Deadline: Monday, June 13, 2022.
Imagining America(IA)/Joy Of Giving Something(JGS) Fellowship Program 2022-23 – United States
IA/JGS Fellowship Program 2022-23
Thanks to a generous grant from the Joy of Giving Something, Inc. (JGS), Imagining America (IA) invites publicly-engaged undergraduate students from IA member institutions who have an interest in photography and/or digital media to apply for a 2022-23 JGS Fellowship. Selected fellows will commit to a year-long learning exchange that includes tuition support, project support, and opportunities for professional development.
The goals of the IA/JGS Fellows Program are to elevate photography and digital media as pathways for undergraduate students to pursue their careers and to make a difference in their communities. The program specifically aims to support students for whom economic and family circumstances render such career pathways particularly challenging.
The IA/JGS Fellows Program provides an opportunity for publicly engaged undergraduate students who attend an IA member higher education institution, or who are sponsored by an IA member cultural institution, and who work with photography and/or digital media to participate in a year-long learning exchange that includes tuition support, project support, and opportunities for professional development.
ABOUT JOY OF GIVING SOMETHING FOUNDATION
Thanks to a generous grant from the Joy of Giving Something Foundation (JGS), each year Imagining America (IA) awards scholarships to undergraduate students at member campuses who actively serve their local communities through photography or media arts.
The Joy of Giving Something, Inc. (JGS), is a not-for-profit corporation dedicated to the photographic arts and established in 1988 by the late Howard Stein. In 2010, Director of Outreach and Education Wayne Maugans approached IA about expanding support for community-engaged visual arts students as a way to encourage them to pursue post-secondary education and find a life path. Stein saw the visual arts as a potential career for young adults. The IA/JGS Fellows Program is a generous part of Stein’s legacy.
Over the course of the fellowship year, each JGS Fellow will:
• Receive a $2,000 tuition scholarship.
• Receive mentorship and financial support for a community project.
• Attend Imagining America’s National Gathering in Fall 2022. Complimentary registration and travel awards are included.
• Participate in regular, virtual learning exchanges.
• Be connected to the consortium’s national network of scholars, artists, and community organizers.
APPLICATION CRITERIA AND PROCESS – IA/JGS Fellowship Program 2022-23
Based on funding availability, each year six to eight undergraduate students enrolled at, or sponsored by, an IA member institution are selected for the IA/JGS Fellows Program. The selection process involves a consideration of the following based on review of submitted application materials:
• Demonstration of artistic merit;
• Demonstration of an existing community engaged practice;
• Demonstration of financial need according to the Free Application for Federal Student Aid form (FAFSA) and the Student Aid Report (SAR), or by documentation from a verifiable institutional or governmental entity; and
• First-generation college student status. While the IA/JGS Fellows Program is not limited to first-generation college students, students with this background are highly encouraged to apply.
Students of all majors/areas of study are welcome to apply.
To apply for the JGS Fellows Program, students must submit the following:
• A completed application form, which includes short answer questions and an essay response (see prompts below);
• Three work samples representative of your creative practice and demonstrating your skills in photography and/or digital media;
• Proof of financial need with a federal, state, or school financial aid report for the 2022-23 academic year (see FAQs below); and
• A letter of recommendation from a faculty or staff member at your undergraduate institution or a community organization with which you are affiliated. Recommenders should send email letters directly to Trina Van Schyndel at [email protected].
