The Hall Ethical Thinking Award Contest
Open to all Maryville College Seniors
- First prize – $4,500
- Second prize – $3,100
- Third prize – $2,400
- Publication of all three winning entries in Impressions Literary Magazine
Deadline for submission: 12:00 Noon – Monday, February 9, 2026
The Division of Social Sciences at Maryville College announces the Hall Ethical Thinking Award for 2025-2026. The purpose of this award is to encourage all Senior students at Maryville College to engage in ethical thinking on a particular theme. The theme for this year’s award is the use of social media and its impact on public health.
In a society that values both individual freedom and collective well-being, questions often arise about how far governments and institutions should go to protect citizens from harm. Many people today view social media as a defining feature of modern life—shaping how we connect, communicate, and understand the world. Yet, a growing body of research suggests that certain platforms, particularly those like TikTok and Instagram, can have negative effects on mental health, self-image, and social cohesion, especially among teenagers and young adults.
This has led some to argue that social media use has become a public health issue, comparable to concerns once raised about smoking or unhealthy diets. Others believe that such platforms, despite their risks, play an essential role in free expression, creativity, and community building. As policymakers, educators, and parents debate whether restrictions—or even outright bans—should be imposed, the ethical dimensions of these choices come sharply into focus.
Please write an essay considering the ethical implications of banning or restricting social media use, particularly among young people. In doing so, you should explore both the potential benefits and harms of such actions and the principles that might guide ethical decision-making in this area.
The submission must be your own work, with all external sources cited appropriately. Any use of generative AI technologies should be clearly acknowledged and identified. Three prizes will be awarded for practical or creative essays that could be published in a journal or a popular magazine. Essays may be written from a variety of perspectives, including (but not limited to) historical, literary, theological, psychological, and sociological analyses.
The prizes will be awarded in the form of a check at the Celebration of Student Achievement.
Guidelines
- Submissions are limited to one per student.
- Students must have Senior status (minimum 90 hours) at Maryville College as of the beginning of the Spring 2026 semester.
- The submission must be a student’s original and unpublished work.
- A creative (including first person narrative) or practical essay is one in which the author reflects upon and/or analyzes some aspect of the issue in a contemporary or historical context.
- If you refer to the ideas or works of others, including generative AI tools, you must use appropriate documentation (either MLA documentation style or the style used in your academic discipline).
- Papers must be word-processed using 12-point font and 1-inch margins.
- Essay length should be no more than 3,000 words. Please include a word count.
- Please begin your essay with a title page that includes a title for your essay and your name. Your name should be on the title page only. For the purpose of evaluation, title pages will be removed, and essays will be judged anonymously.
- Email an electronic copy to Dr. Sharon May (sharon.may@maryvillecollege.edu) and Tammy Brown (tammy.brown@maryvillecollege.edu)
- The deadline for submissions is 12:00 noon, Monday, February 9, 2026.
- Maryville College may publish selected essays electronically or in paper form. In submitting an essay to the Hall Ethical Thinking Award Essay Contest, the author grants Maryville College permission to publish the essay.
- Awards will be announced at the Celebration of Student Achievement. Prizes will be awarded in the form of a check presented at the Celebration of Student Achievement.