ESSAY COMPETITIONS
2025 Douglas B. Rogers Essay Competition
What is the Douglas B. Rogers essay competition?
The Douglas B. Rogers Essay Competition honors the memory of Douglas B. Rogers, PhD and serves as a means of continuing his legacy of inspiring young minds to seek knowledge through truth. The great works and stream of ideas that formed the underpinnings of our Western Civilization were of great importance to Doug. This competition is designed to invite students to thoughtfully research and opine matters of critical relevance to our society and future governance.
Who can participate?
The Douglas B. Rogers Essay Competition is open to all full-time undergraduate students currently enrolled at the time of essay submission in any field of study at a college or university in North America. This annual program invites students to submit essays prompted by a provocative quotation from one of Doug’s favorite economists, political theorists, or philosophers.
December 13, 1984 – January 30, 2011
BA Economics, West Virginia University
PhD Economics, George Mason University
The Douglas B. Rogers Doctoral Fellowship – Mercatus Center
THIS YEAR’s QUOTE
“In a regime of Free Trade and free economic intercourse it would be of little consequence that iron lay on one side of a political frontier, and labor, coal, and blast furnaces on the other. But as it is, men have devised ways to impoverish themselves and one another; and prefer collective animosities to individual happiness.”
John Maynard Keynes, 1920
This year’s prompt
Discussions and disagreements about the scope, effect, and result of free trade are currently a source of major political controversy.
Is Keynes’ assessment of trade correct? Are there other considerations that should be accounted for when discussing trade? How does free trade impact individuals, nations, and society more generally? How would you respond to Keynes’ claim about the impact of political frontiers on individual well-being?
Guidelines
Essays should be original work and no longer than 4,000 words, follow all conventions about proper citation, and engage the reader.
This competition invites submissions from North American undergraduate students.
Timeline & Prizes
Competition Opens: March 1, 2025
Competition Closes: September 15, 2025
Winners Announced: October 20, 2025
Cash Prizes will be awarded to the top three submissions as judged by a panel of experts.
First Prize $2,000
Second Prize $1,000
Third Prize $500
Apply today.