December 06, 2007
New scholarship available for art history majors
CARBONDALE, Ill. — The fall 2008 semester at Southern Illinois University Carbondale will see the first recipients of a new scholarship in the School of Art and Design – the Art History Endowment Scholarship.
To earn one, of course, prospective art historians must first apply – application deadline is Feb. 1, 2008.
The scholarship is one more step in using a 2005 private donation of $781,000 to promote art history, as the anonymous donor intended. Scholarships are valued at up to $7,000 over a four-year period.
Peter Chametzky, associate professor of art history and the budget officer for this endowment fund, said the scholarship represents just one part of the endowment. Since the initial donation in 2005, the department has also funded speakers and student activities with the endowment, and contributed to museums.
"There were no particular stipulations to the gift, other than that it was for art history," Chametzky said. "The art history faculty decided to use some of our funds to promote student recruitment and retention through this scholarship."
Most School of Art and Design scholarships are based on artistic talent and apply to those seeking a fine arts degree. Having a scholarship dedicated to art history will help attract "the best potential art history students out there," Chametzky said.
Undergraduates may earn a bachelor's degree in art specializing in art history. Graduate students may earn a graduate certificate. Art historians find careers in such obvious places as museums and universities, as well as less obvious careers as artist representatives, appraisers, antique and art dealers and specialists in art law.
For all the details about how to apply for this scholarship, see www.fao.siu.edu/scholarships. It is open for incoming freshmen and transfer students.