Scholarships

The Department of Religious Studies has greatly benefited from donors who have endowed scholarship funds to support its students. The names of the students who have received these awards are inscribed on plaques that hang in the Department's lounge.

These awards are presented each Spring semester during Honors Day celebrations. Although some awards are presented at the College of Arts & Sciences ceremony, a few surprises are reserved for the Department's own reception, held on the second floor balcony of Manly Hall, immediately following the College's ceremony. All students in our Department, and their families, are encouraged to attend--to congratulate the award recipients, to have some good food, and to pose for a few spontaneous pictures.

The photo above--of REL double major Kathleen Penton and parents--was taken at the Department's April 2003 Honors Day reception; more photos can be found here.

Interested in Giving to REL?

If you would like to help our Department's students by making a contribution to any of these funds, then please do not hesitate to contact the Chair of the Department, Professor Russell McCutcheon, either by email or by contacting the main office (please click here for our contact information).

For more information on giving to REL.

Ulysses V. Goodwyn Award

The Ulysses V. Goodwyn award, at one time the Department's only award, was retired in 2002. The proceeds from this endowment now support student activities, such as helping to fund the Religious Studies Student Association as well as being used to assist students to attend professional meetings in the region or to make the occasional field trip. Until its retirement, the Goodwyn award had been given to:

Oustanding Student in the Academic Study of Religion

The Outstanding Student in the Academic Study of Religion award is given only when the faculty members believe that one or more of its students have demonstrated themselves to be particularly deserving of recognition. In the past, this award has been given to:

Joseph Silverstein Scholarships
and Fellowships

Currently, the Department's two primary student funds are the Silverstein Scholarship and the Silverstein Fellowship--the former first presented in 2002 and the latter awarded for the first time in 2007.

Silverstein Scholars

There is no application process for the Silverstein Scholarship; instead, early each Spring semester the Department's faculty are provided with a list of REL majors and Judaic Studies minors, along with their GPAs. Depending on the amount of funds available to be awarded each year, the faculty ranks these students based on their academic achievements, and awards scholarships valued at either $500 and $1,000 to the top students. (Although graduating students are eligible for this award, priority is given to students returning in the Fall to complete their undergraduate degree.) Near the end of the Spring semester, these funds are deposited into each student's account and the awards are presented during our annual Honors Day luncheon.

Silverstein Fellows

Late in each Spring semester, the recipients of the coming year's Silverstein Fellowships are determined--based on their abilities and academic performance in our classes--by the Department Chair, in consultation with the Faculty and the Staff.

Amy Lynn Petersen Endowed Support Fund

On June 15, 2007, a new fund was established (for which fundraising began in late 2003) in the memory of an REL minor (and New College major), Amy Petersen, who died quite unexpectedly in October of 2003.

The Amy Lynn Petersen Endowed Support Fund is dedicated to providing a book for each REL 490 student--a course required of all majors and minors and offered each Spring semester. It is the Department's hope that, through this kind gift, Amy's memory will live on through her family's interest in the work we do.

If you are interested in learning more about this award, or more about an exceptional student in whose memory this award has been named, then please visit here.