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Say It In 6 is a competition hosted by UAB Graduate School that challenges you to tell your story in a creative and succinct way. Based on Smith Magazine’s “Six-Word Memoirs®” concept, Say It In 6 invites you to use only six words and a visual aid to tell a story – about your studies, your UAB experience, or your life. The possibilities are endless!

Competitors should submit their six-word entry with accompanying visual aid online. See winning entries from previous years.

This year, the Graduate School is also inviting faculty and staff to participate in Say it in 6. There will be two divisions – one for students and one for faculty/staff.

Two finalists from each division will be selected from our panel of judges, and three students will win cash prizes: 1st place, $1000; 2nd place, $750; People’s Choice, $500. The three winners from the faculty/staff division will receive gift baskets.

 

Details

Submission deadline
February 28, 11:59 p.m.

People's Choice voting
March 13-22, 11:59 p.m.

Say It In 6 logo

Rules

Competitors should submit their six-word story with accompanying visual aid online by the submission deadline. Each individual may submit only one entry. The word portion of your submission should be exactly six words – no more and no fewer.

Both the six-word statement and visual aid must be original. Visual aids may be your own photography or artwork, or you may use a photo of yourself with permission of the photographer. Do not submit stock photos or clipart. If you create non-digital art, you may include a digital print or a high quality photo of your work in your online submission. Finalists’ art will be printed by the Graduate School on 16-inch-by-20-inch paper for display. 

Here are a few other guidelines:

  • Each word counts as one word, even if two or more are hyphenated. For example, well-known would be considered two words, not one.
  • Contractions count as one word. 
  • If using hashtags, each word in the hashtag is considered one word. For example, #lovingmylife would be considered 3 words (loving, my and life).
  • You may include your six words in your image, but it is not required. However, you can NOT add additional words to your image. For example, if your 6 words are “Always loving life and living big” then those are the only words that should be part of your submission. If there is additional wording as part of your original image (billboard signs, passport photo, etc.) that is allowed.
  • No photo collages. You are allowed one image only. .

If you violate any of these guidelines, you will be disqualified without notification. If you have questions concerning your submission, please email kimeaton@uab.edu

All entries should comply with the UAB Enterprise Code of Conduct, Student Conduct Code, and other applicable University policies. See the UAB Policies & Procedures Library for more information. Entries that are found to not be the original work of the entrant will also be disqualified.

  • Eligibility

    The competition is open to open to all undergraduate, graduate and professional students (Medicine, Dentistry and Optometry), nondegree students and postdoctoral fellows at UAB, as well as faculty and staff.

  • Entry Specifications

    Visual aid submissions must be at least 4.0 MB, but 5.0 MB or larger image files are strongly encouraged. Submissions must be 8 inches x 10 inches at 300 dpi, or larger. Submissions must be in JPG and TIFF formats. Original art work should be 12 x 18 inches in size or smaller. If a submission does not meet these specifications, it will be automatically disqualified.

  • Categories

    Each competitor will choose one of five categories in which they would like their entry to be judged. Competitors are free to interpret the categories in whatever ways they wish. The categories are:

    • Global Engagement
    • Leadership
    • Love
    • Persistence
    • Social Justice
  • Judging Criteria

    Two finalists per category for both the student division and the faculty/staff division will be chosen by a panel of judges. The judging panel will choose one first-place winner and one second-place winner from the 10 finalists in each division.

    The UAB community will be asked to vote online to determine a People’s Choice winner. Only one vote per UAB email address will be counted. If the People’s Choice winner is also chosen as first or second place by the judging panel, that competitor will receive both prizes.

    Storytelling & Impact

    Did the entry capture the viewers’ attention?
    Did the entry tell a stimulating, moving or memorable story?
    Did the words and imagery elicit emotion?
    Did the words and image support each other?

    Originality & Creativity

    How original is the entrant’s work?
    Did the entry present the story in a creative way?

 

Questions?

Please contact Kim Eaton at kimeaton@uab.edu with any questions you may have.

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