About the Contest
Our founder, William F. Buckley Jr., began his career as a public intellectual when he wrote God and Man at Yale, a scathing critique of his alma mater and its growing biases. Each summer, National Review Institute holds a student essay contest to promote thought and discussion surrounding William F. Buckley Jr.’s work. The winning essay is published on NationalReview.com.
2025
Many Americans worry about the challenges posed by AI, digital monopolies, and new social movements. How can economic freedom ensure a bright future for America?
We invite the participation of college students who will be sophomores or juniors this fall, and essays must be between 1,500 and 2,000 words. The winning essay is published on National Review Online. Submit your essay to buckleyessay@nrinstitute.org. The deadline is July 31.
Note: We’re extending the essay contest deadline to 11:59 PM on August 8.
2025 Contest Winner
On September 15, 2025, National Review Online published James Eustis’s winning essay, “AI Will Destroy Entire Industries, and That’s a Good Thing.”
Included in James’s reward was a virtual interview with our Buckley Journalism Fellow, Guy Denton. Watch the replay here.
James is a junior at Washington and Lee University, where he majors in politics and minors in entrepreneurship. He serves as the Business Manager of the W&L Spectator, the leading magazine on campus, and as an editor of the W&L Political Review.
Born and raised in Charlottesville, Virginia, James has worked as a campaign manager for a state senate candidate and has held various other positions for local political campaigns.
In the summer of 2025, he wrote for RealClearPolitics as a journalism intern and as a member of the Fund for American Studies Student Journalism Association.
He first encountered National Review in high school as he explored the political world around him.
