Students of Miami University have the opportunity to participate and win monetary prizes in a campus-wide writing competition, as the new Roger and Joyce Howe Writing Center for Writing Excellence approaches its official opening.

For the first time, the Center for American and World Culture (CAWC), the Howe Center, and Miami's Office of International Education have collaborated to host a writing competition this October, which is also Miami's Writing Month.

Miami students can submit work relating to the chosen topic-human rights and social justice. Work from seven different media will be accepted, including research papers and essays, op-ed commentaries, journalism, creative writing selections, posters, photos accompanied by explanatory statements, and various other electronic mediums.

The competition was initiated by the CAWC in hopes of bringing attention to human rights and social justice, a topic the center has organized events surrounding for the past few years.

Jacqueline Del Carmen Rioja Velarde, assistant director for the CAWC, believes that the contest will help students develop a better understanding of human rights both globally and locally.

"What we really want is to create a place for students to explore the meaning of social justice through creative thinking and creative writing," Velarde said. "We want them to examine their own experiences, whether it is a work or study abroad or even part of their lives locally."

Paul Anderson, director of the Center for Writing Excellence, hopes that both the university and the students will have a lot to gain through the competition.

"We have two goals," Anderson said. "We certainly hope to bring attention to the center and its new space (in King Library), but also to bring attention to the good writing that Miami students can do."

Even though it is new and word about the competition being spread through classes and faculty members, some students have expressed interested about entering.

"It's a great way for students to voice their opinion about issues that sometimes get overlooked by the trivial aspects of college life," said sophomore Lauren Bozicebich.

The Office of International Education, which annually hosts a photography contest for study abroad students, is also excited about this new competition.

"The Office of International Education is delighted to assist in the upcoming writing competition, and is devoting a portion of our annual study abroad photography contest to the worthy effort," said David Keitges, director of international education.

"It is important for the students to make sense of their photos," Keitges said, in reference to the competitions demand for a writing component in addition to the photography. "As English teachers say, sometimes you don't actually know what you are thinking until you've written it. We want to encourage students to be clearer about what their photos mean."

Organizers hope the cross-departmental organization will strengthen the contest.

"What's really powerful about this program is that it isn't just about one center," Velarde said. "It's about the collaborative efforts of all the departments at Miami and all the departments that support (our program)."

Committees of faculty from across campus will judge each category and the winners will be announced at Miami's annual Human Rights and Social Justice Fair Nov. 14. In addition to three $100 awards in each category of work, three additional $100 prizes will be awarded to participants whose work is based on their international study or service, and all work will be displayed on the Howe Center's Web site.

Velarde hopes this competition will encourage students to help in other ways as well.

"The most important thing is not only should students reflect but that they then take action," Veralde said. "They can make decisions about what they're going to do now."