Sophomore wins William F. Buckley Jr. Essay contest

Grove City College sophomore John Hatzis ’27 is the winner of the 2024 National Review Institute’s William F. Buckley Jr. Essay Contest.

Hatzis, a History and Philosophy major from Stafford, Va., saw his winning essay published on the revered conservative journal’s website and will join a National Review virtual formum next week to talk about it.

Entrants from around the country were asked to ponder the findings of a 2023 poll that found just 39% of adults were “extremely proud” to be American. “What do you think is causing patriotism to decline? What antidote would you prescribe? Can one both celebrate America and its history and recognize its flaws?”

In “Rescuing Patriotism in a Nation on the Brink,” Hatzis examines the explanations behind and the solutions to the marked decline in patriotism among all Americans, particularly younger generations.

“The decline in patriotism is linked to the decline in other values that link people together: faith, family, and community. To restore patriotism, we must restore these crucial institutions and rebuild a shared American identity around our values, virtues, and common destiny,” Hatzis said.

“The track we are currently on is unsustainable,” he concludes in his essay, which was written shortly after the July 13 assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump and published days before a gunman was apprehended at the candidate’s Florida golf course. “I hope that readers take away that the acts of political violence we have seen in recent months … are both intolerable and a symptom of deeper problems our nation faces,” Hatzis said.

Hatzis said he is hopeful that the unity and civic mindedness that he advocates can be achieved if “we stop thinking in terms of ‘conservative’ and ‘progressive.’"

“One of the most important points of the essay is the call to depoliticize. Our media and politicians find their meaning and money in the politics of hate – such a condition is bad for the soul of our nation and prevents unity. If we can see beyond that, and refrain from the consumption of the toxic lies of partisans and the media, civic mindedness is more likely to flourish,” he said.

Hatzis is a Trustee Scholar and considering a career in education. He credited Dr. Gillis Harp, professor of History, for providing editorial assistance and invaluable insight during the writing process.

The William F. Buckley Jr. Essay Contest was open to students who had just completed their freshman or sophomore year of college.

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