A sidney prize is an award given to people who are doing good work for humanity. Whether it is in the form of a writing contest, activism or science, these prizes serve to honor those who are doing incredible things while inspiring others to follow in their footsteps. These prizes also help to promote the importance of science in society as a whole.
There are several different types of sidney prizes, each with their own unique criteria. One example is the Sidney Hook Memorial Prize, which was established in honor of a union leader and activist. The award is given to journalists, writers, and public figures who promote the advancement of labor in a positive way. The prize is presented to winners in a variety of categories, including newspaper journalism (story, series, or multimedia; print or online), magazine journalism (longform; print or online), broadcast journalism (television, radio, or podcast; at least 20 minutes in total package length), and opinion and analysis journalism (commentary and analysis in any medium). The winner receives a cash award, as well as a commemorative plaque.
Another type of sidney prize is the Iwanter Prize, which is given to a graduating senior who exhibits national distinction in liberal arts scholarship and undergraduate teaching through the submission of a senior thesis. The prize is funded by a bequest to the College of Letters and Science from Sidney Iwanter, an alumnus of the university. The prize is administered by the Iwanter Committee, which consists of professors in the humanities and social sciences at Hanover. The Iwanter Committee judges the manuscripts of all contestants and identifies the winner in early spring.
The Neilma Sidney Short Story Prize is an annual award given to the writer of a short story that best captures the spirit of exploration and adventure. The prize is worth $5000, and the winning author will be published both online and in Overland Magazine. Two runners-up will receive $750 each. The short stories are loosely themed around travel, and the judges will be looking for pieces that tell more than just about a place or its landscapes.
Other types of sidney prizes include the Sidney Cox Memorial Prize, which is given to a student in the English honors program whose honors thesis most closely adheres to the high standards of originality and integrity that Sidney Cox set for his students in his classes and in his book, Indirections for Those Who Want to Write. This prize is decided upon by the faculty at the end of the academic year.
The Sydney Peace Prize is an international prize that honours people who are working to bring about peace, justice and non-violence. This year’s laureate is Iranian-American activist Nazanin Boniadi, who was instrumental in bringing the case of women’s rights in Iran to the global stage. She has spoken before the UN Security Council, US Senate Human Rights Caucus, and British Parliament, among others. She will deliver the prize lecture in November.