2017 Henry Owen Memorial Award Essay Contest

Date and time

The Bretton Woods Committee invites graduate students within or nearby the Washington DC area to submit brief essays to the Henry Owen Memorial Award Essay Contest on the following topic:

The rise of recent populist movements reflects underlying tension with or outright rejection of globalization and the economic tenets championed at the Bretton Woods conference. How should the Bretton Woods institutions work to address these concerns and demonstrate their relevance and the value of international economic integration?

Essay Length: Essays should be an original work in English of no more than 750 words

Deadline: March 19, 2017 by 11:59 p.m. ET

Eligibility: Graduate-level students currently registered at accredited colleges and universities within the Mid-Atlantic region.

Criteria: Judges will consider whether an essay:
◊ Demonstrates a command of the complexities of the topic
◊ Presents a focused and well-reasoned analysis of the topic
◊ Displays forward-thinking and creativity on ways to address the topic

The Award includes:
◊ First place winners will receive a monetary prize of US$1,000
◊ Second place winners will receive a monetary prize of US$500
◊ The winners will have the opportunity to attend the Bretton Woods Committee Annual Meeting, to be held in April 2017 in Washington, DC
◊ Top essays will be published on the Committee’s website and shared with Committee members and friends via its quarterly newsletter

To apply, please email an essay of no more than 750 words to secretariat@brettonwoods.org by March 19, 2017, 11:59 p.m. ET.

All entries must include a separate cover page with author’s name, contact information, school, and expected degree information. Name, school, and contact information should not be visible on the other pages of the essay. Please number each page of essay. One submission per person.
Failure to comply with application processes and requirements may result in disqualification from the contest. Students related to Bretton Woods Committee officers or staff are not eligible.

The Henry Owen Memorial Prize honors Bretton Woods Committee co-founder Henry Owen, and hopes to inspire new generations of thoughtful young leaders to follow Ambassador Owen’s example as both a scholar and diplomat. As Ambassador for Economic Summits under President Jimmy Carter, Henry Owen organized many of the economic summits in the 1970s which came to shape modern international financial and economic institutions, and he was an important force behind the creation of the Trilateral Commission.

This Award has been made possible thanks to the generous contributions of Bretton Woods Committee members, friends, and the Owen family.