No matter the amount, a donation made to the School of World Studies will benefit each and every student and member of our faculty. Because giving is such a personal decision, we hope you will pause for a moment and consider the importance of your participation. If you or your spouse works for a matching gift company, you can double or triple your contribution through employer philanthropy. World Studies currently offers the following scholarships or awards to our students. Your contributions help to continue these scholarships and fund new ones, so that more of our outstanding students have the opportunity to study abroad or continue their academic pursuits.
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Janet D. Sheridan Scholarship
The Janet D. Sheridan Scholarship was established by an anonymous donor in recognition of Mrs. Sheridan, a much-appreciated instructor in the Department of Foreign Languages, as well as in recognition of the value of foreign language study.
The scholarship is awarded each spring to an undergraduate student majoring in French, German or Spanish who maintains an overall GPA of 3.0 or higher and demonstrates excellence in his or her area of language concentration. Preference is given to students intending to use the scholarship to support study and travel abroad. Upon completion of the scholarship period, the successful candidate must submit a brief written report, as well as visit several language classes to share his or her experiences and to encourage students in those classes to become foreign language majors or minors.
Kenneth A. Stackhouse Scholarship in Foreign Languages
The Kenneth A. Stackhouse Scholarship was established by the College of Humanities and Sciences in June 2001 upon the death of Dr. Stackhouse, an associate professor of Spanish and Portuguese at Virginia Commonwealth University. In his nearly 30-year career at Virginia Commonwealth University, Dr. Stackhouse brought much more than excellence in Spanish to the Department of Foreign Languages. He introduced the study of Portuguese to VCU, as well as the summer study abroad program in Spain. His love of Spanish theatre led him to expand the opportunities for local high school language students through competitions held at VCU and through international group performances for VCU students and the greater Richmond community. According to his colleagues, he was “a special and talented individual who inspired all those around him, and, indeed, brightened the gloomiest of days.”
After obtaining a Bachelors of Arts Degree, Magna Cum Laude, at Drew University, he received his M.A. and Ph.D. at the University of Florida. He was president of the Partners of the Americas, had served on the Board of Directors of the Association for Classical Hispanic Theatre and was a member of numerous honor societies and the author of numerous professional publications and translations. Dr. Stackhouse played flamenco and classical guitar, was fond of sailing and sailboarding, loved poetry and attended the symphony regularly. The Kenneth A. Stackhouse Scholarship in the Department of Foreign Languages is awarded each spring to a rising Junior or Senior majoring in Spanish. The award is based on merit.
Marianne Burns Brown Scholarship
In honor of her lifetime of volunteer work, family, friends and colleagues established the Marianne Burns Brown Memorial Scholarship in the School of World Studies at Virginia Commonwealth University. Mrs. Brown dedicated her life to working with church and community organizations.
At St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Fort Walton Beach, Florida, Mrs. Brown started the first childcare program for parents attending service, and for 25 years organized the Annual Style Luncheon, with proceeds going to charities serving the poor. In the mid 70’s she helped launch the Council of Catholic Women and served as its president, a post she later held in the Diocesan Council of Catholic Women. Mrs. Brown was a life member of the Women’s Club for over 25 years, organizing efforts to support the Okaloosa County Development Center. As an auxiliary member of the Parthenon Program, she served monthly lunches at area nursing homes. As a member of the Auxiliary of the Ft. Walton Beach Medical Center, she served as President and held other offices in the organization for 25 years. She was instrumental in planning projects and fundraisers to benefit the American Cancer Society, the Salvation Army, Shelter House, Hospice and many other community organizations. She received the 1997 Frist Humanitarian Award in recognition of more than 22,500 hours of volunteer service. She was nominated to the Okaloosa County Women’s Hall of Fame in both 2001 and 2002.
In addition to a lifetime of volunteer work, Marianne Burns Brown lived in many parts of the country, loved music and dance, and traveled extensively with her children. She possessed the exceptional ability of bringing people together for the purpose of improving the welfare of others.
Volkmar Risch Memorial Scholarship
The Risch Memorial Scholarship honors the memory of Volkmar Risch, who was an instructor of German at VCU between 1986 and 2006. As a native speaker who maintained strong ties to Germany, Dr. Risch was able to instill in his students a love for the German language and its rich culture. This scholarship will continue his legacy in perpetuity by recognizing outstanding students pursuing the study of German while majoring in World Studies.
In Memoriam: Volkmar Risch (1955-2006)
Dr. Christina Turner Award
Dr. Turner was a popular and demanding instructor of Anthropology who worked hard to help students develop their critical thinking and writing skills. Her research focused on rural communities in Latin America. She had been a Fulbright Scholar and editor on the MACLAS (Middle American Council of Latin American Studies) Essays from 2003-06. Her interest in Latin American rural communities had been prompted by her service in the Peace Corps in Paraguay.
Many students over the years have thanked Dr. Turner for her help with making them better critical thinkers and writers. The aim of this award is to maintain her legacy as a teacher and her focus on writing as a necessary skill in today's society. This award will be used as an occasion to honor the spirit, legacy and cultural interests of Dr. Turner.
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