Mary B. Bialas Prize

Two people embracing at an awards event for GWS.

The Mary B. Bialas Prize, in honor of Margaret (Daisy) Davies, is an endowed award of $500 - $750. It is awarded annually to an undergraduate student who has completed at least 60 college credits or to a graduate student. Applicants should have demonstrated a commitment to women and/or children’s issues and actively worked to improve the lives of women and children.

Award Applications Information
Award applications generally open each spring. Please check back here for the 2025-2026 application link and detailed information.

Mary B. Bialas Prize Winner 2025

A flyer explaining the Mary B. Bialas Prize, application criteria, deadline, and application instructions, link, and QR code. The bottom half of the flyer has a purple background and white text. The top half of the flyer has a white background and teal text. On the right, top half of the flyer is an image of the silhouettes of three people with their arms outstretched above their heads, the sun behind them, and a bluish and pinkish sky in an asymmetrical cutout design. The GWS logo in teal appears in the top left portion of the flyer.
Jayre Vazquez

Jayre Vazquez plans to complete her Master’s in Social Work (MSW) in May 2026, specializing in Organization and Community Practice (OCP) with a concentration in Gender and Women’s Studies within The Jane Addams College of Social Work and the Gender and Women’s Studies Program. As a graduate student, she has been interning at the Illinois Collaboration on Youth (ICOY), where she focuses on supporting families and the health and well-being of children. As a current social worker, Vasquez’s commitment “is to center the lives of women and children, especially those from communities of color,” she says. The GWS faculty recognize, honor, and celebrate Jayre’s determined dedication to feminism and child welfare.