Marian Beane Crossing Borders Writing Competition

The Marian Beane Crossing Borders Writing Competition encourages student reflection on the value of international living and learning experiences and their impact on personal growth and cross-cultural understanding. The contest was created in 2004 by Ms. Marian Beane, who was the former Director of the International Students and Scholars office within Charlotte Global at UNC Charlotte. She also served as the advisor for the International Club and Coordinator for the Mu Chapter of the Phi Beta Delta until her retirement in December 2014. The Office of Global Learning coordinates the contest in collaboration with the English Language Training Institute (ELTI).

Theme: Different culture. Different me. How has your international experience affected your perspective of the world?

Guidelines:

  • Original writing based on your own experience
  • Minimum 2 full pages and no more than 4 pages
  • No personally identifiable information
  • PDF format and no larger than 10 MB in size

Entries that do not meet these minimum requirements will not be considered. 

Eligibility Criteria: The contest is open to current UNC Charlotte undergraduate and graduate students as well as upper level students (3, 4, and 5) of ELTI.

Awards and Recognition:

  1. One $400 award in each category (Undergraduate, Graduate, and ELTI)
  2. Two $175 honorary mention awards in each category
  3. Recognition at the International Education Reception

* Please note that the Marian Beane Crossing Borders Writing Competition awards will be awarded in the form of a gift card. For more information and questions please contact globaleducation@charlotte.edu.

How to Enter: Eligible students must submit their Writing Competition entries online using the Marian Beane Crossing Borders Writing Competition Entry Form. Deadline to submit is Friday, March 27, 2026.

Marian Beane Crossing Borders Competition Image