Thank you for considering a charitable donation to the Department of Performance Studies where 100% of every donation made goes directly to supporting our students. Your generosity directly impacts and funds future generations of performance studies scholars.
We are thrilled to announce the creation of two new scholarships in honor of respected members of our community, Ngūgī wa Thiong’o and José Esteban Muñoz. Ngūgī and José were beloved voices in the department, each of whom represent the highest standard of academic excellence that our students strive to achieve. Through these scholarships, we plan to continue to attract the brightest minds from around the world and invest in them and their education. Ngūgī wa Thiong’o, renowned Kenyan author, decolonial literary and social activist, and academic, inspired many young scholars during his time as a professor in the department. José Esteban Muñoz, a Cuban American academic in the fields of performance studies, visual culture, queer theory, cultural studies, and critical theory, was a beloved Chair of the department before his death in 2013.
In partnership with the Performance Studies Alumni Committee, the department is launching a campaign to fully fund and endow each of these scholarships so that they can exist in perpetuity at the school. Please join us in making a gift to these scholarships and honor their impact in the field of performance studies by funding future generations of performance studies scholars.
The Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o Scholarship Fund, named after the renowned Kenyan novelist, playwright, director, and freedom fighter who was a member of the Department of Performance Studies for many years, will support undergraduate Performance Studies students who wish to contribute to and defend diversity on our campus and in the world.
The José Esteban Muñoz Memorial Scholarship Fund, named for the beloved former Professor and Chair, will support graduate students in their exploration of queer-of-color performance that allows us to imagine new ways of being in the world.
The students of the Department of Performance Studies need your support. Can you pledge $10 a month? $500 a year? Or make a one-time donation - large or small. Your gift helps insure that we can support our students at the highest level, allowing them to dive deep into their work without the added stress of financial insecurity. Our students come from around the world with diverse backgrounds yet they share a passion for sharing their work and research. Your donation can support our fund for student initiatives including but not limited to student events, conference registration and travel expenses, professional organization memberships, and so much more!
Find the link to donate here.