Student Leadership Award
- Award Amount: $2,000 (Three recipients per academic year)
Description of Award
The Institute for Governance and Civics at Florida State University recognizes three undergraduate students annually for their exceptional civic and constitutional leadership. This award honors individuals who have tackled significant challenges through teamwork and a commitment to improving their community. Nominees must demonstrate how their leadership reflects the principles embodied in the U.S. Constitution and/or the Declaration of Independence. The award seeks applicants who exemplify a civic-minded spirit, showcase strong leadership on campus, and have the potential to continue making a meaningful impact in the future.
Eligibility Criteria
- The nominee must be a full-time undergraduate student currently enrolled at FSU’s main campus and in good academic standing with a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0.
- The nominee must have demonstrated significant leadership on campus through service, teamwork, and a commitment to improving the University community.
- The nominee must exemplify characteristics of future leadership success, such as effective collaboration, problem-solving, and inspiring others to take action.
- The nominee must not have previously received the Student Leadership Award.
- The nominee must have displayed a commitment to civic and constitutional values in their leadership activities, reflecting the principles of the U.S. Constitution and/or Declaration of Independence.
- The nominee must agree to attend three Institute for Governance and Civics events within 12 months of receiving the award.
Nomination Process
Faculty, staff, or peers may nominate students, or students may self-nominate. All nominations must be submitted by March 18th, 2025 through the official IGC website. Recipients will be announced at the Student Leadership Awards Night on April 8th, 2025.
Submission Form: Submit Your Nomination Here
- Nominations must include examples of the nominee’s leadership contributions and impact on campus.
- The nomination form must highlight how the nominee embodies the values and principles outlined in the eligibility criteria.
- Academic transcripts are reviewed solely for eligibility verification.
Student Essay Competition
- First Place: $1,500
- Second Place: $1,000
- Third Place: $500
Context for Analysis
In his recent book, American Covenant: How the Constitution Unified Our Nation―and Could Again, Yuval Levin argues the following:
“Too many Americans are... persuaded that our Constitution is unsuited to our contemporary circumstances—that it assumes a more unified society than we now have, makes it too difficult to adapt to changing times, and so can only make our problems worse in this divided era. But the Constitution is not the problem we face. It is more like the solution. It was designed with an exceptionally sophisticated grasp of the nature of political division and diversity, and it aims to create—and not just to occupy—common ground in our society... We have... lost sight of how the Constitution goes about creating common ground... in ways that drag us into common action even (indeed, especially) when we disagree.”
Essay Writing Prompt
Analyze Levin’s argument in two parts:
In Part I, explain what, exactly, he means. Explain how the Constitution forces Americans to build common ground. What are the mechanisms or incentives for building that common ground?
In Part II, discuss what non-constitutional aspects of modern life pull against the Constitution? That is, if the Constitution is part of the solution, why do we see the problems Levin describes in contemporary civic discourse and politics? What can we do to overcome them?
Be sure to support your argument with key examples from American history and from a scholarly discipline (or disciplines) of your choosing.
Submission
Submission Form: Submit Your Entry Here
- 10 pages maximum
- 12-point Times New Roman
- Standard margin size
- Include a title page with your name (do not include your name on any other page)
- Use parenthetical references (Washington 2024, 12) with a separate reference section for citations
- Submit electronically to our Qualtrics Submission form by Friday, March 7th, 2025, at 5:00 PM ET
- A committee will read and rank the essays and announce winners in February
- Only full-time FSU undergraduates allowed to submit
- Scholarships processed through Financial Aid and disbursed through Student Business Services