The McCarthey Family Foundation is sponsoring an essay contest to encourage discussion of "the role a free press should or should not play during presidential election campaigns in a democracy." The contest is held in conjunction with the "McCarthey Family Lecture Series: In Praise of Independent Journalism," featuring Anderson Cooper.

Students at colleges and universities in Utah are invited to write an original essay of 500 words or less, typed and double spaced, on that topic. The winning essayist will receive a cash award of $2,500 and two reserved front-row seats at the Nov. 15 lecture.

Essays must be submitted in an envelope marked "McCarthey Family Lecture Series: In Praise of Independent Journalism." They must include the name of the student, address, phone and e-mail, as well as name of the department of the school where the student is enrolled. Entries must be postmarked no later than Monday, Oct. 20, and should be sent c/o McCarthey Family Foundation, Walker McCarthey Mansion, 610 E. South Temple St., Suite 200, Salt Lake City, UT 84102.

Information is available by clicking on the email link lectureseries@mklpr.com at www.mklpr.com. The winner will be notified the week of Nov. 10 and announced at the lecture.

Sarah J. McCarthey, professor at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, will chair a jury that includes Vern Anderson, editorial and opinion editor at the Salt Lake Tribune; columnist and reporter Lois M. Collins of the Deseret News; Lex Hemphilll, president of Sugar House Park Authority board of trustees and former sports reporter/columnist, Salt Lake Tribune; and Nancy Melich, literary seminar director, Utah Shakespearean Festival and former reporter and arts writer, Salt Lake Tribune. The jury reserves the right not to select a winning essay.