By Tim Waggoner
WASHINGTON D.C., May 26, 2008 (LifeSiteNews.com) – Two LifeSiteNews.com writers have won awards in writing contests bringing them a combined purse of $7000, a welcome sum as the pair have just gotten married. Occasional LifeSiteNews writer Cassidy Bugos placed first in the 2007-2008 Independent Women’s Forum (IWF) College Essay Contest. LifeSiteNews Associate Editor John Jalsevac, placed third in the Intercollegiate Studies Institute’s (ISI) international annual Culture of Enterprise Student Essay Contest, the second year he has won a major writing award.
“We knew we had treasures in John and Cassidy but it’s nice to see their talents recognized like this,” commented LifeSiteNews.com Editor John-Henry Westen. “I’m sure I can speak on behalf of all of our supporters in wishing them congratulations on both their marriage and their contest wins.”
Both writers are graduates of Christendom College in Virginia and credited their education and formation at the school for their successes. Another Christendom College student, James Tillman, placed first in the ISI contest.
“The international contest is extremely competitive, with submissions coming from some of the most prestigious universities around the globe,” Jalsevac said. “That Christendom has produced two winners is an extraordinary testament to the education that we have received from the college and its professors. I know that personally I could never have won the contest without all the intellectual and technical training I have received from my professors over the years.”
The prestigious contest in which Jalsevac won the third place award of $2,000 asked the question, “Can Character and Communities Survive in an Age of Globalization?” The ISI website elaborated on the contest stating, “the contest is designed to encourage students to reflect on the relationship between free enterprise and the institutions and mores that define a particular culture.”
“My classmates and I have been thoroughly steeped in the Catholic intellectual life and we will graduate caring deeply about the pressing needs of the world.” Bugos said. “This is the example that has been shown to us by our faculty and by the authors we’ve studied. We leave Christendom knowing that sometimes being a follower of Christ means feeding the homeless, and sometimes it means clobbering Clinton and Obama,” she added.
Bugos’ essay responded to the question, “What role should ‘women’s issues’ play in the 2008 elections and how do you define women’s issues?” and her submission garnered the first place prize of $5,000.
Jalsevac, the son of LifeSiteNews.com Managing Director Steve Jalsevac was married to Bugos on May 15.
See John’s winning paper:
Alexander Solzhenitsyn and Globalization
https://www.cultureofenterprise.com/essays/07/07jalsevac.pdf
See Cassidy’s winning paper:
What role should ‘women’s issues’ play in the 2008 elections and how do you define women’s issues?
https://www.iwf.org/campus/show/20303.html
See Christendom College report on graduation:
https://www.christendom.edu/news/releases.shtml#grad