Student Symposium
Please note the following updates to the Student Symposium submission process:
- All student participants must have a faculty mentor who will provide feedback on the paper during the writing process.
- Papers will be presented in a poster session rather than in the traditional presentation format.
- The minimum paper length has been reduced from 10 pages to 8 pages.
Students enrolled at BYU can participate in an annual student symposium to present papers on religious topics. Held in March, the symposium strives to improve student writing and research skills, foster a climate of student scholarship in religious education, reward excellence in such scholarship with prizes and awards, and improve the academic profile of Religious Education at BYU. Originating in 1998, the symposium is celebrating over twenty years of success with thousands of student participants, including several BYU graduates who are now on the faculty of Religious Education. As its first chair, Richard E. Bennett brought the vision of student scholarship and excellence in writing to the symposium.
Why Participate?
“The student symposium was a memorable and challenging experience for me . . . I found it immensely rewarding to be able to do two things I love—researching and writing—and to be able to do them in a formal and competitive setting.”
—MICHAEL BURNHAM
“The symposium was a life-changing first step toward a new and very fulfilling academic journey. For anyone who participates, the symposium will give you the opportunity to strengthen your faith through rigorous academic work, helping accomplish Neal A. Maxwell’s hope for “disciple-scholars” at BYU.”
—BROOKE LEFEVRE
“Participating in the Religious Education Student Symposium was one of my favorite experiences from my time at BYU. The symposium motivated me to dive into a deeper study of the scriptures than I had ever approached before, and the opportunity to share what I was learning deepened my love for the scriptures and for teaching the gospel.”
—MICHAEL RICKS
Purpose of Conference:
To provide a forum for students to research, write, and present papers about religious subjects from a faithful perspective with faculty mentorship. Students will submit a paper, and selected papers will be chosen for a poster session and prizes.
Eligibility:
All full-time BYU undergraduate and graduate students attending BYU-Provo Winter Semester 2027 on campus are invited to submit one single-authored paper.
Faculty Mentorship Requirement:
Each student must work with a faculty mentor who provides feedback during the writing process. Mentors may be from any campus unit.
Use of AI:
The use of artificial intelligence (AI) tools is limited to basic spell-check only. Essays that show evidence of AI-generated or AI-assisted content beyond spell-check may be disqualified.
Thousands of dollars in cash awards will be available for winning papers.
Contest Guidelines:
Papers must be the author’s original work, be faith-promoting, and must not be submitted to other conferences or journals. Students selected for the poster session will create a poster based on their paper. Religious Education will cover poster printing costs.
Papers may focus on a topic of religious significance including, but not limited to, the following:
- Scriptural topics
- Religion and family life
- Doctrinal topics
- Family history
- History of the Church
- Teachings of living prophets
- Ancient religious history
- World religions
- Interfaith engagement
- BYU MOA “Earthbound and Heavenward” Exhibit
Submission Information:
Paper Submission Deadline: November 30, 2026
Conference Date: March 12, 2027
Students submitting papers will be notified of acceptance by mid-January 2027.
Submission Instructions:
Papers must be formatted Chicago style, typed (double-spaced), and 8-12 pages in length (not including endnotes). All quoted sources must be fully cited in endnotes. Submit papers as a Word document via email to beverly.yellowhorse@byu.edu. Please include the following information on a cover page:
- Title of the Paper
- Student’s Name (Do not include your name on any other pages, even in the header)
- Name and department of faculty mentor
- Major and class (Freshman, Sophomore, Junior, Senior, or Graduate Student)
- Contact Information: BYU address, phone number, e-mail
Questions?
Contact Beverly Yellowhorse: 801-422-3611 or beverly.yellowhorse@byu.edu
2026 Student Symposium
For students who are interested in participating in the Religious Education Visualizing Learning contest, please click the link below for more information.