"My time in the Scholars program at Duke gifted me with a model of multidisciplinary conversation that may be impossible to replicate. At each meeting, I had a chance to struggle with the current debates in Women's Studies with peers who are passionate about their work and the challenges we face as scholars committed to a feminist discourse that both bridges and attacks disciplinary boundaries at the same time." Rebecca Wanzo, Assistant Professor, Women's Studies and African American and African Studies, Ohio State University

Background
The Graduate Scholars Colloquium provides a site of vibrant intellectual exchange and engagement for graduate students across the disciplines engaged in the study of gender and its multiple social, cultural, political and material implications. The colloquium is designed to address a range of issues emerging out of the work of its participants, as well as, other urgent questions in the field of Feminist Studies. In addition to graduate students (doctoral candidates from a variety of disciplines and professional students), Women's Studies core and affiliated faculty participate in the colloquium. We generally meet once a month as a colloquium - usually a graduate student will present work and a faculty member will respond before opening it up to discussion. We have scheduled other events as well - lunch seminars, visiting lecturers, and soon to be appearing pedagogy workshops. The purpose of the Graduate Scholars Colloquium is to allow a space for frequent but sustainable conversations between graduate students and faculty - outside of the classroom - as well as fantastic meals!

Leah Allen and Lorien Olive will be organizing the colloquium this year, and they welcome your suggestions for events - they can be contacted at leah.allen@duke.edu and lorien.olive@duke.edu.

If you are interested in becoming a participant in the Graduate Scholars Colloquium complete the Request to Enroll and send it to Melanie Mitchell, Program Coordinator, Box 90760. Currently, the Graduate Scholars community is over 50 strong.

Dinner is provided at each meeting, which typically begins at 6:30 PM in the East Duke Parlors. Meetings are held throughout the year. The Graduate Scholars Colloquium is directed by Women's Studies Associate Professor, Kathi Weeks. For more information contact her at kweeks@duke.edu or the Program Coordinator.

For more information about this year's schedule of activities, please check the Women's Studies calendar or call Melanie Mitchell at 684-3655.

GRADUATE SCHOLARS COLLOQUIUM AWARD - Deadline is April 21, 2009

The Women's Studies Program offers two awards to support the work of graduate students focusing on issues of gender and feminist studies and interested in leading the graduate colloquium in the field of Women's Studies. The Graduate Scholars Awards are funded as part of a larger restructuring of the on-going Graduate Scholars group, which, beginning in spring 2005, was transformed into a monthly graduate colloquium.

Graduate Scholars awards are designed to support the research of two graduate students, who will be required to attend the colloquium, to coordinate the organization of the group (soliciting and scheduling presentations from graduate students and guest faculty speaker(s), to publicize the meetings and recruit new members, and to submit an end of year report.

Each awardee receives $2400 per year and the commitment for this position is for two years. Submit a completed application to Melanie Mitchell (melanie.mitchell@duke.edu or Box 90760) by April 21 to be considered for this award.