University of Richmond sophomore from Richmond, Va., wins fifth Richmond Quest competition
March 13, 2007
Adrian L. Bitton, a sophomore from Richmond, Va., is the winner of the fifth Richmond Quest competition at the University of Richmond. She will receive a $25,000 cash prize.
The Richmond Quest is a biennial student competition to select a broad and compelling question that will be explored by all of the university's academic disciplines over the next two years. Bitton's winning question is "How is it connected?"
Students are encouraged to work with faculty or staff mentors in formulating their questions and 1,500-word rationales. Bitton worked with Kevin Kuswa, director of debate. Kuswa will receive a $5,000 professional development grant from the Richmond Quest for his mentoring.
Bitton, 19, is double majoring in leadership studies and rhetoric and communication studies. She is a member of the university's synchronized swimming team. She is a graduate of Hanover High School.
A record-breaking 627 students—20 percent of the undergraduate student body—submitted questions to the Richmond Quest V competition. Their 947 questions broke a record, eclipsing the previous high of 436 student entries in Quest I, said Julie Tea, director of special projects in the President's Office and Quest staff co-chair. Tea said 40 questions were group entries, and all undergraduate classes were well represented among the entries.
Seventy-four faculty and staff members served as mentors for 197 entries.
"The quality of questions was outstanding. It's clear that our students embraced the task with a seriousness of purpose," Tea said.
"With the participation of more than 20 percent of the student body, the Quest has clearly captured the imagination of our intellectual community," said Kathy Hewett-Smith, associate professor of English and Quest faculty co-chair.
A new feature of this year's Quest competition process was the posting of the questions and rationales of 10 finalists on the Quest Web site and asking the campus community to provide comments and feedback for the final review committee.
The winner of Richmond Quest IV was Jason Levinn, a junior from Gladstone, N.J., whose question was "What moves us?"
Other previous winning questions include "Is truth in the eye of the beholder?" "When does discovery inspire change?" and "How do we know which questions to ask?"
Since its inception, Richmond Quest has inspired and supported the creation of more than 70 new and revised courses, more than 130 special events and more than 100 independent student research projects.