MSU Scholarships | Walter S. and Syrena M. Howell Essay Contest 26-2027
Walter S. and Syrena M. Howell Essay Contest
Students wishing to apply for this scholarship and prize must write an essay. The student who writes the best essay in 1,500-2,500 words will be awarded a scholarship of at least $3,000 and a $1,000 prize. Judges may select additional worthy essays for recognition and scholarships.
The goal of the Howell Essay Scholarship is to encourage students to analyze the current use in social, academic and political discourse of propaganda, as defined as unproved and/or unverifiable assumptions in a report or statement of allegations reflecting the view and interests of its advocates.
This contest and scholarship were established by Grant Howell, former editor of The Daily (Royal Oak) Tribune, in memory of his parents, Walter and Syrena Howell.
This scholarship and award is given annually to a ComArtSci undergraduate student who writes the best essay examining media bias, a subject of deep concern to Howell. He was a feisty newsman, in the best sense of the word, always wanting his staff and his newspaper to cover the news fairly, objectively and honestly.
2026 Essay Topic
Fake local news sites generated by artificial intelligence and filled with propaganda now outnumber daily newspapers in the United States, according to NewsGuard. What can be done to counteract so-called “pink-slime” sites and preserve trust in the credible work of real journalists? Who should be responsible for this work? Explore the potential damage to society from these fake local news sites and provide specific possible solutions.
In your essay, which may include text, audio or video, use and cite at least three sources. In keeping with the spirit of this assignment, entries will be checked to ensure artificial intelligence (AI) is not used inappropriately and that there is no plagiarism. Potential violations will be examined under the School of Journalism’s academic integrity policy.
Essay Guidelines
Your essay should be 1,500-2,500 words and must be focused on this year’s topic. Consideration will be given to analyses with critical thinking and research, including – but not limited to – web searches, interviews with experts on the subject and links to examples. Sources must be properly cited. Essay may be presented in a written or multimedia form. Multimedia essays should include scripts for any video content. Students may also produce multimedia elements as a supplement to a written essay.
Text essays and/or scripts should be in a Word document (.doc or .docx). Do NOT include your name or any other identifying information in your essay files.
Eligibility Requirements
To be eligible, entrant must be currently enrolled as an undergraduate with a major in the College of Communication Arts and Sciences. Scholarships are issued for the upcoming fall semester, and students must be registered for MSU courses during the upcoming fall semester to receive the scholarship.
Use of Artificial Intelligence
Entrants should disclose any use of artificial intelligence in preparing their submission, including any use of AI to brainstorm ideas, search for applicable research or supporting materials, generate content for or write any portion of the submission, or edit any portion of the submission (including grammar, spelling, and formatting). Potential sources identified via AI must be confirmed and the entrant must cite those sources directly. Do not rephrase or paraphrase sources using AI without proper citation. AI should not be used as a primary or secondary source. Presenting AI-generated ideas or analysis as your own is considered academic dishonesty.
If AI is used, the entrant must disclose what it was used for, which AI was used, and when it was used. This statement should be provided in the designated field on the submission form and may be added at the end of the essay (such as after the works cited). Example: “In this essay, ChatGPT was used to brainstorm ideas, to locate primary sources and then to edit for grammar and spelling on 1/15/2026.” If AI was not used in any way, please indicate that on the submission form. Additional examples of acknowledgements may be found from Arizona State University and University of Melbourne.
Use of AI is not automatically disqualifying, as long as 1) the use is clearly disclosed with the submission, and 2) the submission represents the original analysis, thoughts, and work of the entrant. Undisclosed use of AI discovered during the essay review process may result in disqualification from consideration. AI detection tools and other methods will be used to evaluate submissions for potential use of AI.
Questions
Questions can be directed to Joe Grimm at jgrimm@msu.edu.
School of Journalism scholarships are applied to a student’s university account to support a future semester of study. To be considered, applicants must complete the application form for this scholarship opportunity.