Beyers Prize for Excellence in Historical Writing
Stanford undergraduate and graduate students are invited to seek the Beyers Prize for Excellence in Historical Writing, awarded annually by the Stanford Historical Society. Established in 2002, the award is named in honor of Robert W. Beyers, director of Stanford News Service from 1961 to 1990.
The Beyers Prize recognizes Stanford students’ awareness of and interest in the university’s history, as demonstrated through the use of the University Archives, Stanford Libraries, and other sources. The society also hopes to encourage excellence in historical research and writing among students.
Successful entries will be considered for publication in future issues of Sandstone & Tile, published three times a year by the Stanford Historical Society, or shared via the SHS website.
Criteria
A panel of three to five judges well-versed in Stanford history and research will be selected by the University Archivist to review all submissions.
Judges will consider the following criteria:
- Relevance of topic to Stanford’s history
- Quality of original research and writing
Written entries should be 3000-5000 words.
Prize
The prize includes a $1,000 cash award and one year of free membership in the Stanford Historical Society, in addition to recognition at the SHS Annual Members’ Meeting and on the SHS website. Up to two prizes are awarded each year: one to an undergraduate student and one to a graduate student. The judges may decide at their discretion not to award any prizes.
The prize(s) will be presented at a Stanford Historical Society public event.
Submission Guidelines
A digital copy of the submission may be submitted at any time during the academic year, but no later than 5 p.m. on June 15, 2025. The participant’s email address, postal address, and telephone number should be included with the submission.
To be considered for the Beyers Prize for Excellence in Historical Writing, please submit your entry to University Archivist Josh Schneider at jschne@stanford.edu.
Questions
For questions and guidance, please contact University Archivist Josh Schneider at jschne@stanford.edu.
Image: Robert W. Beyers. (credit: Ed Souza / Stanford News Service)