Undergraduate Prize
Introduction
This merit-based prize is awarded annually to one outstanding Gender and Women’s Studies major or minor or Social Justice minor. Applicants must demonstrate academic excellence and a commitment to feminist activism on campus and/or in the community. To be eligible, students must have completed (or currently be completing) the requirements for the Major or Minor in Gender and Women’s Studies or the Minor in Social Justice, and must have a grade point average of 2.5 or higher. The winner will receive a certificate of recognition, a monetary award of $200, and notice among the University’s award winners.
Award Applications Information
Award applications generally open each spring. Please check back here for the 2025-2026 application link and detailed information.
GWS Undergraduate Prize Winner 2025
Ruqayyah Alvi graduates this month with her Bachelor’s in Criminology, Law, and Justice and minors in Computer Science, Logic, Argumentation & Writing, and Social Justice. Her academic success has been shaped by her studies in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and the College of Engineering, where Ruqayyah has gained knowledge about the “gaps and discrepancies in our systems–the criminal justice system, the education system, and healthcare,” as she puts it. As an undergraduate, she also gained the transformative opportunity to intern with the Chicago Abortion Fund (CAF), where she supported women navigating challenging realities. With this prize, the GWS faculty recognize, honor and celebrate her academic successes and her brave and powerful commitment to feminist activism and reproductive justice.