The deadline to apply for the 2023 Beth B. Hess Memorial Scholarship was April 1, 2023. Please check back this fall for the 2024 nomination procedures. See below for information on award eligibility.

HISTORY AND OVERVIEW

The Beth B. Hess Memorial Scholarship will be awarded to an advanced Ph.D. student who began their study in a community college or technical school. A student advanced to candidacy (ABD status) in an accredited Ph.D. program in sociology is eligible to apply if they studied at a U.S. two-year college either part-time or full-time for the equivalent of at least one full academic year that was not part of a high-school dual-enrollment or enrichment program. Students who attended the international equivalent of a U.S. two-year college are also welcomed to apply.

The Scholarship carries a stipend of $18,000 from Sociologists for Women in Society to support the pursuit of a Ph.D., a certificate from SWS, a $500 travel grant to attend SWS’s 2023 Winter Meeting, a $500 travel grant to attend the SWS 2023 Summer Meeting and a one-year complimentary SWS membership (including a subscription to Gender & Society). The Society for the Study of Social Problems (SSSP) honors the awardee with a one-year complimentary membership and waived meeting registration for their 2023 Annual Meeting where the awardee will be honored with a plaque at the Awards Ceremony. SSSP also provides a $300 stipend to be used toward travel to the 2023 SSSP Meeting.   

Recognizing Beth B. Hess’s significant contribution to the American Sociological Association (ASA), ASA joins SWS and SSSP in honoring the awardee. ASA provides one year of membership, a $500 travel award, and waived registration for the 2023 ASA Annual Meeting. 

The Beth B. Hess Memorial Scholarship Award Subcommittee often grants one honorable mention award. There is a $3,500 scholarship attached to this honorable mention award.

WHAT WE'LL BE LOOKING FOR

To honor Beth Hess's career, the subcommittee 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.

The award is intended to provide support to a student in the last year of their program. Applicants should have completed data collection and be at the writing stage of the dissertation project. Candidates who are already in the writing stage and apparently close to completion will be preferred, and the odds of success are improved by waiting to apply until the applicant is obviously no more than 12 months from defending the dissertation, making the award available to the recipient in the last full year of the PhD program.

Those who are recognized with an honorable mention during any previous year are not eligible to re-apply for the award. Reapplication from previous applicants who have not been recognized with honorable mention are accepted.

THE APPLICATION

The nomination deadline for the 2023 award was April 1, 2023. The 2023 award will be presented at the 73rd Annual Meeting, August 18-20, 2023.

For further information contact Barret Katuna, SWS Executive Officer (swseo.barretkatuna@outlook.com) or Mairead Moloney, Chair of the Beth Hess Award Subcommittee (mmo272@g.uky.edu).