On March 8, 2017  BLAC Foundation CEO, Ed Powe, presented a BLAC Foundation check for $2,000 to Dr. Ellen Sapega, Directress of the IRIS Program at the University of Wisconsin-Madison in the presence of Century Club member Dr. Michael Cullinane, head of the South-East Asia Area Studies Center.

The check represents the  Foundation’s initial contribution to a Supplemental BLAC Foundation / IRIS  grant to be awarded annually to a graduate student at UW-Madison  to enable him/her  to pursue  research in the global south in an area of interest to the Foundation.

Each year a graduate  student will receive a grant of $4,000 to undertake research in the global south and our check represents the Foundation’s  contribution for the next four years.. Moreover, each recipient is required to submit a 2-3 page paper dealing with what was accomplished  during the period of the grant for posting on our website no later than 30 days after his/her return to the US..

Note that all candidates for this award must have been selected to receive a base  $3,000 award. Our annual contribution will be matched by the iRIS Program and that is the reason it is called the BLAC Foundation / IRIS Supplemental Award. Award. The supplemental award will enable the grantee to stay longer in the field.

For a copy of our agreement with the University vis-a-vis the BLAC Foundation / IRIS Supplemental Grant see #25 under Research Activities where all future awardee reports will also be posted.