Religious Studies offers need-based funding for upper-level majors in Religious Studies and Religious Studies for Health Professionals who are facing financial challenges in completing their degree. These scholarships can help cover tuition and other educational expenses for majors who are facing acute financial difficulties. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis throughout the year.

Application Instructions

To be eligible for this funding, students must meet the following criteria:

• Currently pursuing a major in Religious Studies (BA) or Religious Studies for Health Professionals (BS) at the University of Arizona.
• Facing financial obstacles to completing their degree with a Religious Studies or RSHP major.
• Currently in good standing at the University of Arizona.

PLEASE NOTE:

• Priority will be given to upper-level majors who have completed at least five (5) Religious Studies courses (half the major).
• Majors who receive a need-based scholarship from Religious Studies remain eligible to apply for the Rombach/Bretall scholarship during the regular award cycles during the academic year. 

To apply for this funding, please email the following two documents to religious-studies-classics@arizona.edu: 

1. Your University of Arizona transcript. It is fine to submit an unofficial transcript.
2. A 1-2 page statement that includes the following:

• At the top of your statement, please list your name, U of A email address, your major(s) & minor(s), and your anticipated graduation date.
• Please list the courses you have completed so far for your RELI or RSHP major.
• Please describe in detail your financial need. Please indicate the exact amount of tuition you need covered, and also describe any other sources of funding you have or are pursuing in order to cover your tuition (or other educational expenses). 

Please note that the number and size of the awards will be determined by the Department of Religious Studies and Classics after reviewing applications.

These Funds are Available Due to the Generous Donations of Lionel Rombach and Ora Bretall.

ABOUT THE ROMBACH AND BRETALL SCHOLARSHIPS

Lionel Rombach Scholarship

In 1978, Lionel England “Lee” Rombach donated funds to Religious Studies at the University of Arizona for the purpose of supporting upper-level undergraduates pursuing the study of religion. He endowed this scholarship in memory of his parents, Lambert Rombach and Anna England Rombach. For nearly half a century, the Rombach Scholarship has been distributed to Religious Studies majors to help with their educational expenses. Until the end of his life, Lee Rombach enjoyed luncheons each year with recipients of the Rombach Scholarship. Mr. Rombach passed away in 2008 at the age of 93, and his legacy continues to benefit students at the University of Arizona. His obituary can be read here.

Ora Bretall Scholarship

In the 1980s, Religious Studies received a generous donation to establish this endowed scholarship from the estate of Ora Bretall. She was predeceased by her son, Dr. Robert Bretall (1913-1980), who was a faculty member at the University of Arizona from 1949-1976.

Congratulations to the College of Humanities’ Outstanding Senior for Spring 2024, Mason Maltbie!

Maltbie graduates with a 4.0 GPA, triple majoring in Religious Studies, Russian, and Creative Writing.

“Through speaking new languages, forming deeper understandings of others, and visiting places once locked behind the pages of literature, we’ve translated ourselves into the world and come to know people from worlds quite different from ours,” Maltbie told fellow Humanities graduates at Saturday’s convocation. “The true spirit of the Humanities is knowing that the ‘other,’ no matter how seemingly distant, feels and struggles just like you.”

Maltbie served for two years as president of the Slavic and Eurasian Studies Club and received myriad awards over the course of his studies: the SILLC Global Award, the B.G. Thompson, Jr. Study Abroad Award, the Donna Swaim International Award for Religious Studies, a Rombach/Bretall Scholarship, the Donna Dillon Manning and Larry Horner Endowed Humanities Award for Study Abroad, and the Fearless Inquiries Abroad Scholarship.

Maltbie’s honors thesis for Religious Studies explored how structural forces of poverty and historic discrimination influence gang violence and formation, and how an interdisciplinary approach utilizing psychology, sociology and Religious Studies can help understand the issues and lead to policy reforms.

Maltbie studied abroad in Astana, Kazakhstan in 2023 and will be studying abroad at the School of Russian and Eurasian Studies in Uzbekistan during the summer of 2024.

“Mason's academic journey showcases his exceptional qualities and achievements, and his relentless pursuit of knowledge and his deep-seated desire for immersive cultural experiences,” wrote Assistant Professor Liudmila Klimanova, who led the Kazakhstan program. “The fervor and depth with which he engaged in this program were profoundly inspiring, not only to me but also to our esteemed colleagues at Eurasian National University in Kazakhstan.”

“Mason embodies the qualities of an outstanding senior: academic excellence, leadership, and a deep commitment to embracing the humanities and fostering understanding across cultures and communities.”

The Department of Religious Studies and Classics is happy to announce the recipients of the 2024 Donna Swaim International Award for Religious Studies.

Mason Maltbie is a Religious Studies major, and he is also majoring in Russian and Creative Writing. Mason will be studying abroad at the School of Russian and Eurasian Studies in Uzbekistan during the summer of 2024.

Marlie Nochomovitz is a Religious Studies for Health Professionals (RSHP) major, as well as a Physiology and Medical Sciences Major. Marlie will be studying abroad in London during the Spring 2025 semester.