Women's and Gender Studies Scholarships

Established in 2009 by her family, this scholarship honors the life of Andrea Scamihorn, the first student to graduate with a Bachelor’s degree in Women’s Studies at Ball State University, and a recipient of the Women’s Studies Outstanding Student Activism Award in 2005. Her activism led her to Santiago, Chile where she became a teacher. She passed away in December of 2008. Since then, the Outstanding Student Activism Award has borne her name, and recipients have been awarded this scholarship. Recipients of this scholarship are nominated by program faculty, selected for excellence in and commitment to activism on the local, national, and/or international level.

Award Amount

The scholarship amount is $250.

Criteria

Nominees must:

• Have a declared Women's and Gender Studies major or minor at Ball State University.
• Have demonstrated a passion for activism (e.g. whether in service of the WGS program or with a community organization).
• Hold freshman, sophomore, or junior standing at the time of nomination.

How to Apply

Nominations will be accepted from February through the yearly April deadline. Recipients are selected by a Women’s and Gender Studies program committee. 

Past Scholarship Recipients

The first Andrea Lauren Scamihorn Memorial Scholarship was presented in 2010. Each year, the recipient’s name is engraved on a perpetual plaque displayed in the Women's and Gender Studies Program office.

Past recipients are:

• 2010 – Brandi Terry
• 2011 – Briana Brown
• 2012 – Tiffany Cannon Cooper
• 2013 – Samantha Ellison
• 2014 – Aly Austin
• 2015 – Bailey Loughlin
• 2016 – Emmalie Hodge
• 2017 – Emma “Max” Engler
• 2018 – Abigail Curdes
• 2019 – Elizabeth Kiel
• 2020 – Brooklyn Arizmendi 
• 2021 – Nyjah Jones 
• 2022 – Emily Cole
• 2023 – Sydni Amick 

Established in 2016 by her family, the Anne Pieroni Szopa Scholarship in Women's Studies honors the memory of one of the founding mothers of Ball State University’s Women’s and Gender Studies Program. Anne received her graduate degrees at Ball State and continued her career at Indiana University East, where she served as Chair of the Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences and Co-coordinator of the Women and Gender Studies Program. During her tenure there, she won several teaching awards. 

Award Amount

The amount is $1,000 per aid year, renewable for up to three years, thus allowing a total of three years of undergraduate eligibility provided the student continues to meet the stated criteria. 

Criteria

Nominees must:

• Have a declared Women's and Gender Studies major at Ball State University.
• Have taken and passed WGS 210: Introduction to Women's and Gender Studies.
• Hold freshman, sophomore, or junior standing at the time of nomination.
• Have at least a 3.0 grade point average.

Preference will be given to first-year students.

How to Apply

Past Scholarship Recipients

The first Anne Pieroni Szopa Scholarship was awarded for the 2016-2017 academic year. Each year, the recipient’s name is engraved on a perpetual plaque displayed in the Women's and Gender Studies Program office.

Past recipients are:

• 2016 – Kaitlyn Howard
• 2017 – Courtlyan Scheffer
• 2018 – Elizabeth Kiel
• 2021 – Monet Lindstrand 
• 2022 – Lauren Szymczak
• 2023 – Aubrey Cogell

The Muriel and Irene Goldman Scholarship was established in 1998 with a gift from David W. Goldman and Irene Goldman-Price. 

Irene Goldman-Price (then Irene Goldman) was deeply involved with women's studies and the Women's and Gender Studies Program during her years as a faculty member at Ball State University (1986-1997). She also served as the director of the program from 1991-1994.

The scholarship was established by Goldman-Price and her father in order to continue her commitment to students in women’s studies and as a loving memorial to Muriel Goldman, a talented, generous, and loving woman who believed in education for women as well as men.

Award Amount

We typically award one or two scholarships of $1,500 each year.

Criteria

Applicants must:

• Have a declared women's and gender studies major or minor at Ball State University.
• Be enrolled full-time.
• Hold sophomore or junior standing at the time of application.
• Have at least a 3.0-grade point average.

Preference is given to those demonstrating financial need.

How to Apply

Applications will be accepted from February through the yearly April deadline. Recipients are selected by a Women’s and Gender Studies program committee.  

Past Scholarship Recipients

The first Muriel and Irene Goldman Scholarship was awarded for the 2000–2001 academic year. Each year, the recipient’s name is engraved on a perpetual plaque displayed in the Women's and Gender Studies Program office.

Past recipients are:

• 2000 – Carrie Lydon
• 2001 – Peg Lewman
• 2002 – Lori Sammons & Kara Youngs
• 2003 – Andrea Prestinario
• 2004 – Kristin Stout
• 2005 – Andrea Scamihorn
• 2006 – Lauren Eison
• 2007 – Manda Ostoich
• 2008 – Maria Rocio Borreguero Bolanos
• 2008 – Shauna Larson
• 2008 – Lauren McNichols
• 2009 – Cecilia Peralta
• 2010 – Briana Brown
• 2011 – Brandi Terry
• 2012 – Nina Monstwillo
• 2013 – Amanda Cross
• 2014 – Eric Patterson
• 2015 – Savannah Guimond
• 2015 – Brittany Means
• 2016 – Natasha Chopr
• 2016 – Haley McAbee
• 2016 – Leilani Pearce
• 2017 – Jessica Cauffman
• 2017 – Maren Orchard
• 2018 – Kylie Kaiser & Althea McWilliams
• 2019 – Tabitha Johnson & Brittany Novack
• 2021 – Victoria Sills 
• 2022 – Shawn Battleday and London Farlow
• 2023 – Naomi St. André