Traditions abound at Ohio State, and today the Department of Philosophy will keep a nearly 80-year-old tradition alive when it awards a special senior with the Bingham Prize.
Ben Beebe, a senior in philosophy, will be given the award today at 3:30 p.m. in room 347 of University Hall. Each May, the Philosophy Department awards the Bingham Prize to a deserving undergraduate who has written the best philosophy essay.
Lee Brown, undergraduate adviser of Philosophy, is proud of the award’s history because the award is named after a philosopher from Ohio State, William E. Bingham, rather than a philanthropist.
The award is 79 years old, with the first award given in 1922 at spring commencement. The prizes given have varied from books to money to medals.
“Ben will get a nice bronze medal as well as some cash,” Brown said.
Beebe will read his essay at the ceremony, and he will also receive an engraved medal and $500.
Donald C. Hubin, associate professor of philosophy, endorsed Beebe’s essay.
“Ben wrote a paper for my class that was head and shoulders above what most undergraduates write,” Hubin said. “It was a very competent, very well researched and very creative paper. It was exactly the kind of thing the Bingham award should be given for.”
Brown is the chairman of the committee that chooses the winner and said the competition was tough this year. Beebe was chosen among 10 other students, which was an unusually high number of nominees, Brown said.
“Usually there are only three or four essays, but we were excited to have this many,” Beebe said.
Brown and Hubin said the winners are usually from upper-division philosophy classes because the introductory classes do not go in-depth enough. However, students in all philosophy classes are eligible.
“Many winners have gone on to graduate or to law school,” Hubin said. “These are the best students in philosophy.”
Beebe said he plans to go to graduate school, but wants to travel Europe and Russia for a year before. He is excited about reading his essay but anxious at the same time.
“I have been waiting a while for the announcement of the winner,” Beebe said. “I am going to be nervous in front all the professionals.”
Beebe said he has invited a few friends to the reading but wants to keep in a small group. He plans on using the money to buy books, pay for rent and pay back his roommates.