The Otto and Gertrude K. Pollak Scholarship Fund was established by the late Otto and Gertrude (Trudie) Pollak in 1998.
Dr. Otto Pollak completed his Ph.D. in Sociology at Penn and was hired as an assistant professor in 1947. He was promoted to associate professor in 1952 and to full professor in 1957. Teaching and writing on social adjustment and aging, he published more than 80 articles before he became an emeritus professor in 1978, and continued to teach into his retirement years.
As a result of this generous gift, the department provides research grants and summer stipends to our graduate students through our “Pollak Fellows” program, and a lecture series on issues associated with professionalization, getting through graduate school, and the job market by our “Pollak Lecturers.” We are deeply grateful for this unique resource and the opportunities it provides for our graduate students.
2024 The Otto and Gertrude K. Pollak Summer Research Fellowship Recipients
Graduate students in the Sociology Department, including joint students, are eligible to apply for Pollak Summer Research Fellowships. This award provides a summer stipend and/or research funds. Below are this year’s recipients.
Kai Feng
Michael Lachanski
Rehana Odendaal
Jack Thornton
Elena Van Stee
Ran Wang
Suki Yang