The Bilimer Turkish Studies Initiative, housed within the Department of Middle Eastern and South Asian Languages and Cultures (MESALC), is pleased to announce the inaugural Turkish Studies Student Essay Prize competition.
This prize invites undergraduate and graduate students to submit essays on topics related to Turkish literature, film, and cinema. If you have recently read a Turkish novel, a collection of poetry, short stories, or other literary works, or watched a Turkish film or television series, we encourage you to submit a reflective, critical essay.
The winner will receive an award of $200.
Eligible essays must be at least 10 pages (2500 words) in length. Papers submitted for courses are fine. Submissions should be sent to Professor Daniel Lefkowitz (dl2h@virginia.edu) and Professor Parwana Fayyaz (csf7pd@virginia.edu), co-coordinators of the initiative, by midnight of Sunday, May 10th, 2026.