Joan Hepburn Award

  • Race, Ethnicity, Gender & Sexuality Studies
  • Awards and Achievements
  • Joan Hepburn Award

What is this award?

The Race, Ethnic, Gender, and Sexuality Studies department was indelibly shaped by the life and work of Dr. Joan Hepburn. She began her work at St. Olaf in 1987 and, until her retirement, Dr. Hepburn was the lifeblood of what it means to be an engaged scholar of Race and Ethnic Studies. She led students on a trip to the Million Woman March, crafted curriculum, and pushed St. Olaf to live into its stated commitment to the Wahpekute Band of the Dakota Nation. Dr. Hepburn demonstrated that at the heart of Ethnic Studies is a commitment to political movement. In her honor, REGSS created the Dr. Joan Hepburn Award for Achievement in Critical Race and Ethnic Studies. This award will be presented each year to a student in the course that showcases outstanding academic achievement in their capstone project.

About this award
Application Process
Viola Rossing Prize
Honors Day 1594-PR4

Project Types

Projects can take a variety of forms. They include:

  • a single, scholarly essay.
  • a portfolio of course essays, or a combination of scholarly, creative, and/or activist artifacts.
  • a digital project, which can be a scholarly piece or a creative project.
  • a creative project (creative writing, visual art, performance, or an event). If not a written project, submission must include documentation of the creative act, e.g., photographs, invitations and flyers, sample artwork.

Application Process

gUIDELINES

  • Anyone who completes a Race and Ethnic Studies capstone project is eligible to apply.
  • Groups as well as individuals may apply.
  • Students who want to submit their projects for consideration should complete the application form.
  • Faculty can also nominate student capstone projects.
  • Faculty do not advise students on these submissions.
  • There is no GPA requirement for this Prize.

Application

Submissions are due at the end of April, and should be submitted through the application form. Awards will be announced during the Race and Ethnic Studies Capstone Reception at the end of the year, with a specific date to be announced.

Applications closed

About THE hepburn award

The inaugural award (2026) was presented to Tyson Pope for their project, “An Epistemic Legacy of White Supremacy and Minoritized Faculty Labor at St. Olaf College.”

About this award
Application Process
Viola Rossing Prize