Manny Ross Great Thinkers Scholarship

The scholarship will support undergraduate students in their intellectual pursuit of literary criticism, philosophy, and great thinkers of the early 20th century. The scholarship is a merit-based scholarship awarded annually (as available) to a student in the College of Letters & Science with a demonstrated interest in humanities and/or humanistic social sciences in the top 10% of L&S undergraduates. The scholarship award is $5,000 – $10,000. Awards to finalists are distributed in the spring term.

Qualified applicants must be L&S degree candidates; declared in one of the following majors: English, Classical Humanities, Art History, History, History of Science, Philosophy, Political Science, or certificate in Integrated Liberal Studies; have a minimum cumulative 3.90 GPA; and be enrolled for the Spring 2026 term.

This scholarship was established by the McGonigle Family in honor of the birthday of Manny Ross.

For more general information about Letters & Science scholarships visit the L&S Scholarships website.

Award
$5,000 - $10,000
Organizations
College of Letters and Science
Deadline
01/30/2026
Supplemental Questions
  1. What is your expected graduation date from UW-Madison? (Month/Year)
  2. (LS) Like other information content and sources, generative artificial intelligence (AI) can support the development of your original ideas but should not be used to write your essays and not be presented as your original work. As a student at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, I agree to adhere to UW-Madison's conduct standards of honesty and integrity. Falsification would violate the core principles of the UW-Madison mission. As such, I will properly credit the sources used in my written submission for this application.
  3. This scholarship was created to honor Mr. Ross on the occasion of his 90th birthday. His liberal arts education cultivated his lifelong love of history, literature, philosophy, and intellectual thought. This award supports and encourages students in the study of the humanities and humanistic social sciences. Submitted essays should demonstrate intellectual engagement with a few of the great works of psychology, philosophy, history, intellectual thought, or literature, of the early 20th century. (Although referenced thinkers are limited to the early 20th century, Shakespeare is also revered by Mr. Ross.)
  4. From the early 20th century (see above), select any two thinkers whose major ideas, literary works, or historical writings have significance to you today. How do these contributions impact contemporary intellectual or critical developments? In the form of a letter, explain to Mr. Ross (born in 1933) why you think why their work has relevance and how it can guide us in addressing current issues facing the United States and its place in the world today. Upload your essay as a pdf document and include a title page with the date, your full name and a statement that the essay is your original work. (500 word limit)
  5. Please include your resume, no more than 2 pages.

    If you would like resume writing assistance, please contact SuccessWorks. You are strongly encouraged to have your resume reviewed prior to submitting.
  6. Please upload your most up-to-date unofficial transcript. If you are unsure how to do this, visit the Registrar's website for instructions on how to request your unofficial transcript.
  7. (MGT) Please enter the name and email address of your recommender. WiSH will automatically generate a request for an uploaded letter of recommendation. It is best practice for you to discuss your request with your recommender outside of the automatic process. A recommendation is strongly recommended for this award.
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