Carl S. Swisher Library Announces Women’s Herstory Writing Contest Winners

Carl S. Swisher Library is pleased to announce the winners of its Women’s Herstory Writing Contest. Students were asked to respond to one of the two topics (1) What is the most influential accomplishment Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune achieved in her life that continues to impact yours? (2) What is most inspiring about the life of Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune to you and how can you incorporate it into your daily life?

The submission due date was extended several weeks to provide students time to compose their essays. A team of librarians served as judges and reported being inspired by students’ submissions and the difficulty they had in selecting a winner. In fact, less than a point separated the top three winners from most of the remaining contestants. Winners, listed below, were mailed bookstore gift cards totaling $300.

The winner, Alayna Longmire, a native of Pensacola and rising senior majoring in Political Science wrote of Dr. Bethune’s accomplishments, "It is imperative to realize that by working hard and dedicating oneself to their craft, it will be the supreme reward in the end." Ms. Longmire’s future plans include attending law school with sights set on becoming a district attorney and eventually the state’s first African-American governor.

The second place winner, Ianna Kizer, a Psychology major from Fort Lauderdale, spoke of Dr. Bethune’s influence, “The Black woman, mankind’s stooge, persists to succeed irrespective of the superfluous effort required by her success. It is, in fact, her creation and persistence that prompts Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune’s influence to resonate profoundly within me.” Her future plans include obtaining a Master’s in English, teaching and pursuing creative writing opportunities.

The third place winner, Eugene Robinson IV, a senior from Gainesville, recounted how five words spoken by Dr. Bethune inspire him daily, “Without faith nothing is possible.” He plans to either join the U.S. Navy or own a Black performing arts academy.

Congratulations again to our winners and we eagerly await next year’s submissions.