Hillsdale College Students Take Home Prizes in Independent Institute Essay Contest
Tz-Shiang (Brian) Shia tied for first, and Patrick McDonald won third.
HILLSDALE, Mich. — Two Hillsdale College students won prizes in the annual Independent Institute Essay Contest. Tz-Shiang (Brian) Shia ’27 tied for first, and Patrick McDonald ’26 won third.
“We teach our students to think critically and creatively, drawing on history and an understanding of human nature,” said Christopher Martin, associate professor of economics, who served as Shia’s faculty advisor for the contest. “I am grateful that Brian and Patrick had the opportunity to participate in this contest. It’s delightful to see them excel and be recognized.”
“We teach our students to think critically and creatively, drawing on history and an understanding of human nature.”
Shia, an economics major, tied for first place with his essay “A Cooperative Hospital: A Thought Experiment Inspired by History.”
“I conducted a case study on cooperative healthcare and found that if regulatory barriers were removed, cooperative healthcare delivery models might operate at lower costs than standard fee-for-service insurance models,” Shia said. “In a free and competitive market for healthcare, services can potentially be affordable and accessible for all people.”
Shia’s paper will be published in the winter edition of The Independent Review, the peer-reviewed quarterly academic journal of the Independent Institute. The journal focuses on political economy and critical analysis of government policy, covering economics, political science, law, history, philosophy, and sociology.
McDonald, a history major, won third place for his essay “The Federal Technocracy.” McDonald argued against rule by an educated, specialized elite and urged a reassertion of legislative primacy in American politics.
The Independent Institute Essay Contest invites undergraduate college students to submit papers on social justice, higher education, the future of the economy, and more. This year the prizes were $2,750 for each winner of first place and $1,500 for third place. The winning essays will be published in The Independent Review, and the runner up will be published online. The professor or instructor sponsoring each of the student winners will also receive a $1,000 prize.