about

Essay—from the French essai—was the word Michel de Montaigne (1533-1592) used to define a new type of writing that was an “attempt” or “trial” to think clearly on the page. In such writing, Montaigne wished to “speak to the paper, just as [he spoke] to someone [he] met for the first time.” The late Richard Marius, who directed the writing program at Harvard for nearly twenty years, notes that, “Montaigne wrote…without accepting the prejudices of the crowd and without seeking the favor of the powerful. His writing is natural, unaffected, simple. He never feared to be in the minority on an issue. He tried to see things as they were. he proved that an honest observer has something new to say.”  

As purveyor of his new form, Montaigne professed, “I freely give my opinion on all things, even those that may go beyond my competence and on which I by no means claim to be an authority. And so my thoughts about them are only to reveal the extent of my vision and not the limits of things themselves.”  

The pieces in Essay are meant to invoke Montaigne’s time-tested trial for truth. Essay annually publishes an online and print issue of creative nonfiction and artwork by undergraduate students at Susquehanna University. The print issues are distributed on Susquehanna University’s campus every spring.   

The Cunningham Essay, named in honor of Joel Cunningham, President of Susquehanna University from 1984 until July 2000, is an original essay written annually by a nonfiction writer of national reputation. This writer is chosen by Essay’s faculty advisor and judges the Erik Kirkland Memorial Prize for that corresponding year. The essay written by the Cunningham Essayist is featured in the annual print edition of Essay. Cunningham Essays vary in their subject matter each edition, embodying and reflecting the body of student work accepted for publication that year.  

The Erik Kirkland Memorial Prize originates from tragedy—the death of a promising young man in a military accident. If anything positive can come from such misfortune, this award, in some small way, accomplishes this.  

The Writers Institute wishes to thank John and Sara Kirkland for giving their blessing to the creation of this endowed prize. Each year, the memory of Erik’s contribution to the writing program at Susquehanna University, in particular, his term as editor of the literary magazine (1988-1989), will be remembered by current students and faculty through this prize. Submissions will be judged by the annual Cunningham Essayist and awarded to an extraordinary student writer. Pieces published in both Essay’s print and online issues are considered. The winner of the Erik Kirkland memorial prize is honored each year at the Susquehanna University’s Making Public event hosted by FUSE.