Quest seeks compelling question for fifth campus competition

Once again, the University of Richmond is seeking a compelling question.
Between now and Jan. 31, full-time undergraduate students may submit questions to Richmond Quest V, a competition to find a broad question that can be explored by all of the University’s academic disciplines over the next two years. The winner, to be announced at a special reception March 13, will receive a cash prize of $25,000.
“For this fifth iteration of the competition, individual students or students working in groups will be encouraged to submit a single question for the first stage of the competition,” said Julie Tea, director of special projects in the president’s office and staff co-chair of Richmond Quest.

A panel of judges comprised of people involved in past Quests will narrow down the submitted questions to a group of 10 or fewer. At that point, the individuals or groups that submitted those questions will be invited to submit a rationale, explaining why the proposed questions are important and how they will engage all areas of the University community. The rationales should be no more than 1,500 words. Students are encouraged, although not required, to work with a professor or administrator in crafting these entries, said Tea.

The questions and rationales, which will remain anonymous, will be posted on the University’s Web site so that members of the University community can read them and submit comments, which will be taken into consideration during the final stage of judging.

“The panel of judges will weigh that input along with its own impressions and announce the winner from among the final entries,” explained Kathy Hewett-Smith, associate professor of English and faculty co-chair of Quest.

Students will receive invitations to submit their questions, said Tea, and parents will receive information on Quest V during winter break. Faculty and staff also will receive information on Quest V, encouraging them to work with students as mentors to prepare their questions and rationales.

As in the past, each stage of judging will be a blind competition, with judges not knowing the identity of the student or group that submitted a question.

Larina Orlando, ’99, submitted the first winning question: “Is truth in the eye of the beholder?” Liza Stutts, ’04, posed the second question, “When does discovery inspire change?” and Amy Robin Hoffman, ’03, won the third competition with her question, “How do we know which questions to ask?” Jason Levinn, ’08, submitted the winning question for Quest IV, “What moves us?”

Tea said that to date, Quest IV has awarded over 50 grants for course development or revision, programs, seminars and student research. Since its inception, the Richmond Quest has inspired and supported the creation of over 70 new and revised courses, more than 130 special events and over 100 independent student research projects.