Boston University Women’s Guild Honors Five Graduate Students for Excellence

Susan Swirsley and Carmen Maria Hernandez receive 2024 BUWG honors

2024 Boston University Women’s Guild Awardees

The annual BUWG Lunch & Awards Presentation was hosted by BUWG President Amanda Urias and Awards Committee Chair and Former BUWG President Elizabeth Flagg. Among the recipients recognized from the College of Fine Arts (CFA) is Susan Swirsley, a 2025 MFA candidate in Print Media & Photography. It is an honor to be selected to receive a 2024 Boston University Women’s Guild Award and to be in the company of so many talented female graduate students, Swirsley said. She noted that the award will help her expand the scope and scale of my artistic practice, making work that is more robust and visually arresting.

The awards also highlighted research in community engagement. Carmen Maria Hernandez, a first-year student in the MA of Art Education program, received the Women of Color Circle (WOCC) Award. Hernandez, who holds a BA in Studio Arts from UCLA, brings over a decade of arts education experience to her current research. I am honored to be the recipient of the BU Women’s Guild WOCC Award, she stated. This award will allow me to finically support my education and research on the impact of community arts programs within nonprofits. I hope this will inspire young women of color to pursue a higher education within the arts.

J Lamoureux, Catherine Butler, and Sophie Lewis honored for music and writing

Musical Performance and Fiction Recognition

The ceremony also celebrated excellence in music and creative writing. J Lamoureux, a first-year student studying Vocal Performance in the School of Music, was awarded the Florence Engle Randall Fiction Prize. It is such an honor to be receiving this award, especially as someone who always looks up to the women in my life for support and inspiration, Lamoureux said. They added that for them, the art of writing is intertwined directly with the art of music, and they hope to one day publish their own poetry book.

Additionally, Catherine Butler, a Graduate Performance Diploma student, received a BU Women’s Guild Award. Butler earned her bachelor’s from Wayne State University in Instrumental Music Education and Flute Performance and her master’s in Flute Performance from Boston University. Words cannot express how grateful I am to receive the Boston University Women’s Guild Award, she explained. This award will help me immensely in my final year at BU as I strive towards purchasing a new piccolo, which will help me succeed in professional orchestral auditions. Her professional experience includes performing with the Du Bois Orchestra, the Longwood Symphony, and the Ohio Light Opera.

Sophie Lewis, a Doctor of Musical Arts student in Music Education, was also honored. I am so thankful to the BU Women’s Guild for their support of both me, and my research! Lewis said. This assistance means that I will be able to complete my practicum and gain the hands on classroom experience which will make my research more accessible to educators across America.

University of Derby launches MSc Biomedical Science Excellence Scholarship

Global Financial Aid Initiatives

Beyond specific honors for individual students, higher education institutions are utilizing targeted scholarships to address financial barriers. For instance, the University of Derby launched the MSc Biomedical Science Excellence Scholarship in 2024. This program is funded by the university and a group of philanthropic donors united in memory of loved ones lost to cancer. The scholarship is designed for students in financial need who hold an offer for the MSc Biomedical Science programme, with preference given to those intending to pursue research in cancer treatment and related fields. Applicants are invited to submit their interest via the university’s designated application form or by contacting [email protected].

Sources: BU, bit.ly.