Howard B. Woolston Award for Academic Excellence
Howard Woolston was Chair of the Department of Sociology from 1919 - 1929, and was an Outstanding Teacher at UW. The Woolston Award was established in 1956 -- the first scholarship fund endowed in the department -- to recognize excellent scholarship in sociology.
Students are nominated by Sociology professors, instructors, and TAs. Only graduating seniors are eligible. Successful finalists typically have a minimum sociology grade point average of around 3.70, and an overall GPA of at least 3.50, though there are no formal grade/GPA requirements.
Three criteria are used to select award recipients: instructor nominations; grades and sociology course papers submitted by nominees; and recommendations from their instructors. All nominees are reviewed by the department’s Awards & Community Life Committee, which then makes its recommendations to the Chair.
SPRING 2023: Katherine R. Quintanilla Ramirez SPRING 2022: Hana Brown
SPRING 2021: Thelonius Goerz
SPRING 2020: Julia Koh and Logan Young
Albert W. Black Undergraduate Community Service Award
2024 application available soon.
Professor Al Black, Jr. is Emeritus Principal Lecturer in Sociology. His areas of interest are the sociology of religion and of race relations. He is a highly respected leader and role model in the community and his commitment to service, especially his work with gang members, is legendary.
The Albert W. Black Undergraduate Community Service Award is merit-based, awarded to a graduating Sociology senior who volunteers or interns with a local community service organization working with marginalized groups, and benefiting the local community. All graduating Sociology majors are invited to submit materials to become a candidate for the award.
All candidates are reviewed by the department’s Awards & Community Life Committee, which then makes its recommendations to the Chair.
SPRING 2023: Elizabeth Lu Gao SPRING 2022: Sára Mustre-del Río
SPRING 2021: Alizay Sajjad
SPRING 2020: Fa-aumu Kaimana