The Peter Morgenstern-Clarren ’03 Social Justice Award was created in memory of Peter Morgenstern-Clarren who pursued social justice while a student at Wesleyan. His activism included securing benefits for Wesleyan custodial staff, participating in the United Student and Labor Action Committee, and contributing his leadership to the campus chapter of Amnesty International. We are grateful to Dr. Hadley Morgenstern-Clarren and The Honorable Pat Morgenstern-Clarren for their generosity in sponsoring this award that honors their son’s activism for the public good. A committee will select the sophomore or junior who best embodies the pursuit of social justice. The winner will receive a cash award of $1,500. The application process is described below. Any sophomore or junior in good standing may submit an essay that addresses the following:
Describe in detail the most influential social justice effort in which you played a leadership role that sought to make our local and global communities more equitable. (The effort should have a direct effect on the Wesleyan campus and/or on external communities.)
1. Explain your level of involvement in the work for example: your role in raising awareness about a particular issue on campus, coordinating events, implementing programming and campaigns in the pursuit of social justice.
2. In addition to your essay, you must include a letter of support from a faculty or administrator involved in your effort and submit evidence of impact that the social justice effort had on making our society more just by contributing testimonies from individuals (excluding family and friends) directly involved, artifacts from your social justice effort (e.g., past printed programs, presentations, and articles), and/or your work from courses. You may include non-print items, such as DVDs.
You must submit all items electronically to Dean Teshia Levy-Grant (tlevygrant@wesleyan.edu), North College, 1st floor, Room 122 by 5 p.m. Thursday, April 12, 2018. All essays, letters of support and printed items must be in by the deadline. By submitting your packet, you agree to allow the Office of Equity & Inclusion to use it (or excerpts from it) for assessment, archival, and promotion purposes. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to contact Dean Teshia Levy-Grant x4771.
Wesleyan Black Alumni Council Prize: $4,000 student scholarship for a summer experience grant
In April 1986, the Wesleyan Black Alumni Council (WBAC) established a memorial fund to honor deceased alumni of African descent. The memorial honors the memory and spirit of Bruce D. Hall ’77, James “Donnie” Rochester ’74, and Dwight L. Greene ’70. In its wisdom, the Council agreed that the most fitting honor of the spirit of deceased alumni was through a scholarship/summer experience grant to enrich and expand the education of students from underrepresented groups, or students interested in research pertaining to the African-American experience. The maximum stipend is $4,000.
Application: A student who wishes to apply for the Wesleyan Black Alumni Council Memorial Prize must submit a proposal that includes all of the following:
1 A personal statement that includes a discussion of the applicant’s intellectual and academic interests and their relationship to the African American experience.
2 A description of the research plan that discusses the nature, scope and methodology that will be used to explore the problem/thesis/project.
3 An itemized budget that describes how the stipend will be used.
4 An unofficial academic history.
The application must be submitted as an email attachment (.doc, .docx, or .pdf format) by 11:59 p.m. on Thursday, April 12, 2018, to Dean Teshia Levy-Grant (tlevygrant@wesleyan.edu). Potential applicants for the WBAC Memorial Prize are strongly encouraged to make an appointment to meet with Dean Levy-Grant to discuss their proposal ideas: 122 North College 860.685.2272