CMC’s Dreier Roundtable is pleased to announce the Fall 2025 op-ed writing contest. Entries should be in the form of an op-ed article of the kind that appears in newspapers and news sites. The op-ed may concern any issue in public affairs, broadly defined, domestic or international.
This is an excellent opportunity to practice an important style of writing that launched the careers of notable figures such as H.L. Mencken and Walter Lippmann: crafting persuasive, convincing, and influential arguments to sway public opinion.
This site offers useful advice on how to write an op-ed: https://www.theopedproject.org/resources
Eligibility: The competition is open to Claremont McKenna College students and 5C undergraduates currently taking courses at CMC.
Length: Op-eds should be no longer than 750 words.
Awards:
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First Prize – $300
- Second Prize – $ 200
- Third Prize – $ 100
- Honorable Mentions – $50
Submission and deadline
Students should submit entries by email as attached pdfs or Word files (please, no Google docs) to Professor Pitney (jpitney@cmc.edu) by Friday, December 12. Announcement of awards will take place early in the spring semester.