Through the generosity of the Riger Potash Family Fund and with the sponsorship of the Cornell Program on Ethics and Public Life, this prize is given in memory of Neil Lubow '66, who was a distinguished professor of philosophy at the University of New Hampshire. It is awarded for an outstanding essay in ethics, including moral philosophy and ethical issues in public policy, science, business and personal life. An award of $400 is made for the best essay submitted from a First-Year Writing Seminar, English 2880/90 (Expository Writing), Writing in the Majors, or classes participating in the University Courses Initiative. Publication of winning essays in Discoveries is also possible. Students must be nominated by their instructor to apply (link to application will be included with nomination).
Previous prize winners:
Fall 2024
Taeyoung Kim
Class of 2028
Course: "Philosophical Conversations: Excuses" (PHIL 1112)
Essay Title: "The Strengths and Weaknesses of the Good Intention Account"
Spring 2024
Riya Mittle
Class of 2027
Course: "Word and Image" (ENGL 1183)
Essay Title: "The Caste System: An Analysis of Multiple Milennia of Marginalization"
Fall 2023
Yiyi Wu
Class of 2027
Course: "Of Governance and Brush: Writing Differences in the Early Modern Asian Empires" (ASIAN 1111)
Essay Title: "The Impact of the CCP's Cultural Policies on China's Ethnic Minority Music"
Spring 2023
Eleanor Zweber
Class of 2023
Course: Writing Back to the News (ENGL 2890)
Essay Title: "Legislating Morality: The Conservative Christian Effort to Ban Drag"
Fall 2022
Jasmine Gill
Class of 2026
Course: Witches and Werewolves: Monsters, Psychology, and the Other (PSYCH 1120)
Essay Title: "Celebrating Sin: The Myth of Medusa and its Rose-Tinted Lens"
AND
Ty Oshima
Class of 2026
Course: FWS: Photographs and Texts (ARTH 1174)
Essay Title: "Twilight Swim: The Shinnecock Indian and the Blonde Hamptonite"
Spring 2022
Ria Panchal
Class of 2025
Course: FWS: Topics in Architecture (ARCH 1901)
Essay Title: "Architecture or Revolution? Intersections of Design and Politics"
Fall 2021
Laine Havens
Class of 2025
Course: Word and Image (ENGL 1183)
Essay Title: "The Deceptive Agriculture Villain: Organic Produce Farming"
Spring 2021
Rina Hisajima
Class of 2024
Course: Justifying Political Power (PHIL 1112)
Essay Title: "Civil DisoBEATdience: An Argument for Violence as a Fidelity to Law"
Fall 2020
Sophie Partington
Class of 2021
Course: Urban Inequality (SOC 3380)
Essay Title: "The Harlem Children's Zone: A Holistic Approach to Addressing Educational Inequality"
Fall 2019
Dalia Mota
Class of 2021
Course: Urban Inequality (SOC 3380)
Essay Title: "Harlem is Not For Sale"
Spring 2019
Adrian Lee
Essay Title: " A Market for Newborns: In Defense of the Child"