First Year Reading Experience Question Contest

The FYRE Question Contest was designed to help first-year students think creatively and critically about the world around them. This contest will challenge students to work together to generate ideas and solve problems by asking meaningful questions.

Interested groups of students will submit a written proposal following the 3-step framework (Why, What If, and How) outlined in A More Beautiful Question.

Sample questions include:

1. Why does my meal plan require that I eat meals at certain times?
2. Why do I have to declare a major in my first year?
3. Why is it so hard to find a parking spot on campus?
4. Why does sorority recruitment take place before the fall semester starts?

Timeline and Submission Instructions

Complete the proposal form [pdf] and e-mail the finished version to fyre@mailbox.sc.edu by November 2 at 5:00 p.m.

All proposals will be evaluated based on a set of criteria and the winner will be selected and notified by November 12.

*It is possible that additional reviews will need to take place between November 2-12, including a possible presentation by those selected as finalists.  More information will be determined closer to the deadline.