UT Brand

Tell us your story

What Starts Here Changes the World implies that the work of the university ripples out across the globe, making the world a better place. Everyone at the university plays a role in this endeavor, whether it is teaching, studying, doing research or keeping the organization moving forward.

We invite you to tell us your personal story of how you, or someone you know, changed the world for the better through their work at the university.

Everyone who participates will receive a What Starts Here t-shirt. If your story is selected by the judges it will be posted on this Web site so we can share it with the world.

To contribute a story, send an email with your story attached in a Word.doc file to utopa@www.utexas.edu. Entries need to be received by April 30.

What Starts Here essay writing instructions
Writing about your experiences at the university can be challenging. There are many ways to approach the subject. To make it easier for you, we’ve included some basic guides and suggestions:

Who is eligible? Entrants must be staff, faculty, students, alumni or donors of The University of Texas at Austin.

How long should it be? Your story can be from 300 to 500 words.

What style is most appropriate? Tell us about a real experience or a moment when a person or idea from the university made a positive change in the world. Your story can be serious or funny, but most of all it needs to be meaningful to you. We are looking for motivating stories that remind us of how important our work is at the university.

How will essays be judged? Each essay is read and ranked by reviewers at the Office of Public Affairs. Judges will evaluate a submission on its clarity and eloquence. The review panel’s evaluations will be incorporated into the final decision.

When is the entry deadline? All entries submitted by email or must be sent by April 30, 2007.

How do I submit my entry? Submissions should be sent as a Microsoft Word attachment via email to utopa@www.utexas.edu. Mailed entries will not be accepted. Email entries should be set in 11 point Times, double-spaced.

What are the other conditions I should be aware of? Essays that are posted to the site will be notified (and announced on our Web site) by March 2006. All submissions become the property of The University of Texas at Austin.