The Common Intellectual Experience (CIE) is a two-semester course taken by all first year students at Ursinus College. Each year, students are invited to submit CIE essays for the annual CIE Essay Contest. A committee of CIE faculty and Writing Fellows select winners based on how well the submissions meet the CIE writing goals: Construct clear, articulate, and compelling arguments and ideas; Thoughtfully analyze and effectively use at least one of the CIE readings; Explore (implicitly or explicitly) any of the central CIE questions in creative and meaningful ways. Winners present their papers at the annual Celebration of Student Achievement (CoSA) at Ursinus College.