Undergraduate Awards and Scholarships
Departmental Awards
Jeremy Demian Marx Award for Cultural Anthropology
The Anthropology Department invites undergraduate anthropology majors to submit outstanding anthropology papers for the Jeremy Demian Marx Award.
This award is given in memory of Jeremy Demian Marx, an outstanding UCSC anthropology major who died in a car accident in 1992 during his senior year. Jeremy Demian Marx was posthumously awarded honors in the major, Porter College honors, and Phi Beta Kappa.
This is a merit-based award and preference will be given to seniors. Preference will also be given to papers addressing topics of rituals, festivals and ludic events, rites of passage, art and symbolism, and life transitions, as these topics reflect the interests of Jeremy Demian Marx.
To be considered for the Jeremy Demian Marx Award, submit the following using our online application: Your paper, a brief summary describing the focus and content of your paper, and your contact information.
Applicants are asked to read Jeremy Demian Marx's thesis which can be found here, and recipients of the award are required to write a letter of appreciation to the donors.
Deadline to Apply: March 29, 2024 by 11:59pm
For more information on Jeremy and this award, please visit the award website.
Questions? Contact the Anthropology Undergraduate Advisor at anthugra@ucsc.edu.
The Ryan Heumann Anthropology Undergraduate Scholarship
"Ryan's Travel Money"
Through this award, the Anthropology Department will assist with the costs of faculty-sponsored independent research, research-related travel, or travel to academic conferences. We are seeking concrete, well-conceived research projects endorsed by a faculty member.
This award, known as "Ryan's Travel Money" comes from an endowment provided by Ryan Heumann's family. Ryan Heumann was a former student of anthropology; in keeping his memory alive, his family wishes to support Ryan's passion for knowledge and his love for cultural understanding.
Applicants for this award must be full-time Undergraduate Anthropology Majors. To apply for this award, submit the following using our online application: a 2-page proposal, your projected budget, the name of your faculty mentor and your contact information. The proposal should detail the necessity of the award for carrying out your research project or the importance and nature of your participation in an academic conference. Special consideration will be given to concrete, well-conceived research projects endorsed by a faculty member.
Applications must be submitted electronically by the deadline. All winners are asked to write a letter of appreciation to the donors.
Deadline to Apply: November 8, 2024 by 4:00 p.m.
Questions? Contact the Anthropology Undergraduate Advisor at anthugra@ucsc.edu.
Midori Arima Scholarship in Anthropology
The Anthropology Department is pleased to invite applications for the Dr. Midori Arima Scholarship in Anthropology. Dr. Arima commenced higher education in California in community college, later transferring to UC Santa Cruz, where she discovered her love of anthropology in a course on Native North America taught by Professor Triloki Nath Pandey. A non-traditionally aged student with children, Arima went on to conduct field research in Japan, eventually earning her Ph.D. in Anthropology from Stanford University while in her mid-sixties. Her dissertation was entitled “An Ethnographic and Historical Study of Ogasawara/The Bonin Islands, Japan.”
To honor Dr. Arima’s remarkable legacy, this scholarship is open to both undergraduate and graduate students in anthropology and is intended to assist those who are completing their studies despite significant obstacles. Strong preference will be given to non-traditional students and/or student parents. Applicants may request funds for any purpose related to the completion of their intended degree, from helping to support a research project to helping cover the cost of child care, computer equipment, other books & supplies, student fees, etc.
Applicants must be in good academic standing. Undergraduate applicants must have a minimum GPA of 3.0 in the major. Awards will be made in amounts from $500 to $2,000. There may be multiple awardees in a given year. The scholarship funds will be provided by the end of the quarter for use in the summer or next academic year.
Please upload a one to two page application document. This should include a paragraph explaining what brought you to anthropology, a second paragraph explaining the obstacles you have overcome or are facing in achieving your educational goals, and a third paragraph providing a brief explanation of how the funds will be spent to support completion of your educational goals.
Deadline to Apply: Sunday, May 26, 2024 by 11:59pm
Divisional Awards
Gabriel Zimmerman Memorial Scholarship
The Division of Social Sciences offers the Gabriel Zimmerman Memorial Scholarship. Undergraduates must submit a short essay (2-3 pages maximum) about their passion for social issues and commitment to public service, as well as a copy of their resume. Candidates must be in good academic standing and submit an unofficial copy of their transcripts.
The Gabriel Zimmerman Memorial Scholarship Fund has been established to support undergraduate students in the Division of Social Sciences who are passionate about social issues and committed to public service. Gabriel, “Gabe” Zimmerman graduated from UC Santa Cruz (Sociology) and was working for Arizona Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords as her Director of Community Outreach when he was tragically shot and killed. Generous donations from more than 520 alumni, faculty, community members, and the general public funded this endowment. This endowment awards $2,500 annually to one outstanding undergraduate student who is a major in any of the departments within the Division of Social Sciences. More information about the award and past recipients is available on the Social Sciences website.
Deadline to Apply: April 1, 2024 by 11:59 p.m.
Keeley Coastal Scholars Award
The Division of Social Sciences is offering The Keeley Coastal Scholars program. It will support underrepresented students from California with an unmet financial need doing summer research and policy work connected to Coastal Sustainability. Scholarships will range from $1,000 to $4,000 per student with an associated $1,000 in support of the sponsoring faculty member. These funds can be used by students for any expenses incurred during the summer months.
Undergraduate majors are invited to apply for this summer scholarship by submitting an online application and project budget. Candidates must be in good academic standing and submit an unofficial copy of their transcripts.
Candidates must have established financial need during the current academic year. The sponsoring faculty member should submit a letter detailing the student’s abilities and specific project responsibilities.
Walsh Family Scholarship
The Walsh Family Scholarship was established by UCSC Economics Professor Carl Walsh and his wife Judy to support undergraduate students who followed in the footsteps of Carl's parents Eugene and Bessie Walsh, who "set a good example by doing things they thought would make the world a better place." This scholarship rotates between departments within the Division of Social Sciences, and in 2021 a total of $4300 is available to be awarded to one or more students who are Anthropology majors. Selection is based on academic merit with attention to financial need. Information on the award is available at the Social Sciences Division website.
Anthropology majors are invited to apply by submitting a one-page statement including: your name, expected year of graduation, a paragraph explaining how you hope to make a difference in the world (including details about financial need, if relevant).
See Also
