Department of Women's, Gender and Sexuality Studies

Chris Lerman Prize

Essays on Extraordinary Women

This prize was established in 1995 by Jeanette Lerman-Neubauer ‘69 to honor her mother Chris Lerman, a holocaust survivor, national leader of issues pertaining to Israel and the Holocaust, and devoted wife and mother. In the words of Jeanette, Chris was “an extraordinary woman who measured her achievement in terms of nurturing those she loved, making it possible for them to dream big and work ferociously to achieve their dreams.” This annual prize was created to promote scholarship about extraordinary, though not necessarily notable or well-known women. The Chris Lerman Prize recognizes that women have expressed their wisdom, talents, vision, and courage in a variety of ways.

Evaluation

• The committee invites all undergraduate and graduate Brandeis University students to submit essays about (an) extraordinary and inspiring (woman) or women
• Limit essays to twenty-five pages double spaced (word limit 6,250) and attach the completed application cover sheet. (Applicants may submit essays or theses exceeding 25 pages if they identify the section they would like the committee to focus on.)
• Entries will be judged on the strength and originality of research,the significance to women’s, gender, and sexuality studies, the articulation of the argument, and the quality of writing

Winner will accept the prize at the WGS commencement reception.