UNT Anthropology students win national awards for op-eds
DENTON (UNT), Texas — Fourteen University of North Texas students in Principle Lecturer Beverly Davenport’s Anthropology 1100 (World Cultures) course won awards for their op-ed pieces submitted in a competition sponsored by the Center for Public Anthropology. The contest included submissions from more than 3,500 students from 25 universities in North America.
As part of the course curriculum, the students in Davenport’s class participated in a two and a half week online community action project. The project required students to write a professional-style op-ed piece for which they received anonymous feedback from other student participants. The students whose op-eds were ranked in the top five percent in North America were given certificates of recognition from the Center for Public Anthropology.
The goal of the exercise was to give students the experience of writing for a large audience in a way that attracts serious consideration on important public issues. This project aimed to help students begin to understand how democracy works through discussions in the public sphere as well as effectively participating in the process.
“This is a reflection of the high caliber of students who come to UNT,” said Davenport. “It shows that they can apply things they learn in class to real world problems.”
Davenport specializes in anthropology and social epidemiology of chronic disease in the United States and focuses on race and class as determinants of health disparities. She has played an integral part in the Center for Public Anthropology’s online student community, showcasing the ability of UNT students to learn effective writing skills while being active global citizens.
A complete list of the winners and their opinion pieces can be found online.
UNT News Service Phone Number: (940) 565-2108
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