Students For Liberty

Below is a list of contests available for college students.

Ayn Rand Institute, aynrand.org

Contest #1: Atlas Shrugged Essay Contest
Description: The Ayn Rand Institute offers essay contests for college students surrounding the novel Atlas Shrugged.
How to Enter: Submit your essay online or follow the instructions available here.
Deadline: September 17, 2009
Prizes: Up to $10,000

Cato Institute/Cato on Campus, catocampus.org

Mission: The mission of the Cato Institute is to increase the understanding of public policies based on the principles of limited government, free markets, individual liberty, and peace. The Institute will use the most effective means to originate, advocate, promote, and disseminate applicable policy proposals that create free, open, and civil societies in the United States and throughout the world.

Contest #1: Op-Ed Contest
Description: The purpose of this contest is to encourage students to write op-eds on issues of liberty and learn more about Cato research in the advancement of liberty. Each month, Cato on Campus will highlight the best op-ed submitted by a student that cites Cato scholars or publications.
How to Enter: Follow the guidelines listed here.
Deadline: Rolling-each month
Prizes: Autographed Cato Book for winner of the month.  Full scholarship to Cato University for the winner of the year (each winner of the month is considered for winner of the year).

Contest #2: Cato on Campus YouTube Contest
Description: The purpose of this contest is to encourage students to combine creativity with new technology to develop short videos that promote liberty and identify libertarian students with the passion and skills to take the message of liberty into the 21st century. Each month, Cato on Campus will highlight the best YouTube video submitted by a student that deals with liberty.
How to Enter: Follow the guidelines listed here.
Deadline: Rolling-each month
Prizes: Autographed Cato Book for winner of the month.  Full scholarship to Cato University for the winner of the year (each winner of the month is considered for winner of the year).

Contest #3: Cato-in-the-Classroom Contest
Description: The purpose of this contest is to encourage students to integrate Cato’s vast research materials into essays submitted for course credit. Each month, Cato on Campus will highlight the best essay or research paper submitted by a student that deals with liberty.
How to Enter: Follow the guidelines listed here.
Deadline: Rolling-each month
Prizes: Autographed Cato Book for winner of the month.  Full scholarship to Cato University for the winner of the year (each winner of the month is considered for winner of the year).

Commonwealth Foundation, commonwealthfoundation.org

Contest #1: Please No More Taxes
Description: Video contest to raise awareness on how Pennsylvania’s heavy tax burden negatively impacts the economy and people’s lives.
How to Enter: Rules and guidelines are available here
Deadline: April 5, 2009
Prizes: First Place: $2,500, Second Place: $1,000, Third Place: $500

FreedomWorks, freedomworks.org

Mission: FreedomWorks fights for lower taxes, less government and more economic freedom for all Americans. FreedomWorks combines the stature and experience of America’s greatest policy entrepreneurs with the grassroots power of hundreds of thousands of volunteer activists all over the Nation.

Contest: Are you an entrepreneur?
Description: Tell the story of how you or someone you admire has shown the entrepreneurial spirit by going beyond his or her studies to change the world—whether that means a successful campus initiative, or something outside of school.
How to Enter: Please email video or essay to contest@freedomworks.org.
Deadline: March 31, 2009
Prizes: Up to $2,000 and a trip to Chicago for the FreedomWorks Strategies for Freedom dinner on May 14th 2009

Kaiser Family Foundation, kff.org

Mission: A leader in health policy and communications, the Kaiser Family Foundation is a non-profit, private operating foundation focusing on the major health care issues facing the U.S., with a growing role in global health.

Contest: Student Essay Contest
Topic: President Obama has stated that reforming the health care system is one of his top priorities, and there is broad interest from policymakers and the public in making a change. During the campaign, he outlined a framework for reforming health care. The essay should cover: what elements of his plan should be prioritized given the current economic crisis, what elements are most likely to garner support and which ones will be most challenging and why?
How to Enter: Submit your essay online here.
Deadline: March 2, 2009
Prizes: First Prize- $1,000 & Second Prize $500