Departmental Scholarships

The generosity of former students and their families has provided four scholarships for which the Department of Sociology and Anthropology is partly or wholly responsible. These are

For the most part, students may not apply for these.  Instead, the award is based on merit, need, or a combination of these. If you would like more details about any of them, please consult the Head of Department or your own academic advisor.

Clyde and Virginia Carter Memorial Scholarship

Dr L. Clyde Carter was chair of the Department of Sociology and Anthropology for many years until his retirement in 1982. Family, friends, and Mary Washington College faculty members established this scholarship in memory of the many outstanding contributions Clyde and Virginia Carter made to Mary Washington College and to the Fredericksburg community.

Selection criteria are:

  1. This scholarship shall be awarded annually to a Mary Washington College rising senior majoring in sociology or anthropology or religion, who has demonstrated a financial need (as determined by the FAFSA) and evidence of commitment to the major program. The award shall be given on an alternating basis to an eligible recipient one year in the Sociology and Anthropology department and the next year to a religion major in the Department of Classics, Philosophy, and Religion.
  2. Selection of the recipient shall be made by the disciplines of sociology and anthropology or religion in consultation with the Associate Dean for Financial Aid. The scholarship shall be awarded to a qualified student (see #3 below) whose financial needs have not been met through other funding sources. In any given year, if no person qualifies in the discipline scheduled to make the award it shall be granted to a qualified student in the other discipline. In the following year, the award will then be returned to the originally scheduled discipline.
  3. In addition to the demonstration of financial need as determined by the FAFSA, eligible candidates must:

A. be a declared major in sociology/anthropology or religion;
B. have an overall GPA of 2.5;
C. demonstrate evidence of commitment to the major program. Return to top.


Amanda Elizabeth Dresser ’95 Scholarship in Sociology

Paul and Elizabeth Dresser and Nancy L. Dresser established this scholarship in 1997 in honor of their granddaughter and niece as a lasting tribute to the education she received at Mary Washington College.

The criteria set forth in the Board of Visitors’ resolution:

  1. This scholarship shall be awarded annually for the fall and spring semesters to a declared sociology major at Mary Washington College.
  2. This scholarship shall be awarded to a student with demonstrated financial need and a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or higher.
  3. The Associate Dean for Financial Aid shall make selection of the recipient in consultation with the Mary Washington College Department of Sociology and Anthropology.
  4. In the event that no applicant completely meets these criteria, the College is permitted to award the scholarship to the student most closely meeting the criteria. Return to top.

Cora Lee Kaufmann Scholarship in Sociology and Anthropology

The Cora Lee Kaufmann Scholarship, initiated by Mr. Gary R. Gross in honor of his mother, a member of the class of 1951, and officially established by the Rector and Board of Visitors in 1987, makes available scholarships for students majoring in sociology and anthropology. The department may award one or more scholarships in any given year depending on the amount of money available and the number of qualified recipients.

The following criteria govern the selection of recipients:

The criteria set forth in the Board of Visitors’ Resolution:

  1. The recipient or recipients shall be rising juniors and/or seniors at Mary Washington College and have a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 academic scale.
  2. Recipients shall be declared majors in the Department of Sociology and Anthropology at Mary Washington College.
  3. The selection of recipients shall be the responsibility of the Associate Dean for Financial Aid in consultation with the Chair of the Department of Sociology and Anthropology.

Additional departmental criteria:

  1. A declared major in the Department of Sociology and Anthropology is defined as a B.A. degree-seeking student at Mary Washington College.
  2. Recipients must have completed at least 9 credit hours in upper-level (300-400) courses designated as Sociology and/or Anthropology (excluding internships) at Mary Washington College.
  3. The selection of recipients will be based on the highest grade point averages in all courses taken at Mary Washington College designated as Sociology and/or Anthropology (excluding internships).
  4. No person shall receive the award more than once.
  5. The selection of recipients shall be announced by no later than November 1 of each year. The amount of each award is at least $1,000, which shall generally be applied to tuition for the following spring
    semester. Return to top.

Jarrett and Hazel Small Wilkins Scholarship in Social Sciences

Criteria:

  1. Junior or senior psychology or sociology major.
  2. A minimum overall GPA of 3.0
  3. Community service involvement, with preference given to COAR volunteers.

To be considered, students must identify themselves to the Associate Dean of Financial Aid, Room 301, Lee Hall. Send a letter or email with your name, social security number, major, cumulative GPA, and a list of your community service activities. Return to top.