conference in New Haven in the fall. Past keynote speakers include entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, New York Times columnist Bret Stephens, Arizona Governor Doug Ducey, and then-Representative Ron DeSantis.
Prompt
Buckley’s most famous work, God and Man at Yale, called out what he perceived as a liberal elite dominating the Ivy League’s intellectual climate. Later in his career Buckley famously quipped:
I would rather be governed by the first 2,000 people in the Boston telephone directory than by the 2,000 people on the faculty of Harvard University.
Is our modern crisis of social distrust similarly based in elitism and polarized politics? Or do other factors contribute to the loss of trust and confidence in our institutions? Can, and should, we attempt to rebuild that trust? How might leaders from the local to federal level renew our social fabric?
Submission Guidelines
Undergraduates should submit a response of between 1,000 and 1,200 words. Open to all U.S. citizens or permanent residents enrolled as undergraduates at an accredited American college or university.
Deadline
Essays are due by 11:59pm PST on April 15, 2025.