Tracy Dobson Activism Award

Submissions for the 2025 Tracy Dobson Award are due by March 1st 2025, via the Qualtrics form linked here

Tracy Dobson Award for Undergraduate Student Feminist Activism

The Center for Gender in Global Context conducts this annual activism competition, named to honor Tracy Dobson's tireless efforts to bring gender equity to MSU and launching MSU's enhanced plan to recruit and retain women faculty and administrators. Her commitment to inform and inspire students to work for social justice led many to law school and to seek careers in public service through elected positions or the nonprofit sector. Professor Dobson retired in 2011 from MSU's Department of Fisheries and Wildlife. The award honors an MSU undergraduate who has distinguished themself through exemplary local, national, or international activism on behalf of gender equity and social justice. The award recognizes those who have achieved a leadership position on behalf of their chosen cause. Evidence of commitment to a feminist cause through their college career as well as dedication to a career in some aspect of gender equity and social justice is required.

To apply for the award, students must submit a CV/resume and a three-page description of their work with a feminist or gender equity cause. A letter of support from a supervisor, co-worker, peer activist, or MSU faculty/staff mentor is highly encouraged with applications (PDF format).

Applications will be reviewed by a faculty/staff committee, and the award will be presented at the following GenCen Annual Reception. The awarded student will receive a $300.00 prize.

Mary Anderson Paper Award

Submissions for the 2025 Anderson Award are due March 1st, 2025, via the Qualtrics form linked here

Mary Anderson Award for the Best Undergraduate Paper on Women and Gender in Global Perspective

The Center for Gender in Global Context invites MSU undergraduate students to submit a paper for its annual competition, named to honor former women's rights activist and MSU Women's Studies scholar Mary Anderson, who lost her battle with breast cancer in 1993. The paper should have been completed within the past academic year and should focus on issues related to women and gender in global perspective. Papers should be approximately 15-20 double-spaced pages in length (or the equivalent in effort for films, websites, etc).

Papers will be reviewed by a faculty committee, and the award will be presented at the next GenCen Annual Reception. The awarded student will receive a $300.00 prize.

RCGV Paper Award

Submissions for the 2025 RCGV Award are due March 1st, 2025, via the Qualtrics form linked here

Award for Best Undergraduate Paper on Gender-Based Violence: Presented by the Research Consortium on Gender-based Violence

The Research Consortium on Gender-based Violence (RCGV) in collaboration with the Center for Gender in Global Context (GenCen) is excited to provide a $300 award for the best undergraduate paper related to gender-based violence. Gender-based violence includes any form of harm that is both a consequence and cause of gender power inequities. It can be physical, psychological, sexual, economic, or sociocultural, and includes but is not limited to sexual abuse, rape, intimate partner abuse, incest, sexual harassment, stalking, femicide, trafficking, gendered hate crimes and dowry abuse. 

Papers for the undergraduate student submission should have been completed within the past academic year and should focus on any issue related to gender-based violence. Papers should be approximately 15-20 double-spaced pages in length with a title page and list of references. The student submitting the paper should be first author if it is a multi-author published or conference paper.

Papers will be reviewed by a committee of 3-4 faculty and graduate student members of the Research Consortium on Gender-based Violence. The award will be presented at the next GenCen Annual Reception. The awarded student will receive a $300.00 prize.

Rita S. Gallin Paper Award

Submissions for the 2025 Gallin Award are due March 1st, 2025, via the Qualtrics form linked here. 

Rita S. Gallin Award for the Best Graduate Paper on Women and Gender in Global Perspective

The Center for Gender in Global Context conducts this annual graduate student paper competition, named for Rita S. Gallin, Professor of Sociology at Michigan State University, in honor of her 13 years as director of the Women and International Development Program and her scholarship in the area of women, gender, international development, and globalization. The paper should have been written within the past academic year, should be approximately 20 double-spaced pages in length, and should focus on issues related to women, gender, international development, and globalization.

Papers will be reviewed by a faculty committee, and the award will be presented at the next GenCen Annual Reception. Winning authors will receive a $300.00 prize.