Join us in congratulating the Spring 2022 winners of the LGBTQ+ Studies Scholarship winners. This scholarship, generously provided by David A. Kaplan and Glenn A. Ostergaard, and the Brautigam/Kaplan Foundation, was created with the intention of encouraging outstanding students in the LGBTQ+ Studies Certificate program. Read on for more information on this year’s winners, their areas of study, what led them to LGBTQ+ studies, and their hopes for the future.
Macy Booth (she/her/hers) — I am a Social Work Major getting GWS & LGBTQ+ Studies Certificate. I hope to get my Master’s of Social Work and then become a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and become a clinical therapist.
I started taking GWS classes my freshmen year and seemed to naturally gravitate towards LGBTQ+ studies courses so I kept taking them and then decided to get a certificate in both GWS and LGBTQ+ studies instead of a double major in Social Work and GWS. I really loved the material I got to learn about and all the professors/advisors within the department.
Royalty Higgins (he/him/his)– I am concluding my undergraduate at UW-Madison’s School of Human Ecology in Consumer Behavior and Marketplace Studies. I’ve undergone the great majority of my undergraduate with an interest in retailing, creativity, and technology. During the COVID-19 pandemic, I became invested in self-care rituals, wellbeing, and protecting mental health. I began the LGBTQ+ Studies track invested into learning ways I could best help eradicate the oppression and stigma experienced by LGBTQ+ youth, people of color, and people with disabilities. I recall taking GWS539: Framing Fatness, and I would say that course itself sparked a sense of purpose drawing me closer and closer into the field of mental health. After graduation, I plan to obtain licensure to provide safe, supportive, authentic, and welcoming spaces (online or in-person) for these communities in hopes to help as many people as I can in protecting their mental health.
Natalia Iding (she/her/hers) is a third-year undergraduate student, studying Gender Women’s Studies, Human Development and Family Studies, and pursuing the LGBTQ+ studies certificate. Natalia chose to partake in the certificate because she wanted to learn more about the history of the LGBTQ+ community and its evolution today; she knew that this program would answer her burning questions. With this certificate, Natalia hopes to become a counselor, helping LGTBQ+ folks navigate their own journey and interactions within society.
Magen Polzin — I am a sophomore pursuing a Bachelor’s of Business Administration degree in Finance and Marketing through the Wisconsin School of Business. I decided to pursue a certificate in LGBTQ+ Studies because as a future business leader, I want to create an environment that is inclusive of members of the LGBTQ+ community. Having diverse voices within a business is especially important to me. My courses in LGBTQ+ Studies have been very meaningful to me because they have helped me have a deeper understanding of the lack of LGBTQ+ representation in the workplace. I want to advocate for LGBTQ+ rights and make a difference in the professional setting as I continue on to a career in business.
The scholarship was also granted to Anthony Cattani, who received the award in 2021 as well.