TEP Fellows

Tau Epsilon Phi Graduate Student Fellowship in Jewish Studies

Thanks to generous private support, the Carolina Center for Jewish Studies offers a Tau Epsilon Phi Graduate Student Fellowship for graduate student recruitment. The fellowship includes a $25,000 stipend with benefits for the first year as well as for the fifth year of study, to aid as a recruitment tool for prospective graduate students pursuing doctoral degrees. As such, the fellowships will have eight-year cycles, with the first four years focused on recruiting new students to Carolina, followed by four years of supporting these students in their fifth years of study. Our first cohort of four TEP Fellows is currently at UNC and the very first Fellow, Tine Rassalle, defended and completed her PhD in fall 2021. She is now the curator at the Museum of the Southern Jewish Experience in New Orleans.

Our first cohort of students: Cohort A:

Tine Rassalle, Department of Religious Studies. Graduated December 2021.

Joseph Block, Department of History

Jocelyn Burney, Department of Religious Studies

Oskar Czendze, Department of History

Shown in photo: Jocelyn, Joe, Tine and Oskar with alumnus and former advisory board member Steve Nislick. March 2023.

In 2023, the Center is accepting nominations to recruit a new TEP Fellow. This student will be the first Fellow in Cohort B. During a recruitment year, departments may nominate prospective graduate students who have a strong academic and/or research interest related to the field of Jewish Studies. Nominations should consist of a single PDF including: a statement of support from the DGS for the student, including why the student’s academic history or research interest appeals to your department and why you want the student in your graduate program. Applications  due January 23, 2023.

Recruitment for the 2023-2024 academic year is concluded. Check back in December 2023 for recruitment information and deadlines for the 2024-25 academic year.