College Essay Contest

Open to currently enrolled undergraduate and graduate students at Arizona State University (ASU), the University of Arizona (UA), and Northern Arizona University (NAU).

We invite students to examine a question at the heart of civic life: How do people protect the freedom to speak, organize, and act according to their conscience?

About Arizona Right to Dissent

Arizona Right to Dissent is a nonpartisan public-education project focused on the importance of freedom of speech, political expression, and the constitutional right to dissent. The project encourages thoughtful public learning and dialogue about the role of peaceful advocacy—including boycotts, protest, and civic participation—in a healthy democracy.

This essay contest is an educational opportunity. It does not endorse or oppose candidates, political parties, or legislation. Students may take any well-reasoned position supported by evidence and respectful analysis.

Choose One Essay Prompt

Write an original essay responding to one of the following prompts:

The Power of Boycotts: When Does Economic Choice Become Democratic Speech?
From the Boston Tea Party to the Montgomery Bus Boycott to contemporary consumer campaigns, people have used their spending power to express values and seek change. What role should boycotts play in a democratic society? Explore when, why, and how economic choices can become a form of civic expression.
Dissent Is Foundational to Democracy: What Happens When Speaking Out Has a Price?
Democracy depends on more than voting. It also depends on people being able to criticize those in power, challenge prevailing views, organize with others, and advocate for change. Why is dissent essential to a free society, and what are the consequences when people or institutions face pressure to remain silent?
Is Palestine My Generation’s Vietnam: How Do Young People Respond to Distant Wars and Moral Crisis?
Across generations, students have wrestled with what responsibility they hold when war, violence, and human rights concerns unfold beyond their campuses and borders. Drawing on history, personal reflection, research, or both, examine how young people can engage ethically and constructively with a conflict or moral crisis that shapes their generation.

Submission Guidelines

Deadline: Friday, November 13, 2026, by 11:59 p.m. Arizona time.
Length: Essays must be no more than 1,000 words, not including citations or a brief title.
Eligibility: Entrants must be currently enrolled students at ASU, UA, or NAU at the time of submission.
Original work: Essays must be the student’s own, unpublished work and may not have been submitted to another contest. AI-generated content is not eligible to be included in submissions.
Format: Submit a MS Word document. Include the essay title, selected prompt number, your name, campus, email address, and phone number.
Sources: Use citations for quotations, statistics, historical claims, and other borrowed ideas. Any standard, consistently applied citation style is welcome.
Respectful engagement: Essays may advance any viewpoint, but should engage ideas and people fairly, use credible evidence, and avoid personal attacks or hateful content.
Permission: By submitting, entrants grant Arizona Right to Dissent and its coalition partners and Catch Fire Movement (the coalition leading organization) permission to quote from, publish, or share their essays for educational and promotional purposes, with attribution. Authors retain ownership of their work.

How Entries Will Be Judged & Prizes

A review panel will evaluate essays based on:

Strength and clarity of the central argument
Thoughtful engagement with the prompt
Quality and responsible use of evidence or personal reflection
Originality, insight, and depth
Organization, style, and readability

Prizes and Announcement

First Prize: $300
Second Prize: $200
Third Prize: $100

We will announce the winner and two runners-up on Monday, November 30, 2026.

Submission

Follow this link for further instructions and to submit an essay.