UW-Madison graduates will be empowered to take on a year of travel and service as part of a new fellowship opportunity, made possible by a generous gift from Paul Martin Wolff (BA, History, ’63) and his wife, Rhea S. Schwartz.
Each year, the Wolff Fellows program will grant $45,000 to a graduating senior in the College of Letters & Science to support a year of travel, service or study abroad experience, post-graduation. To be considered for the award, the student must have demonstrated outstanding academic achievement, as well as a commitment to community service.
This is the first fellowship of its kind at UW-Madison and is modeled after similar programs at Harvard University.
“Our vision of a truly well-rounded citizen is one who both excels academically and sees the need to give to the community, which is why we have established the Wolff Fellowship,” said Paul Wolff. “We believe these students should be rewarded for their achievements and service with the ability to travel, volunteer or complete service work without financial burdens. This will allow them to pursue their passions without limits.”
Eligible seniors may be nominated by faculty or staff, or they may self-nominate. They must demonstrate not only a proven record of service to the University and community but also outstanding academic performance. At the conclusion of their yearlong fellowship, they will be asked to report back to UW-Madison on their work and experiences.
“A fellowship of this caliber recognizes the contributions L&S students undertake to not only be excellent scholars but also honors the deep commitment to the service of others and advancing humanity,” said Eric Wilcots, Dean of the College of Letters & Science. “The college is immensely grateful to Paul Wolff and Rhea Schwartz for their visionary gift.”
After graduating from UW-Madison, Paul Wolff received his law degree from Harvard University and built a distinguished legal career in the Washington, D.C. area. A member of Phi Beta Kappa, he has served in volunteer advisory roles for the Washington Performing Arts Society, the Corcoran Art Museum and the Jewish Museum, as well as the Washington Legal Clinic for the Homeless. As a member of the Washington D.C. Sports Commission, he was instrumental in returning major league baseball to the city. Rhea Schwartz is retired from a distinguished career in law as well, which included positions as special assistant to the U.S. Secretary of Education, assistant general counsel at the Department of Education and counsel to the board of the FDIC. After retiring from legal practice, she became the deputy director of the Center for Israeli Studies at American University. The couple resides in Chevy Chase, Maryland.
Nominations for the Wolff Fellowship by faculty and staff are open until February 8, 2022 here. Students can self-nominate by completing an application in the Wisconsin Scholarship Hub, better known as WiSH. The deadline for student submissions for the first award is March 1, 2022.
Eligibility for this award includes Letters & Science undergraduate degree candidates with a minimum 3.75 cumulative GPA who have distinguished themselves by demonstrated academic achievement, service to the University and service to the greater community.
The selected recipient will be announced by April 29, 2022.
For more information contact:
Alison Rice, L&S Scholarships Officer, alison.rice@wisc.edu