Name: Jennifer James
Hometown: Scottsbluff, Nebraska
Major: Liberal Studies
Emphasis Women's Studies
Jennifer graduated with Honors in Liberal Studies with an emphasis in Women's Studies, Spring, 2008. She was a star student in the Women's Studies program with many accolades from faculty and fellow students. In addition to her academic studies, Jennifer incorporated activism as well, volunteering at NARAL, the YWCA, the NCBI and others.
Future plans: Jennifer is going to work for local non-profits with a feminist/activist bent after graduating this past spring and then plans to pursue her Ph.D. in Women's Studies.
Featured Student: Jennifer James
Spring Scholarship Winner: Karen Weaver
Each year, the Women's and Gender Studies Program honors the best work of its students and faculty through the administration and awards. The 2007-2008 academic year brought a change to our scholarship competition. Whereas in past years we had granted one schoarship to a Women's and Gender Studies major or minor who excelled academically and who enacted her commitment ot feminist issues through community activism, the year we chose to give two awards, each honoring one of the two prongs of Women's and Gender Studies work.
The Winner of the Louise Green-Elizabeth Smith Academic Scholarship is Karen Weaver. Karen is a senior majoring in Sociology and Anthropology with minors in Women's and Gender Studies and in Human and Family Development. To qualify for this scholarship, Kraen submitted a research paper, "Women's Suffrage: The Great Unifier," that she worte for prfessor Anya Jabour's course, History 370: Women in America from the Civil War to the Present, during spring semester 2006. That course and other WGS courses have helped Karen "view past and current issues from a feminist perspective" and discover women's "amazing and powerful work in all aspects of life." In addition to her full-time studies at UM and half-time employment, Karen volunteers for Students for Choice, Montana Women Vote, NARAL, the Western Montana Humane Society and the Montana Anthropology Students Association. Karen believes her minor in WGS will give her valuable skills for use in her futrure career, community and family life. Karen's professors speak highly of her investigative mind and writing skills. They describle her as an intelligent, dedicated, and self motivated student, as well as a well-rounded leader and feminist activist. The Women's and Gender Studies program at UM is very pleased to offer this scholarship to Kraen Weaver and has the highest confidence in her future achievements.
Scholarship Winner: Karen Weaver
