Instructions:

The Essay Prize, established in 1993, is open to anyone who has been a student at the University of Wisconsin within the preceding year (all campuses, programs, graduate, under graduate, part-time, nondegree included.) The competition was established to honor the memory of Hermes Monato, Jr., a December 1990 graduate, as well as to highlight the importance of rural health. Hermes worked at the Rural Wisconsin Health Cooperative for only a few years but his infectious spirit and creative mind left rural health an enduring legacy.

*The writer of the winning essay will receive a check for $2,000 (up from $1,000 in 2008) paid from a trust fund established at the University by RWHC, family and friends of Hermes.

The winning essay will be about rural health with some of the following attributes: relevant to rural communities, innovative, practical, multi-disciplinary, improves quality of care, team/relationship oriented, applicability to networking, cooperatives.

There are no rigid requirements for the length, format, etc.. To date, winning papers have ranged from first person essays to formal "journal ready" articles. Please note that essays already written for a class or others purposes during the previous twelve months are also eligible for this competition.

All entries (no copies needed) must be submitted by April 15th c/o Monica Seiler, RWHC, 880 Independence Lane, Sauk City, Wisconsin 53583 with writer's name, academic program and expected date of graduation.

The Review Committee, comprised of UW and RWHC representatives,reserves the right to not award the Prize in any given year.