Education
Gratz College Launches America’s First Master’s Degree in Antisemitism Studies
PHILADELPHIA, February 22, 2024 (Newswire.com) - Gratz College is launching the first Master of Arts degree program in Antisemitism Studies in the United States in Fall 2024. This ground-breaking program will help fill the vacuum of knowledge about antisemitism across Jewish, non-Jewish, and governmental organizations responsible for generating policy to combat prejudice at a time of unprecedented Jew hatred.
It will:
• Provide an academic home for those seeking to develop both a deep theoretical and practical understanding of antisemitism;
• Help generate new and impactful research on the factors that contribute to growing antisemitism and test interventions that can successfully combat it; and
• Arm educators and practitioners with the most effective antisemitism pedagogy and programming.
Through degree concentrations in teaching, advocacy and research, graduates of this program will be uniquely qualified for prominent careers in education, think tanks, government relations, public policy, and community organizations (Jewish and non-Jewish).
Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro is eager to see this program take shape:
“We’re seeing a dangerous rise in antisemitism, hatred, and bigotry across our country – and it’s more important than ever that Pennsylvanians be equipped with a thorough knowledge of our shared history and the skills to discern fact from fiction. Gratz College is already renowned for its Holocaust and Genocide Studies programs, and I am encouraged the College is expanding upon that work with a new Master’s degree in Antisemitism Studies. I wish the faculty, staff, and especially the inaugural class of Antisemitism Studies students, great success in their work.”
The program is directed by Dr. Ayal Feinberg, antisemitism studies expert and Director of the Center for Holocaust Studies and Human Rights at Gratz College. The program boasts a distinguished interdisciplinary faculty from academia and leading public advocacy organizations. Despite its infancy, the degree has been endorsed by nearly one hundred scholars and public policy experts from around the world. Professor of Political Science at Kalamazoo College R. Amy Elman asserts, “With an emphasis on operationalizing knowledge, informed teaching and ethical advocacy, Gratz’s innovative graduate program fulfills a deep need in countering antisemitism.”
Gratz’s Antisemitism Studies program is also establishing ground-breaking partnerships with the world’s most prominent Jewish organizations and programs to combat antisemitism in the classroom, on campus, and in professional workspaces. In the first such partnership, Gratz and The Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History have joined forces to launch the National Education Fellowship on Antisemitism. The aim of this fellowship is to generate and assess paradigm-shifting middle and high school curriculum to reduce Jew-hatred and prejudice more broadly.
As an early adopter of online education, a 128-year history of Jewish learning, and home to the world’s largest graduate program in Holocaust and Genocide Studies, Gratz is uniquely qualified to take on this necessary and overdue program.
On March 4, 2024, the master’s degree program will kick-off with a series of public lectures, including by scholars serving as affiliate faculty for the program. On April 2, 2024, Dr. Avinoam Patt, inaugural director of NYU’s Center for Study of Antisemitism and the Maurice Greenberg Professor of Holocaust Studies, will deliver a keynote lecture, titled, "Awake My People": Jewish Responses to Antisemitism in the Modern Period.” Additional talks will take place before the program officially begins in August.
Prospective students eager to start may apply now and take courses as early as March 2024 with electives in Antisemitism Studies already developed as a preview to the program.
Gratz College is grateful to the Isidore and Penny Myers Foundation for generously supporting the launch of the Antisemitism Studies program. Jay Myers, Board Chair, shared: “The Isidore and Penny Myers Foundation, a family foundation guided by Jewish American values, sees great worth in educating future generations about the roots of Antisemitism, and by doing so, working to combat it. This degree program will create scholars who can devote their talent to meet this challenge. Our Foundation is proud to support this work and by so doing, meet our obligation to help repair the world.”
Contact: lcohen@gratz.edu for more information.
Contact Information:Lori Cohen
Director of Marketing and Design
lcohen@gratz.edu
215-635-7300 x182
Original Source: Gratz College Launches America's First Master's Degree in Antisemitism Studies
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LOAR PLLC Expands Scholarship Fund to All Texas Universities, Applications Available Today for $100K in Scholarships
AUSTIN, Texas, December 14, 2023 (Newswire.com) - LOAR PLLC is excited to announce that, starting with the 2024 academic year, students attending any university in Texas will be eligible for the scholarship.
Do you know a high school or college student who is passionate about making a difference in the world? If so, they may be eligible for the SOAR Texas Scholarship, which awards $100K in annual college scholarships to 20 outstanding female students who are the future leaders of their schools, communities, and businesses. The SOAR program focuses on supporting women who are the first in their family to pursue higher education or who have overcome significant challenges. The application for 2024 SOAR Scholars opens today, December 14, and all qualified candidates are encouraged to apply. The winners will be notified by April 15 and honored at LOAR Texas Summer Celebration on June 8, 2024.
The recipients will have access to continuing education, professional development, and mentoring throughout their college or graduate school experience. As new ones are chosen each year, previous ones will be invited to continue participating in SOAR activities. Ongoing participants will be able to pay it forward by participating in mentorship roles and all will benefit from the relationships these circles will build.
SOAR Scholar, Marie Valles, University of Texas, shared, "As a SOAR scholar, I can confidently say that the SOAR program has allowed me to grow my network and support system in ways I never thought to be possible. Being a part of such an amazing organization and group of women has removed an incredible amount of fear that I hold as a First-Generation Latina student wanting to attend law school. My growth during that year is a direct result of having the support of SOAR and the individuals involved such as Amber."
"The SOAR scholarship funds I received are invaluable contributions to my ability to participate fully in the law school experience, including exploring various internships, volunteering in the pro bono clinics, and participating in student organizations," said SOAR Scholar Arielle Allen, University of Texas Law School.
SOAR Scholar, Lisa Lozano, Texas A&M PhD candidate, added, "As a doctoral student at Texas A&M University, I'm so grateful to be a SOAR scholar. The award has granted me financial stability, and in turn, allowed me to focus more on studying and building my therapeutic skills at the TAMU psychology training clinic! Amber and the team check in with us throughout the semester, and it's evident that they genuinely care about our well-being. Being a first-generation student, it's really nice to have their holistic support and know they're a resource I can rely on for professional development or just to talk about my experience navigating graduate school."
LOAR PLLC is a fast-growing, woman-owned, law firm with offices located in Austin, DFW, Waco and Edinburg serving all Texans. This firm launched SOAR Texas, a nonprofit scholarship foundation, to provide annual college scholarships to 20 outstanding first-generation female college students. Full bios of last year's winners can be found at SOAR Scholars.
For more information on the SOAR Texas Scholarship, to donate, or to serve as a Mentor, visit SOAR Texas. For more information, visit our website or contact us, Contact@LOARtexas.com, 888-288-6503; and follow LOAR PLLC on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn for more announcements.
Contact Information:Mimi Jaye
Administrative Director
mimi@loartexas.com
(888) 288-6503
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Original Source: LOAR PLLC Expands Scholarship Fund to All Texas Universities, Applications Available Today for $100K in Scholarships
