Lucy Respess, an ACA junior, was selected as a winner of the Colonial Dames national essay contest. She was tasked with writing on the following topic:
“The Electoral College was established in the U.S. Constitution as the election process for the President and Vice President. Support retaining the Electoral College, or propose and support another system to operate in its place.”
As a winner, she will get to spend a fully funded week in DC next summer at American University touring the Capitol and engaging in citizen education.
“Over the years, the history department at ACA has significantly shaped my understanding of the world around me,” Lucy said. “As a hopeful political science major, I thought that entering the NSCDA national essay contest would be a wonderful way to directly expose myself to politics and policy. The question prompted me to write a concise essay either supporting the Electoral College or suggesting another system in its place. I chose to support the college, drawing upon the Federalist Papers, which we had recently studied in my American Government class. The structured discussions within both my government and American History classes greatly aided me in composing this essay. I am so thankful for the history department and the many ways in which it has inspired me to pursue a future in this discipline!”