Sociology Department Awards and Scholarships

Open Application Awards 

Undergraduate Sociology awards are now available for Spring 2024!  These awards are open to all Sociology majors and second majors, and there is no minimum GPA to apply. Review the information and deadlines below and visit AcademicWorks to apply.

Meghan K. Beebe Senior Speaker Award

Open only to Spring 2024 graduates

The Senior Speaker Award is dedicated to the memory of Sociology Major Meghan K. Beebe. Meghan loved sociology, was a founding member of Sociology Club, and was committed to exploring the ways she could incorporate sociology into her post-graduate pursuits.

The Meghan K. Beebe Senior Speaker Award is granted to one exceptional senior sociology major with strong writing and presentation skills who will speak on behalf of graduating sociology majors at the SBS Senior Celebration Commencement ceremony. This year, the speeches will be pre-recorded.

Submission/selection process: Graduating seniors submit a 1-2 minute speech that colorfully describes the common experience UMass Amherst Sociology majors share and mutual hopes for the future. The award winner is chosen by the Undergraduate Programs Committee. The recipient will receive a monetary prize and certificate of accomplishment. The runner-up winner will speak at the Sociology Award Ceremony.

Application Deadline: 11:59pm on Friday, February 23rd 

Sociology Summer Internship Awards

Internship awards are available to provide financial support to Sociology majors who are completing related internships during the summer of 2024. Candidates must be in good academic standing and have completed at least 45 credits by the end of Spring 2024. Preference will be given to applicants with confirmed internship offers, but students who are awaiting formal confirmation may still apply. Internships may be paid or unpaid, but may not involve electioneering.

To apply, please submit a paragraph explaining what you plan to do for your summer internship, how receiving financial assistance would support your work, and how your internship relates to your studies in Sociology.

Application Deadline: 11:59pm on Friday, March 29th

Jane Addams Sociology in Practice Award

This award is given to one student who can demonstrate how they have applied what they've learned through studying sociology to a real-world situation. Submissions should include a 1-2 page narrative describing how the applicant has applied sociological ideas and insights to internship work, a community service project, a volunteer position, or another "real world" outlet.

Application Deadline: 11:59pm on Friday, March 29th

Sociology Best Paper Award  

The Best Paper Award recognizes the best sociology paper or written product written for a sociology course, independent study, as a thesis, or for another purpose that focuses is on sociological issues and concepts.  The paper or written product must have been written within the last academic year.

Students should submit a copy of the paper they would like to have considered. Sociology faculty from the Undergraduate Program Committee read all of the submissions, deliberate, and choose the winner. The award winner will receive a monetary prize and a certificate of recognition.

Application Deadline: 11:59pm on Friday, March 29th

C. Wright Mills Award for Sociological Imagination

This award is given to one student who can best express how sociological thinking has impacted their own worldview, ideas, or other areas of their life.

Submissions should include a three-page narrative addressing how sociology has affected your college experience, including how your studies have impacted your point of view and/or plans for the future.

Application Deadline: 11:59pm on Friday, March 29th

Awards by Nomination

W.E.B. Du Bois Outstanding Sociological Achievement Award

This award is given to Sociology majors who have achieved distinction in any of a variety of ways.  This might be through consistently high performance in courses, by overcoming obstacles, for outstanding class participation or involvement in the community, or for any of a variety of other forms of accomplishment.  The WEB Du Bois award is granted based on nominations from faculty and instructors, and the winners will receive a monetary prize and certificate of recognition in honor of their accomplishments.

David S. Leiderman Award

The David S. Leiderman Award is given to one (or more) outstanding senior Sociology major(s) with a commitment to improving the lives of children and families. Those selected for this award will receive a monetary prize and certificate of recognition.  Senior students with a GPA of 3.3+ are identified through nominations from faculty and instructors. Those who receive multiple nominations will advance in the process and comments of support from faculty will be solicited. The final award winners will be chose by the Undergraduate Program Committee.

Henry Korson Outstanding Junior & Senior Awards

Awarded to one (or more) outstanding junior and senior Sociology majors.  Those selected for this award will receive a monetary prize and certificate of recognition.  Senior students with a GPA of 3.3+ are identified through nominations from faculty and instructors. Those who receive multiple nominations will advance in the process and comments of support from faculty will be solicited. The final award winners will be chose by the Undergraduate Program Committee.