Now accepting applications!
Deadline: November 9
Please note that receiving an award may affect your financial aid package.
To learn more, contact the UW-Madison Office of Financial Aid at finaid@finaid.wisc.edu.
Scholarship payments are made to students’ tuition accounts or paid via UW payroll,
depending on residency status.
This scholarship provides financial support to a student pursuing coursework in both African American studies and Jewish Studies. Learning about African Americans and Jews will encourage students to delve into the history of two minority groups whose distinct experiences illuminate questions of race and ethnicity. By taking courses in these fields, students will gain a deeper understanding of both groups and their encounters with American society as a whole.
The successful applicant will receive:
- up to $13,000 for completion of 3 courses in African American Studies and 3 courses in Jewish Studies
The maximum amount of the award is subject to federal, state, and UW rules regarding financial aidOR
- up to $15,000 for completion of 3 courses in one department plus a certificate or major in the other department
The maximum amount of the award is subject to federal, state, and UW rules regarding financial aid
Eligibility:
To apply for the scholarship, students must have taken (or be currently taking) at least one course in Jewish Studies or African American Studies.
To apply:
Please provide the 3 items below as a single pdf with a file name that follows this format: Last Name.First Name. Send the file simultaneously to Professor Nina Caputo (ncaputo2@wisc.edu) and Professor Christy Clark-Pujara (clarkpujara@wisc.edu).
- Application form (click here)
- Writing sample: An essay of at least 750 words explaining why you are applying for this scholarship and what you have learned from your African American and/or Jewish Studies courses so far.
- Your UW-Madison transcript (An unofficial transcript is acceptable.)
Questions? Contact scholarships@cjs.wisc.edu
This scholarship is part of the Joint Initiative in African American and Jewish Studies, which was designed to encourage a comparative, cross-disciplinary approach to the study of African Americans and Jews.
Launched in 2023, the Joint Initiative in African American and Jewish Studies is made possible by a fund originally established by Esther Leah Ritz.
“Through my courses in African American Studies and Jewish Studies, a clear theme emerged: while African American and Jewish experiences are distinct, both communities have responded to oppression with remarkable resilience. This realization strengthened my commitment to studying both fields together.”—Christopher Johns, 2026 recipient of the Joint Scholarship in African American and Jewish Studies
To read Christopher’s reflections on his experience in pursuing this scholarship, click here.
To learn more about a certificate in each department: