The Beth B. Hess Memorial Scholarship will be awarded to a new or continuing graduate student who began her or his study in a community college or technical school. A student accepted in an accredited MA or PhD program in sociology in the United States is eligible to apply if she or he studied for at least one full academic year at a two-year college in the US before transferring to complete a BA.
 
The Scholarship carries a stipend of $3500 from Sociologists for Women in Society (SWS) to be used to support the pursuit of graduate studies, as well as a one-year student membership in SWS (including a subscription to Gender & Society), Society for the Study of Social Problems (SSSP) and the American Sociological Association (ASA). The Scholarship will be awarded at the Annual Meetings of SWS, ASA, and SSSP in Boston, MA, August 1-4, 2008. The awardee’s economy class airfare, train fare or driving mileage/tolls will be paid by SSSP, SWS and ASA (applicants for this award should also apply for an ASA student travel award; more than one such award may be given). Each association will also waive meeting registration, and provide complementary banquet or reception tickets for the awardee.

To honor Beth Hess’s career, the committee will be looking for:
• Commitment to teaching, especially at a community college or other institution serving less-privileged students.
• Research and/or activism in social inequality, social justice, or social problems, with a focus on gender and/or gerontology being especially positive.
• Service to the academic and/or local community, including mentoring
• High quality research and writing in the proposal and letter of application.       

An application for the award should contain:
  1. a letter of application (no more than 2 pages) that describes the student's decision to study sociology, career goals, research, activism and service that would help the committee to see how the Scholarship would be a fitting honor
  2. a letter confirming enrollment in or admission to a sociology Ph.D. program (and aid award if any)
  3. a letter of recommendation from a sociologist (in a sealed envelope, signed on the seal)
  4. full curriculum vitae, including all schools, degrees awarded, years of study, and full or part-time
  5. (Optional) a one-page letter describing a community college faculty member who particularly contributed in a significant way to the decision to study sociology or pursue higher education
  6. A cover sheet with:
    7.
    • Name and full contact information, including phone and email
    • Current academic or organizational affiliation, with years
    • If not currently enrolled, future Ph.D. program and date of entry
    • Community college attended, with years and credits taken OR transcript
    • Name and contact information for references
    • If included, name of honored faculty member
      •
Six complete copies of the application should be submitted to:
Prof. Myra Marx Ferree
Department of Sociology
University of Wisconsin-Madison
1180 Observatory Drive
Madison WI 53706

To be considered applications must be postmarked no later than March 31, 2008.
 For further information contact Myra Marx Ferree --