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Barron and Klusmeyer Awards

American University’s Department of Justice, Law & Criminology is seeking nominations for two newly instituted awards. Read below for eligibility, nomination materials, and how to apply.

Barron Award

Barron Award for Outstanding Dedication to Advancing Issues Related to Gender & the Law

American University’s Department of Justice, Law & Criminology is seeking nominations for the newly instituted Barron Award for outstanding dedication to advancing issues related to gender and the law. Two awards of $250 each will be granted – one at the undergraduate and one at the graduate level.

About Chana Barron, J.D.:

Chana Barron, a beloved professor and colleague, was a faculty member in the Department of Justice, Law, and Criminology (JLC), for 17 years. Professor Barron held a J.D. from Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law and an MS in JLC from American University. She worked on her doctoral thesis on the theme of women and the death penalty at the University of Iowa. She had a successful legal career as a practitioner in state government in New Jersey. She was a devoted mentor to her students and deeply loved teaching in our department. Professor Barron passed away in 2024.

Eligibility for the Undergraduate Award:

  • An undergraduate student in one of the following degree programs: BA in Justice & Law, BA in Legal Studies, BS in Data Sciences for Justice, Law & Criminology, or BA in Interdisciplinary Studies: Communications, Law, Economics and Government.
  • Nominees must demonstrate
    • an understanding of gender and the law through a paper, article, essay, coursework, project, or other scholarly activity grounded in relevant theoretical and/or empirical scholarship; and
    • aspirations for current or future professional or academic work related to advancing gender equity and the law.

Eligibility for the Graduate Award:

  • A current graduate student in the MS in Justice, Law & Criminology.
  • Nominees must demonstrate
    • an understanding of gender and the law through a paper, article, essay, project, or other scholarly activity grounded in relevant theoretical and/or empirical scholarship; and
    • aspirations for current or future professional or academic work related to advancing gender equity and the law.

Nomination Materials:

  • The nominee should upload a 350 – 500 word statement that articulates their suitability for this award and their resume by the deadline.
  • A current or former professor or supervisor should upload a letter of recommendation that speaks to the nominee’s suitability for this award by the deadline.
  • The annual deadline for this award is March 15, with awards announced by May 1. The Barron Award selection committee will consist of faculty and doctoral students with expertise and interest in gender equity and the law.

Deadline and Application:

The deadline to apply is March 15, 2025.
Apply Here
Letter of Recommendation Portal

Klusmeyer Award

The Douglas B. Klusmeyer Award in Legal Studies

American University’s Department of Justice, Law & Criminology is seeking nominations for the newly instituted Klusmeyer Award in Legal Studies. One award of $250 will be granted to an undergraduate student who is a legal studies or justice and law major.

Professor Douglas B. Klusmeyer, was a respected professor and faculty colleague in the Department of Justice, Law and Criminology (JLC) for over two decades. He earned a J.D. and Ph.D. in modern European history from Stanford University. He was a devoted, passionate scholar of constitutionalism and legal developments in the Western world. Professor Klusmeyer was a key member of the Legal Studies Faculty, teaching undergraduate and graduate legal history courses, including the department’s demanding introductory course, Western Legal Tradition. Professor Klusmeyer passed away in 2023.

Gifted students sought out Professor Klusmeyer for mentoring when considering graduate school or applying for major competitive scholarships. He recognized the potential in students who had the talent and curiosity to apply for, and often win, competitive merit awards - which he knew would impact the trajectory of their lives. He worked intensively with students to achieve these aims using his unique ability to help craft concise, compelling, and beautifully articulated research questions and arguments.

The Klusmeyer award recognizes the work of a JLC undergraduate student who (a) exhibits exceptional written scholarship in the fields of legal history or rule of law/constitutionalism as demonstrated by a paper, article, essay, project, or some other scholarly activity; or (b) does exemplary work in a JLC course on one of these topics.

  • JLC-110 Western Legal Tradition

  • JLC-201 Philosophical Problems in the Law

  • JLC-202 History of International Thought and Law

  • SPA-220 The American Constitution

  • JLC-225 American Legal Culture

  • JLC-402 Comparative Systems of Law and Justice

  • JLC-410 Topics in Legal Theory

  • JLC-411 Topics in Legal History

  • JLC-602 Legal Theory

  • JLC-606 Legal History Seminar

  • JLC-650 Constitutionalism in Historical Perspective

Nomination Materials:

  • The nominee should upload a 350 – 500 word statement that articulates their suitability for this award and their resume by the deadline.
  • The student should also upload the paper, article, essay, project, scholarly activity, or other exemplary work for consideration by the selection committee.
  • The annual deadline for this award is March 15, with awards announced by May 1. The Klusmeyer Award selection committee will consist of faculty in the JLC department.

Deadline and Application:

The deadline to apply is March 15, 2025.
Apply Here

Questions?

For questions, please contact Anna Castro at castro@american.edu.