As chair of UNL’s Medieval and Renaissance Studies Program, Carole Levin would like to see more opportunities developed for graduate students in the department.

That’s why she took it upon herself several years ago to start an endowment and why she’s hosting an Elizabethan Gala fundraiser Dec. 12 in downtown Lincoln.

The event begins at 6 p.m. at Top Shelf, 1038 O St. Tickets are $50 and include two drink tickets, hor d’oeuvers, entertainment and silent auction. For $100, attendees will also receive an autographed book by one of the Medieval and Renaissance Studies faculty and recognition in the program.

Levin is spearheading an effort in Medieval and Renaissance Studies to raise funds for graduate fellowships. The goal is to provide one competitive dissertation fellowship each year and also to provide a small stipend for graduate students to travel to Europe for research and conference opportunities.

“The students need to go Europe – most usually England and Germany – to do archival research for their dissertations,” Levin said. “The program would also very much like to be able to support our graduate students to be able to present their research at scholarly conferences both in the United States and abroad. This allows them to try out their ideas and learn from other experts in the field of Medieval and Renaissance Studies.”

Levin said the event will have a local flavor, with much of the entertainment, silent auction and sale items being provided by local artists. Entertainment at the event will include original short plays by Dennis Henry and Carole Levin, music by Sweet Will and the Saucy Jacks, and Julia Schleck accompanied by Steve Buhler.

To RSVP and for tickets, please contact Nate Probasco, Assistant to the Director of the Medieval and Renaissance Studies Program, University of Nebraska at nprobasco@huskers.unl.edu. Or checks can be sent to Carole Levin, Department of History, 612 Oldfather Hall, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE 68588-0327. Tickets may also be purchased at the door.

To donate directly to the endowment, go to: nufoundation.org/donate?fundId=01107720 or send a check to the University of Nebraska Foundation, 1010 Lincoln Mall, Lincoln, NE 68508, with a notation on the donation dedicating it to the Medieval and Renaissance Studies Excellence Fund.