Lili Fabilli and Eric Hoffer Essay Prize
Established in 1970
2011-12 Essay Topic: Persuade Me
Description. The Lili Fabilli and Eric Hoffer Essay Prize is awarded for the best essays of 500 words or fewer on a topic chosen by the Committee on Prizes. The contest is open to students, faculty, and staff of the Berkeley campus of the University of California.
Prize Amount. A total of approximately $3,000 is divided at the judge's discretion. Federal financial aid regulations require that all awards received by a student cannot exceed their financial aid need as determined by a congressional formula. It is possible, therefore, that the cash award for a prize could reduce some component of a needy student’s package of financial aid awards. In these cases, the Financial Aid and Scholarships Office attempts first to reduce loan or work-study aid; fellowships, grants, or scholarships are only reduced as a last resort.
Deadline. You must hand-deliver your submission to the Undergraduate Scholarships, Prizes, and Honors Office, 220 Sproul Hall, no later than 4 p.m. on December 1. Your name must not appear on the entry; please read the General Rules for complete submission information.
History of the Prize. In a letter dated April 13, 1970, Eric Hoffer wrote to the Regents of the University of California: "I intend to give to the Berkeley campus of the University of California at least $10,000 in July 1970. The income of the fund shall be devoted to providing an annual prize or prizes for 500-word essays written by students, faculty, or staff at the Berkeley campus of the University. The sole criteria for the prizes shall be originality of thought and excellence in writing. This fund shall be known as the Lili Fabilli and Eric Hoffer Essay Prize." Hoffer felt very strongly that every idea could be expressed in a few words. Hoffer's own remarks follow:
2010-11: 74 entries; First place: Shareena Samson, staff ($1,200); Second place: Patricia Argueza, Jing "Jonathan" Wong, Alina Xu, students ($600 each)
Topic: The End of Civility [Winning essays (PDF)]
2009-10: 14 entries; Bryan Jones, staff ($1,650); Salman Qasim and Viola Tang, students ($1,650 each)
Topic: Whose University? [Winning essays (PDF)]
2008-09: 17 entries; Linda Finch-Hicks, staff ($750); Jacob Mikanowski, Kofi Boakye, and Jeremy Suizo, students ($750 each)
Topic: Rock, Paper, Scissors
2007-08: 42 entries; Joseph Cadora, Jacob Mikanowski, and Xialou Ning, students ($1,000 each)
Topic: In Defense of Sloth
2006-07: 18 entries; Samuel E. Pittman ($1,500) and Xiaolu Ning ($1,500)
Topic: Whatever You Say, Say Nothing
2005-06: 28 entries; Karen Sullivan, Jacqueline Palhegyi, and Zachary Gordon, students ($1,000 each)
Topic: Looking Forward to Looking Back
2004-05: 34 entries; Erin Cooper, student; Lawrence Ruth, staff; Sandra Wulff, staff ($1,000 each)
Topic: What I'd Really Like to Do Is...
2003-04: 22 entries; First place: Casey Dominguez ($1,000); Second place: Ken Prola ($750); Third place:
Ana Martinez ($500); Fourth place: Sarang Dalal and Michele Rabkin ($375 each)
Topic: What Were They Thinking?
2002-03: 24 entries; First place: Ana Martinez, student, and Michael Rancer, staff ($750 each); Second place: Julie Rodriguez, staff, and Carol Wood, staff ($500 each)
Topic: Self-Deception: Benefits and Consequences
2001-02: 70 entries; Eric Walton, student; Joanne Sandstrom, staff; Joseph Kim, student; Nellie Haddad, staff ($750 each); Honorable mentions: Jimmy Tran, student; Carol Wood, staff; Lynley Lys, student; Karen Lam, student
Topic: If Only
2000-01: Zack Rogow ($1,000); Ken Chen, Cassandra Dunn, Zachary Gordon, and Pat Soberanis ($800 each)
Topic: Are Books Dead?
1999-00: 22 entries; awarded to Casey Knudsen ($1,000); Runner-up prizes awarded to Amanda Cundiff, Eric McGhee, Serban Nacu, and Sissel Waage ($500 each)
Topic: Networks
1998-99: 58 entries; First place: Kathryn Renee Albe,
Paul Klein, Joanne Palamountain, Sissel Waage, and Zack Rogow ($500 each)
Topic: Brushstrokes
1997-98: 34 entries; First place: Virginia Matzek ($1,250);
Second place: Dominic Ang ($750)
Topic: Where There Is Light . . .
1996-97: Kathy Gether
Topic: Hello 2000
1995-96: First place: Anna Moore, staff, and Maureen Morley, staff ($1,000 each)
Topic: Fired With Enthusiasm
1994-95: First place: Chris Haight, staff, and Reed Evans ($1,000 each)
Topics: A Moment's Notice and How Beautiful
1993-94: First place: Roberto Landazuri ($1,000); Second place: Ingrid Zommers and Jim Lake, staff ($500 each)
Topic: What's Next?
1992-93: First place: Steve Tillis, Letitia Carper, staff, David Krogh, staff, and David Schweidel, staff ($250 each)
Topic: What an Original Idea!
1991-92: First place: Christopher Galvin and Steve Tillis ($700 each); 2nd place: Celia Carlson and William Corley ($300 each)
Topic: What a Century!
1990-91: First place: Michael Ditmore; Second place: Daniel Lee; Third place: Shirley Hodgkinson and Ramah Commanday
Topic: The Sin of Cain
1989-90: First place: Tim Edwards; Second place: Paul Jaminet, David Krogh, and Joanne Sandstrom
Topic: The Thankful/The Thankless
1988-89: First place: Ramah Commanday; Second place: Kathy Newman and George Huang
Topic: Smoldering Embers
1987-88: First place: John Nebrhass, Kathy Newman, Anthony Robinson-While, and William Webber
Topic: Presidential Campaigns
1986-87: First place: John Hatton; Second place: Dave Erickson and Stuart Wald
Topic: Hair Shirts
1985-86: First place: Charlotte Redemann; Second place: Doris Lynch
Topic: Patterns
1984-85: First place: Kirin Narayan; Second place: Benjamin Watson; Honorable Mention: Christie McCarthy, staff, Carol Pitts, and Helen Workman, staff.
Topic: Pets and Animals
1983-84: First place: Debra Cooper; Second place: Donald Green; Honorable Mention: Elizabeth Anderson, Ann Elliott, Christine Feldhorn, Andrew Lunt, Ellen Nakashima, Thomas Simmons, Alan Stephen, and Monica Zorovich.
Topic: California
1982-83: First place: Richard Reinhardt; Second place: Susan E. Bailey
Topic: Trees
1981-82: First place: Lizbeth L. Hasse; Second place: Barry Taxman. Essay prizes without a topic awarded to: First place: Professor David Littlejohn; Second place: Matthew M. Neal; Honorable Mention: Joanne Sandstrom and Jeffrey Norris Klink.
Topic: Our Most Over-Valued Institution
1980-81: Christopher Rayner and Jennifer L. Walden ($250 each)
Topic: Should California Be Split into Two States?
1979-80: Richard Ogar ($500)
Topic: Should Public Laws Regulate Private Vice?
1978-79: Prize not awarded
Topic: Where Should Humankind Go Next?
1977-78: Paul Chernoff ($500)
Topic: In What Additional Field Should a Nobel Prize Be Awarded?
1976-77: S.M. Blair ($500)
Topic: Should There Be Olympic Games in the Future?
1975-76: Jeffrey Lewis Gold ($500)
Topic: What Image or Figure Redefining and Symbolizing the American Dream Can We Offer in 1976?
1974-75: S.M. Blair ($500)
Topic: What Is the Place of Grade Winning in an Education?
1973-74: Ingrid Maidel Krohn ($500)
Topic: How Do We Change Our Attitudes in the Face of Diminishing Natural Resources?
1972-73: John Thomas Gage ($500)
Topic: Is Zero Population Growth an Invasion of Privacy or a Collective Necessity?
1971-72: Leslie Morris Golden ($500)
Topics: F.S.M., People's Park, and Cambodia: Whither the Direction and What Are the Functions of the Contemporary University?
1970-71: Bryan Louis Pfaffenberger ($500)
Topic: The Modern City: Survival or Suicide?