Undergraduate Awards and Scholarships
Miriam Gelfand Scholarship and Translation Awards
The Miriam Gelfand Scholarship stands as a testament to the enduring legacy of Professor Emerita Miriam Gelfand within the University of Iowa and the Iowa City community. This scholarship was established by Charles Kuester, a former student of Professor Gelfand, as a heartfelt tribute to her profound impact.
Professor Miriam Gelfand was known for her dedication to teaching, her prowess as a translator, and her exceptional skills as a multilingual editor. The fund generously offers annual scholarships to deserving students who major in Translation. Students are permitted to apply for more than one category, if eligible, and past recipients are eligible to apply in subsequent years. In this way, the Miriam Gelfand Scholarship not only honors the memory of Professor Gelfand but also serves as a lasting source of encouragement for dedicated students at the University of Iowa.
Two awards of $500 each for current first-year Iowa undergraduate students who have declared the BA in Translation or have plans to do so before the end of the Spring 2025 term. Students must have taken or be enrolled in TRNS:2000 (Translation and Global Society) in order to be considered for this award. Applicants must submit a one-page personal statement that describes their interest in the Translation BA and how the program might help them meet their future educational and career goals (500 words maximum). GPA will be considered – Please submit Degree Audit from MyUI.
Two awards of $750 each for current second-year Iowa undergraduate students who have declared the BA in Translation. Applicants must submit a one-page personal statement explaining how this scholarship will aid their continued study of translation and/or describe their future career goals involving translation (500 words maximum). GPA will be considered – Please submit Degree Audit from MyUI
One award of $1,500 for the Gelfand Undergraduate Translation Essay. This award is reserved for Translation majors only. The essay (2000 words maximum) can be scholarly or creative. Essays written in any UI Translation course will be given priority for this award. Along with this essay, please include a one-page cover letter that includes information about your choice of essay topic, and, if applicable, which UI Translation class you completed the essay for (500 words maximum). Scholarly essays must include a Work Cited. Applicants must include a Degree Audit from MyUI. The winning essay may be eligible for publication in Exchanges.
One award of $1,500 for the Gelfand Undergraduate Translation Award. This award is reserved for Translation majors only. Please submit your translation from any language or genre into English (2500 words maximum) and a one-page cover letter that includes information about your translation, approach and, if applicable, the name of the UI Translation class for which you completed the translation (500 words maximum). Applicants must submit a Degree Audit from MyUI. Winning translations may be eligible for inclusion in one of the Translation Programs’ publications. Applicants must include a copy of the source text as a separate document.
Miriam Gelfand Personal Statement Guidelines
Your personal statement for the Gelfand first- or second-year award should reflect your pathway to declaring your major in Translation at the University of Iowa, and describe your aspirations and future goals both at the University and after graduation. Consider these guidelines as you compose your personal statement:
- Translation majors come from a wide range of interests and experiences. The Gelfand awards committee invites you to begin your personal statement by describing how you first arrived at your interest in translation. To do so, you may want to respond to some or all of the following questions: What is your relationship to languages and language learning? Do you or did you translate for anyone at home? What does translation mean for you?
- Additionally, the Gelfand awards committee would like to hear how the Translation BA at the University of Iowa has impacted your academic experience thus far, and how you see translation as fitting into your future interests and goals as a student. In concluding your personal statement, you may want to respond to some or all of the following questions: What translation classes have you taken so far at Iowa and what impact have they had on you? What translation classes are you most excited to take in the future? In an ideal world, what opportunities would your Translation BA open up for you after graduation?
Your personal statement should be a well-crafted essay of maximum 500 words, written in English. Please use the guidelines above as inspiration, rather than a rubric.
Miriam Gelfand Cover Letter Guidelines
Submit a formal cover letter, written in English and addressed to the awards committee, in which you describe the project you are submitting for consideration (translation or essay). Please see the awards description for information specific to each category while composing your cover letter.
CLAS Scholarships
The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences supports numerous scholarships through the college's annual scholarship competition. For a list of scholarships available in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, and information on applying for scholarships, visit the CLAS Scholarships page. Please contact the undergraduate advisor or the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Undergraduate Programs for questions regarding the application process.
International Programs Funding
Explore the many funding opportunities open to UI students and alumni, available from the International Programs Student Grants and Fellowships page.