Each year UA awards several scholarships to students who demonstrate an active commitment to community service (paid or unpaid), especially in pursuit of social, economic or environmental justice. The UA Scholarship Committee is very excited to announce the recipients of this year’s scholarships.
Linda Backus Memorial Scholarship
Marissa Cobeo
Marissa Cobeo is a graduating senior in the College of Education and Social Services at the
University of Vermont. She is receiving her Bachelors in Social Work and minored in the
Education of Cultural and Linguistic Diversity. Marissa has been very involved working with the
BIPOC community in Burlington Vermont. Over the past 6 years, she has worked closely with
Refugee youth and families in various programs. She has many years of advocacy experience in
the field such as requesting and facilitating training for people working with minority youth,
meeting with schools and community programs, and planning equitable programming. Marissa
will be continuing her social work journey by attending NYU in the fall for an MSW.
David Shiman Scholarship
Ali House
Ali House is honored to be this year’s recipient of the David Shiman scholarship. In the 1960s,
David Shiman used his voice to advocate for fair housing legislation and other critical issues.
Today, Ali and her community continue similar fights right here in Burlington. Ali credits her
time at UVM, especially the Social Work Department, with helping her find her voice. Through
her educational experience, Ali found the language to describe the injustices she has seen and felt
in the world. She believes that language (and the refusal to be silent) liberates and empowers
people. She plans to continue using her voice to stand for justice.
Jeffrey Brace Scholarship
Molly Gress
Molly Gress is a senior in the College of Arts and Sciences, graduating with majors in
Economics and Environmental Studies and a minor in Community and International
Development. While at UVM, Molly interned with Sustainable Transportation Vermont (STVT)
in her sophomore year and interned with a political organization known as Rights and
Democracy (RAD) during her junior year. She utilized her knowledge of transportation and
environmental issues in the STVT internship to work on a local biking initiative. While interning
with RAD, she worked towards bettering her community organizing and communication skills to
work on local social and environmental justice issues. After graduation, Molly hopes to gain
opportunities that bring both the field of economics and the environment together.
Caitlyn Kutash
Caitlyn Kutash is a senior in the College of Arts and Sciences pursuing a double major
in political science and sociology with a concentration in crime and criminal justice. This year
she interned with the Office of the Federal Public Defender and the Chittenden County Public
Defender’s office where she assisted attorneys and investigators with criminal defense casework
on behalf of indigent clients. Last year, she volunteered at the East Allen Dismas House in
Winooski to create a resource manual for the residents to support their reintegration into their
communities after prison. Through her internship experiences and coursework, Caitlyn has
become an advocate for investing in community-based alternatives to incarceration. She hopes to
attend law school in the future.
Emily Wanzer
Emily Wanzer is a senior studying geography and history, with curiosity and love for the natural
world and belief in the power of disability justice. They have written about food justice
initiatives across the state of Vermont and are working on a thesis about human-tree
interconnection amidst settler colonialism. They are currently learning a lot about organizing
through work with Resource Generation, which organizes young people with wealth and class
privilege to become leaders working towards the redistribution of wealth, land, and power. Emily
lives with loving housemates next to pigeon and squirrel friends and plays on UVM’s ultimate
Frisbee team.
Hannah Wong
Hannah Wong is a recent 2022 graduate of the University of Vermont. During her time at
UVM, she discovered her passion for social work and hopes to continue in this caring profession
going forward. She shows her commitment for social justice through her position as the
coordinator of the Social Justice Coalition of the UVM Outing Club, and through previous
mentoring and leadership positions. Outside of the classroom, she most enjoys recreating
outdoors, reading, and spending time with friends and family. Hannah will continue her social
work journey in Seattle, Washington this fall.
More about our scholarships:
The David Shiman Scholarship of $1,500 is presented to a UVM senior with an outstanding and sustained record of community service, especially in pursuit of social or economic justice. The scholarship is named in honor of David Shiman, longtime professor of education at UVM and past president of United Academics.
The Linda Backus Memorial Scholarship of $1,000 is presented to an undergraduate student for outstanding community service, especially in pursuit of social or economic justice. The scholarship is named in honor of Linda Backus, former UVM professor of education, committed union organizer, and second president of United Academics.
UA also awards three $500 Jeffrey Brace Scholarships to students with an active commitment to community service, especially in pursuit of social or economic justice. The scholarship is named in honor of Jeffrey Brace, an early 19th-century Black Vermonter, previously enslaved person and activist. Scholarship recipients will be selected based on demonstrated involvement in community service, especially activities related to social and/or economic justice, in keeping with United Academics’ values.