Nov. 13, 2020
2020 Barbara Schneider Student Writing Award Winners
The Department of Communication, Media and Film is thrilled to announce the 2020 Barbara Schneider Student Writing Award Winners
2020 Barbara Schneider Student Writing Award Winners, Photographs
Congratulations to the winners of the 2020 Barbara Schneider Student Writing Awards: Alicia Van Hyfte, Zach Green, Xenia Reloba de la Cruz and honourable mention toÌýHaleyÌýPelletier.
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Alicia Van Hyfte'sÌýessay, "Viral Diseases and Viral Internet Memes: How Internet Policy is Influenced by a Pandemic" was selected as the winner of this year's Barbara Schneider Student Writing AwardÌý(Communication and Media Studies, Undergraduate).
About the winning essay,Ìýthe selection committee wrote, "Alicia’s essay presentsÌýtimely, meticulously researched analysis of the challenges of contentÌýregulation on social media platforms in a momentÌýof widespread misinformation.ÌýThe committee members were impressed by the balance Alicia’s essay struckÌýbetween fluent engagement withÌýcritical scholarship and the presentation of practicalÌýpolicy recommendations, and they agreed that her essay embodies the best of ourÌýundergraduate student research."
Zach Green'sÌýessay,Ìý"A Formalism of Feeling: Queer Temporalities and Memory in Portrait of a Lady on Fire"Ìýwas selectedÌýas the winner of this year's Barbara Schneider Student Writing Award (Film Studies, Undergraduate).Ìý
About the winning essay, theÌýselection committee wrote, "Zach’s essayÌýexemplifies the best qualities of film studies scholarship, blending meticulousÌýanalysis, eloquent description, and ambitiousÌýargumentation. Sympathetic to theÌýfilm’s aesthetic contours and narrative situations, Zach’s paper offers aÌýnuanced assessment of CelineÌýSciamma’s recent cinema that is as patient and asÌýintelligent as the film itself."
Xenia Reloba de la Cruz'sÌýessayÌý"Ideology and Framing as Complementary Categories Within Social Movements Analysis"Ìýwas selected as the winner of this year'sÌýBarbara Schneider Student Writing Award (Communication and Media Studies, Graduate).
About the winning essay, theÌýselection committee wrote, "Xenia’s essayÌýimpressedÌýthe adjudication committee with its conceptual fluency, bringingÌýcomplex ideas and a diverse literature into productive alignment. The stakes ofÌýXenia’s discussion,Ìýconcerning framing processes and ideological visibility,Ìýattain special force as the discussion proceeds, generating real excitementÌýabout the way her ideas willÌýmobilize new and significant research.."
Haley Pelletier'sÌýessayÌý"Plagues, Politics and Pundits: An Analysis of Mitigating Cultural and Industry Factors that Contributed to the Slow AIDS Response in 1980s Unites States of America"Ìýhas received an honourable mentionÌýfor this year'sÌýBarbara Schneider Student Writing Award (Communication and Media Studies, Undergraduate).
About the winning essay, theÌýselection committee wrote, "The essay advanced a complex andÌýoriginal argument about the ways that neoliberal politics and dominantÌýjournalistic values in United States of the 1980sÌýengendered a woefullyÌýinadequate response to the AIDS crisis. The committee appreciated Haley’sÌýincisive, critical approach to media history,Ìýand they agreed that she showsÌýexceptional promise as a scholar."
The Barbara Schneider Student Writing Awards was established by former Professor and Department Head, Barbara Schneider. Dr. Schneider is now retired and has endowed a fund to further support this award. Donations toÌýsupport and grow the award fund are welcome.