Giumette Academic Achievement Award
The Giumette Academic Achievement Award was developed by the Office of Students and Enrollment, in conjunction with the Student Union and the Office of the Dean of Arts and Sciences, as a way to recognize currently enrolled sophomores who have distinguished themselves in their course of study at Brandeis.
Formerly known as the Brandeis Academic Achievement Award, the award was renamed in 2015 in honor of Peter Giumette, who served as the dean of student financial services for more than 20 years and who had a deep commitment to increasing access to educational opportunities for first-generation and low-income students. The purpose of the award is to recognize outstanding scholarship, academic achievement, and Brandeis community engagement as evidenced by grades, recommendations, personal accomplishment, and demonstrated involvement in campus life.
The Academic Fellowships Team is here to support you through all steps of the application process. If you are interested in connecting with us to learn more, please contact us at fellowships@brandeis.edu.
Eligibility
- Currently enrolled sophomores who will achieve junior status in the 2024-2025 academic year
- Cumulative GPA of 3.70 or higher
- Have excelled academically
- Have made a contribution to the Brandeis community
- Have demonstrated personal growth as a result of their time at Brandeis so far
Renewal Eligibility
- Recipients of the Giumette Award must maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.25 in order to be eligible for scholarship renewal. Students on academic or behavioral probation will not be eligible for renewal.
Application Timeline
- Eligible students notified via email: Early February 2024
- Applications Deadline: March 13, 2024
- Letters of recommendation: Letters of recommendation will be submitted through a secure website. Recommenders will receive a unique link via email to upload applicant letters.
Award
- Up to 10 awards in the amount of up to $5,000 per semester will be conferred for the junior and senior years. Recipients will be chosen by a selection committee composed of students, faculty and staff.
- Please note that recipients of the Malkin Scholarship, Slifka Scholarship, and Traquina Scholarship are not eligible to receive funding from the Giumette Academic Achievement Award.
Expand All
This year we have changed the application from a formal personal statement detailing your academic and intellectual achievements at Brandeis to four focused, short-answer questions. When considering how to answer each question, applicants are encouraged to consider what impact Brandeis has had on them, and what impact they have had on the Brandeis community. The selection committee is looking to better understand your values, goals, and intellectual pursuits beyond your transcript. The strongest answers will respond to the question, allow the committee to see the applicant’s personality, and distinguish those who have meaningfully reflected on how their experience at Brandeis has shaped their academic and personal trajectory.
4 short answer questions (250 words each):
- What are you studying and why?
- How have you changed (personally, academically, etc.) since you arrived at Brandeis?
- What has been your most satisfying impact on the Brandeis community?
- How will you use what you have learned at Brandeis to help repair the world?
Additional application materials:
- Current résumé (assistance available at the Hiatt Career Center).
- Two recommendations from Brandeis faculty, staff members, or other mentors, coaches, or advisers affiliated with Brandeis University. Current students or family members are not eligible recommenders. At least one recommendation must be from a Brandeis faculty member.
- Draft Review: You can schedule an appointment with a member of the Academic Fellowships Team to discuss your application and receive feedback on your short answers. We are not members of the selection committee, so this is a great opportunity to connect with us and ask questions regardless of how far you are in the writing process. We also recommend sharing a draft of your application with the Writing Center and your Recommendation Letter Writers. It can be helpful to receive feedback from both those who know you well, and those who do not know you yet. This allows you to make sure your application is clear to people who have not had the chance to meet you in person.
- Resumes: We recommend having your resume reviewed by a Hiatt Peer Advisor or Staff Member. You can schedule an appointment with a member of the Hiatt Career Center Team, or you can attend our Applicant Support Day event on (date TBD). Hiatt Peer Advisors will be available for drop-in resume reviews throughout the event.
- Applicant Support Event: The Academic Fellowships team holds applicant support events throughout the year to help with draft review, rec letter advice, and relationship-building. This year there will be an Applicant Support Event for GAAA Applicants on 2/8 from 1-3pm in Alumni Lounge.