The Department of French awards up to $500 for excellent essays written by intermediate-level learners in FREN 2010, 2020, and 2320 at the University of Virginia.

If you were enrolled in FREN 2010, FREN 2020, or FREN 2320 last year (Spring, Summer, or Fall term) and are therefore eligible to submit your work for this year's Maas Essay Prize competition for Intermediate French Language and Culture. 

As the attached document explains in detail, students may submit an essay written for an intermediate-level French class at UVA and for which they did not receive extensive feedback and error correction advice from the instructor. In other words, for the Maas Prize competition, typically the intermediate-level student will submit the last formal written assignment (tâche écrite), for which only one draft was submitted for a grade in the class. Essays written for class may be revised and expanded by the student, if desired, to strengthen them. Essays are judged on choice of topic, clarity of argument, and quality of French, using the standards for students’ written work in our intermediate-level courses.

• Topic: Any subject concerning Franco-American relations, broadly interpreted to be any topic of a comparative nature dealing with the language, culture, politics, society, business (or some similar or allied subject) of the United States and of France or any French-speaking nation or region. Essays are to be entirely the work of the participant; research materials (if applicable) must be referenced.  
• This year, all topics comparing France or francophone countries and the United States are welcome, but we encourage essays that deal with the subject of freedom, race, and inequality. 

 Please consult the attached document for submission guidelines and tips. (Students who will have graduated before May 2022 are not eligible.)

Submission Deadline February 28, 2022.

 Send submissions to the French Administrative Coordinator by 12pm February 28, 2022 and indicate in the Subject Line:  INTERMEDIATE MAAS ESSAY ENTRY.