The Mimi Frenier Award in Women's Studies is a yearly award established to
recognize Women's Studies Majors who have achieved excellence both in
academic performance and in civic activism or engagement. This Award is
given in recognition of Professor Frenier's outstanding contribution to
the develoment of the Women's Studies Minor and Major at the University of
Minnesota at Morris.

Shortly after joining the UMM faculty in 1978, Professor Mariam
(Mimi) Frenier undertook vigorous efforts to elevate the visibility of
women's issues and enhance the status of women in the entire UMM community
and beyond at a time when it was not popular to do so.  Among the many
equity issues that she took up were hiring, salaries, promotion, housing,
support for non-traditional students, and participation in sports.  In
addition, she introduced courses in women's history and women's studies,
and she was one of the leading forces for the establishment of the Women's
Studies Minor (1979) and Major (2000).  Whether advocating for all women
or counseling individual women, Professor Frenier has been exemplary in
her tireless efforts on their behalf.  With this award, we gratefully
acknowledge her many contributions and achievements and her unwavering
support of an improved status for women and we celebrate two areas in
which Professor Frenier's contribution to the experiences of UMM Women's
Studies Majors has been distinctive: her scholarship and her active
commitment to her ideals.

Process for conferring the award:
Every year, during spring semester, a call for nominations is sent to
all faculty teaching Women's Studies courses.  The faculty completes the
nominating form and sends it to the Women's Studies Coordinator.  The
Coordinator and the members of the Women's Studies Advisory Board review
the nominations and choose the recipient for the award.  The award is
presented before the end of the Spring Semester.  

Criteria:
Nominees must have junior or senior standing or have completed (or be in
the process of completing during the semester in which they are
nominated) 24 credits in Women's Studies.  The nomination form must
contain evidence of outstanding achievement in two areas: 
(1) academic superior achievement within Women's Studies.  Preference will
be given to students carrying a GPA of 3.5 or above within the Women's
Studies Major and who have completed projects, such as works of arts,
paper, panel presentations, which have been accepted for a show or a
conference, etc.;
(2) social, political, civic activism, e.g., organization of a public
event with a social, political, or civic purpose, service project to
benefit a community, etc.

This award was established in 2003.