About Roshan Institute for Persian Studies
Roshan Institute for Persian Studies at the University of Maryland aspires to be the premier center for the learning, understanding, and appreciation of Persian culture in the United States.
Toward this end, Roshan Institute seeks to provide outstanding course offerings and programs in Persian language, literature, history, and culture; to foster communication and community ties among people of Persian heritage and those interested in Persian studies; and to serve as a model for encouraging intercultural communication among peoples of varying backgrounds.
History
Since its inception, based on the above mission from Dr. Elahé Omidyar Mir-Djalali, Founder, Chair and President of Roshan Cultural Heritage Institute, Roshan Institute for Persian Studies has played a leading role in an effort to support and bring to light 3,500 years of Persian history.
Roshan Cultural Heritage Institute is a nonprofit organization that fosters Persian Studies and supports educational programs promoting Persian language and culture. In 2007, Roshan Cultural Heritage Institute made a $3 million leadership gift to the University of Maryland College Park Foundation and in 2008, a major and a minor in Persian language and studies were developed. As a result, the existing four-year old "Center for Persian Studies" expanded into the current Roshan Institute for Persian Studies. Academic programs, research, and scholarships on Persian Studies have significantly expanded at the University of Maryland as a result of Roshan Cultural Heritage Institute’s generosity.
Roshan Institute named endowments:
Roshan Institute Chair in Persian Studies
Meet the Roshan Institute Chair in Persian Studies
Roshan Institute Fellowship for Excellence in Persian Studies
Roshan Cultural Heritage Institute will fund an annual fellowship(s) for graduate students. Fellowship awards have become available since Fall 2013. They will be offered to students admitted to departments and programs at the University of Maryland whose work in areas related to Persian Studies exhibits high standards of academic excellence. For more information on these scholarships and fellowships, please send an email to roshan@umd.edu
Scholarship for Excellence in Persian Studies
The Amouzegar Undergraduate Scholarship in Persian Studies
Established in 2006 by His Excellency Dr Jamshid Amouzegar, the Ulrike and Jamshid Amouzegar Undergraduate Scholarship in Persian Studies (AMUS) is an endowed fund to provide annual scholarships for freshman or sophomore students who will be selected by virtue of their academic performance in their Persian Studies classes and the quality of their submissions to the scholarship committee. Students may prepare an essay, creative work, or multimedia project so long as their submission has to do with Persian Studies
Number of Awards
4 awards @ $800.00 each
Eligibility
- University of Maryland undergraduate students
- Students enrolled in a Persian Studies course
- Both heritage and non-heritage students are eligible
- Overall GPA: 3.25
Application Materials
- A digital copy of your essay, creative work, or multimedia project
- For non-essay submissions, please include a brief descriptions (no more than 300 words) of your project and its significance
- A letter of recommendation from your course instructor emailed directly to roshan@umd.edu
Submission Deadline
The Amouzegar Undergraduate Scholarship competition is held once at the end of the fall semester and once at the end of the spring semester.
The Persian Studies Essay Award
Made possible by a generous gift from the Iranian-American philanthropist, Mr Hossein Amirsaleh, in 2010, The Persian Studies Essay Award is an endowed fund to recognize outstanding undergraduate student essays, creative works, or multimedia projects submitted in partial fulfillment of course requirements for a Persian Studies class.
Number of Awards
4 awards @ $500.00 each
Eligibility
- University of Maryland undergraduate students
- Previous recipients of this award are not eligible
Application Materials
- An essay/term paper, creative work, or multimedia project submitted in partial fulfillment of course requirements for a Persian Studies class offered in English
- Course syllabus containing a description of the essay/term paper, creative work, or multimedia project OR a description of the essay/term paper, creative work, or multimedia project sent by the course instructor or TA to roshan@umd.edu
Submission Deadline
The Persian Studies Essay Award competition is held once at the end of the fall semester and once at the end of the spring semester.
Roshan Institute Lectureship
The Mir-Djalali Cultural Events Series
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