Student Freedom of Speech Contest

The United States Constitution provides the foundation for our republic and outlines the structures and powers of the national government. The Bill of Rights explicitly conveys the rights and liberties Americans enjoy. These are mainly expressed in terms of protection from an overzealous government. The First Amendment arguably receives the most attention with protection for citizens in five areas: religion, the press, assembly, lobbying, and possibly the most well-known, respected and revered freedom – the freedom of speech.

“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”
- First Amendment to the US Constitution

The protection of freedom of speech is foundational to American democracy, but it also has implications for each person living in this country.

As a public institution, Oakland University supports and promotes freedom of speech for students, faculty, and staff.

In support of that, the Center for Civic Engagement is pleased to announce the second annual Student Freedom of Speech Contest where students are invited to submit responses that address a question about this Frist Amendment right. The winning submission will receive a $2,000 cash prize that is supported by the Walsh/Pescovitz Annual Student Free Speech Competition endowment made possible by a generous gift from President Ora Hirsch Pescovitz and Dr. Dan Walsh.

Any full-time Oakland University student is eligible to participate.

This year’s prompt is:

How has freedom of speech impacted you personally? Demonstrate its impact on your life, whether in a large or small way.

Similar contests exist elsewhere and are typically limited to essays. But because freedom of expression can take many forms, we invite submissions in various formats. These include, but are not limited to:

• Essay (1000 word maximum)
• Poem
• Video or audio recording (5 minute maximum — include transcript)
• Drawing, painting, or some other form of artistic expression (an artist’s statement describing the artist’s process or creative intention is recommended)

Submissions will be evaluated on the following criteria:

• Relevance to the Prompt – How effectively the submission engages with and responds to the contest question or theme.
• Craft and Presentation – The quality of writing, performance, or artistic execution.
• Support and Depth – Use of examples, evidence, or illustrative details to strengthen the message or expression.
• Insight and Voice – Presence of personal perspective, originality of thought, and an authentic voice.
• Creativity and Effort – Originality, imaginative approach, and clear demonstration of human effort.

Submissions are due by November 1 and must be submitted via the Google Form here.

Judges this year are:

• Caroline Morris – OU alumna (Political Science and Philosophy), Associate Attorney, Nauts, McKinney, Dwaihy & Beach
• Nick DiPucchio – Assistant Professor of History
• Holly Shreve Gilbert – Instructor & Senior Adviser for Journalism and Public Relations

A note about submissions:

Rules for this contest will mirror the University’s academic conduct policy. 

All members of the academic community at Oakland University are expected to practice and uphold standards of academic integrity and honesty. Academic integrity means representing oneself and one’s work honestly. Misrepresentation is cheating since it means students are claiming credit for ideas or work not actually theirs and are thereby seeking a grade that is not actually earned.

This freedom of speech contest puts a high value on human effort and creativity. As such, the use of generative artificial intelligence in student submissions is discouraged but not prohibited. Generative AI tools include ChatGPT, Gemini, Copilot, Dall-E, the chat feature of Grammarly or Quillbot, or any other AI-powered tools that produce content in response to a user’s prompts. If a student uses generative artificial intelligence in their submission (for example, to brainstorm ideas, outline, generate graphics, polish writing, etc.) the student is required to acknowledge its use with a simple statement at the end of their submission: I acknowledge the use of [name of AI tool] in order to [specific purpose]. I used the AI output to [specific way(s) used in submission].

Submissions may be disqualified for:

• Failing to accurately acknowledge the use of AI tools
• Submitting AI-generated work that demonstrates minimal personal effort or originality

Students are encouraged to demonstrate their own human effort in creating their submission by including any of the following along with their submission:

• A link to the Google Doc where the submission was composed, sharing it with cce@oakland.edu as an editor
• A draft version of their submission prior to using AI to improve or revise it
• A record of their prompt history with an AI tool that shows extensive effort on the student’s part to collaborate with the AI tool

By submitting an entry to the Free Speech Contest, the student gives permission for Copyleaks to be used to check for plagiarism and the use of artificial intelligence.

For more information on the Student Freedom of Speech Contest, email Nicole Mathew at nmathew@oakland.edu.