2021-2022 CRGW Award Recipients

LGBTQ+ Studies Scholarship Winners

This scholarship, generously provided by David A. Kaplan and Glenn A. Ostergaard, and the Brautigam/Kaplan Foundation, was created with the intention of encouraging outstanding students in the LGBTQ+ Studies Certificate program. Read on for more information on this year’s winners, their areas of study, what led them to LGBTQ+ studies, and their hopes for the future.

Macy Booth (she/her/hers) — I am a Social Work Major getting GWS & LGBTQ+ Studies Certificate. I hope to get my Master’s of Social Work and then become a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and become a clinical therapist.

I started taking GWS classes my freshmen year and seemed to naturally gravitate towards LGBTQ+ studies courses so I kept taking them and then decided to get a certificate in both GWS and LGBTQ+ studies instead of a double major in Social Work and GWS. I really loved the material I got to learn about and all the professors/advisors within the department.

Royalty Higgins (he/him/his)– I am concluding my undergraduate at UW-Madison’s School of Human Ecology in Consumer Behavior and Marketplace Studies. I’ve undergone the great majority of my undergraduate with an interest in retailing, creativity, and technology. During the COVID-19 pandemic, I became invested in self-care rituals, wellbeing, and protecting mental health. I began the LGBTQ+ Studies track invested into learning ways I could best help eradicate the oppression and stigma experienced by LGBTQ+ youth, people of color, and people with disabilities. I recall taking GWS539: Framing Fatness, and I would say that course itself sparked a sense of purpose drawing me closer and closer into the field of mental health. After graduation, I plan to obtain licensure to provide safe, supportive, authentic, and welcoming spaces (online or in-person) for these communities in hopes to help as many people as I can in protecting their mental health.   Natalia Iding (she/her/hers) is a third-year undergraduate student, studying Gender Women’s Studies, Human Development and Family Studies, and pursuing the LGBTQ+ studies certificate. Natalia chose to partake in the certificate because she wanted to learn more about the history of the LGBTQ+ community and its evolution today; she knew that this program would answer her burning questions. With this certificate, Natalia hopes to become a counselor, helping LGTBQ+ folks navigate their own journey and interactions within society.   Magen Polzin — I am a sophomore pursuing a Bachelor’s of Business Administration degree in Finance and Marketing through the Wisconsin School of Business. I decided to pursue a certificate in LGBTQ+ Studies because as a future business leader, I want to create an environment that is inclusive of members of the LGBTQ+ community. Having diverse voices within a business is especially important to me. My courses in LGBTQ+ Studies have been very meaningful to me because they have helped me have a deeper understanding of the lack of LGBTQ+ representation in the workplace. I want to advocate for LGBTQ+ rights and make a difference in the professional setting as I continue on to a career in business.   The scholarship was also granted to Anthony Cattani, who received the award in 2021 as well.

Shahana Munazir

Shahana received the Hyde Dissertation Research Award for Graduate Students. Shahana is a PhD candidate in UW-Madison’s Department of Anthropology. For more information on Shahana and her research, click here…

Valeriia Umanets

Valeriia received the Mary Washburn Willets Award for Excellence in the Social Sciences. She is pursuing her PhD from the Department of Political Science at UW-Madison. To read more about Valeriia and her research click here…