The Women’s and Gender Studies is proud to announce A’Mia Hill as the inaugural recipient of the Dr. Lynn Weber Award.
The award is named for Dr. Lynn Weber, the Director of the Women’s and Gender Studies Program from 1996 to 2007. Dr. Weber, who passed in 2021, was a brilliant scholar and leader who shaped our program and advocated for community engagement. The Dr. Lynn Weber Award was established in her honor to recognize undergraduate WGST majors showing academic excellence.
A’Mia Hill was selected as the recipient of this award for her excellent academic record, particularly in WGST courses. In addition to being a WGST major, Ms. Hill is the secretary of the UofSC’s NAACP, an orientation leader, and a volunteer at the Gamecock Pantry.
Ms. Hill chose to be a WGST major because it allows her to “learn the theories of exploring everyday experiences of gender, the historical impacts of inequality, and how it manifests in current social structures.” She also mentioned the importance of being able to study “the practices of activism, advocacy, and social justice.” With this knowledge, she say she will “have the power to transform communities, workplaces, and entire social systems to be more inclusive, equitable, and non-violent.”
When asked about the award, Ms. Hill said that “receiving the inaugural Dr. Lynn Weber student prize means a lot to me. I chose to be a Women and Gender Studies major to further my education on focusing on the inequalities of race, class, gender, and sexuality of women, which was the primary focus of Dr. Lynn Weber herself. Not only does this scholarship get to help me further my education on women and Gender Studies, but it also allows for me to see all the influential women that have made a huge impact on my reason I chose this major. One of those women is Dr. Lynn Weber!” After finishing her degree, Ms. Hill plans to go to medical school to become an OBGYN. She says that “Women and Gender Studies has already opened many doors for me, and the opportunities continue to grow more and more by the day.”
The Women’s and Gender Studies Program is still seeking donations to the Dr. Lynn Weber Endowed Scholarship Fund. Donations to the fund can be made online here.
Checks can also be made payable to the USC Education Foundation, with this in the memo line: A32549 - Dr. Lynn Weber Endowed Scholarship Fund. They should be mailed to University of South Carolina, Attn: Development Office of Gift Processing, 1600 Hampton Street, Suite 736, Columbia, SC 29208.