RIDGS Paper Prizes

The Center for RIDGS Studies at the University of Minnesota is proud to sponsor paper prizes to recognize our  graduate and undergraduate students’ outstanding work.

We offer four different paper prizes, which are awarded annually during the spring semester. Any University of Minnesota undergraduate or graduate student may apply for a prize, provided that they meet the prize’s criteria. We give priority to applicants from the College of Liberal Arts. A review committee reviews and judges papers based on how well they meet the prize’s criteria, as well as originality, intersectionality, and potential impact of the scholarship within its respective field.

Deadline

The submission deadline for all RIDGS paper prizes is Monday, March 6, 2023.

Applicants will need to download and submit the RIDGS Paper Prize Cover Sheet and Checklist for consideration. For questions, contact ridgs@umn.edu.

RIDGS Undergraduate Paper Prize - $300 (2 awarded annually)

The paper must be:

  • 6 – 8 double-spaced pages, not including citations
  • Completed in the previous fall, summer, or spring semester (e.g., for the spring 2023 prize, the paper must be from spring, summer, or fall 2022)
  • Include a cover sheet
  • Intersectional and address an issue through the lenses of two or more of RIDGS' fields (race, indigeneity, disability, gender, and sexuality)
  • Include primary source research
  • Submitted to ridgs@umn.edu by the end of the day on Monday, March 6, 2023

RIDGS Graduate Conference Paper Prize - $300 (1 awarded annually)

The paper must be:

  • 6 – 8 double-spaced pages, not including citations
  • A draft of a paper written for presentation at a conference
  • Completed in the previous fall, summer, or spring semester (e.g., for the spring 2023 prize, the paper must be from spring, summer, or fall 2022)
  • Accompanied by a cover sheet
  • Intersectional and address an issue through the lenses of two or more of RIDGS' fields (race, indigeneity, disability, gender, and sexuality)
  • Include primary source research
  • Submitted to ridgs@umn.edu by the end of the day on Monday, March 6, 2023

RIDGS Graduate Article Prize - $500 (1 awarded annually)

The paper must be:

  • 18 – 25 double-spaced pages, not including citations
  • A draft of an article written for publication
  • Completed in the previous fall, summer, or spring semester (e.g., for the spring 2023 prize, the paper must be from spring, summer, or fall 2022)
  • Accompanied by a cover sheet
  • Intersectional and address an issue through the lenses of two or more of RIDGS' fields (race, indigeneity, disability, gender, and sexuality)
  • Include primary source research
  • Submitted to ridgs@umn.edu by the end of the day on Monday, March 6, 2023

RIDGS Graduate Dissertation Chapter Prize - $700 (1 awarded annually)

The paper must be:

  • 35 – 50 double-spaced pages, not including citations.
  • A draft of a dissertation chapter
  • Completed in the previous fall, summer, or spring semester e.g., for the spring 2023 prize, the paper must be from spring, summer, or fall 2022)
  • Accompanied by a cover sheet
  • Intersectional and address an issue through the lenses of two or more of RIDGS' fields (race, indigeneity, disability, gender, and sexuality)
  • Include primary source research
  • Submitted to ridgs@umn.edu by the end of the day on Monday, March 6, 2023