PNCA Fall 2020 MFA/MA Leadership Scholarships

PNCA Hallie Ford School of Graduate Studies

LEADERSHIP SCHOLARSHIPS FOR BLACK, AFRICAN AMERICAN, INDIGENOUS, AND NON-BLACK STUDENTS OF COLOR ANNOUNCEMENT

As an institution of higher education with power and privilege, Pacific Northwest College of Art has a responsibility and ability to be a maker of change. We must focus on our commitment to create more equitable educational access and institutional support for incoming Black/African American students and Indigenous, Native American, or non-Black students of color and to embrace our role as an advocate for social justice and community engagement. PNCA is offering scholarships for Black, African American, and Indigenous, Native American, or non-Black students of color with demonstrated financial need.

These scholarships are identified as leadership scholarships that both assist in the financial aspect of pursuing a Graduate degree and support the pursuit of leadership skills. Recipients will be provided opportunities to shape and build their leadership acumen including, the mentoring of other students, joining the PNCA Equity and Social Justice Action Committee, being a leader in the Graduate Council or working as a teaching assistant, as well as other forms of engagement. The HFSGS values our students' artistic, design, and critical thinking skills and wants to contribute to their growth as future leaders who can influence the social well-being of our communities.

Along with offering these scholarships to our incoming students, an important aspect of our work is building an awareness around issues of power and privilege. PNCA’s Equity and Social Justice Action Committee (ESJAC) is made up of students, faculty, staff, and board members. The work of ESJAC to further equity, diversity, inclusion and access at PNCA is ongoing. Equity Council is a college wide meeting during lunch established to ensure that the most vulnerable members of our community have a platform for their voices. Held three times every semester Equity Council is a space for each of us to confront the obstacles we face to connect with each other and to the resources PNCA provides to ensure the mission, vision, and strategic plan of the college. Diversity, equity, and inclusion at PNCA are, and always have been crucial to our intellectual and aesthetic inquiry.

How to apply for the PNCA Graduate Leadership Scholarships:

• Submit a completed Graduate application for Fall 2020.
• Complete the online application by July 15th.
• Fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). List PNCA as one of your choices. The PNCA school code is 003227.
• Not eligible for FAFSA? International applicants who do not hold US citizenship, Dreamer applicants including those who have Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) status or Temporary Protected Status (TPS), or otherwise undocumented applicants should complete the a CSS profile as an alternative to the FAFSA.
• Submit official undergraduate degree transcripts to the PNCA Graduate Admissions Office. Unofficial transcripts can be used to apply, but we will need copies of all official transcripts as soon as you graduate from your current institution. If your undergraduate degree was earned outside of the United States, a transcript evaluation from WES, ECE or another NACES member must be submitted instead.

Available Scholarships:

The PNCA Leadership Scholarship Committee will determine the recipients of the following scholarships:

• One full tuition scholarship (renewable each year for up to 2 year for an MFA or MA student and up to 3 years for a Dual degree student) will be awarded to a Black/African American student.
• One full tuition scholarship (renewable each year for up to 2 year for an MFA or MA student and up to 3 years for a Dual degree student) will be awarded to an Indigenous, Native American, or non-Black student of color.
• Two scholarships of $5,000 each (renewable each year for up to 2 year for an MFA or MA student and up to 3 years for a Dual degree student) will be awarded to a Black, African American, Indigenous, Native American, or non-Black student of color.

Full tuition scholarship details:

• The PNCA Graduate Leadership Scholarship will cover the full amount of tuition for up to 2 consecutive years for MFA and MA students and 3 for a Dual degree student at PNCA. The two students who receive this scholarship must use all grants that they are eligible to receive through our Financial Aid Office, and the Equity Scholarship will cover the remaining tuition balance.

• Students are responsible for yearly fees. Cost of fees for the 2020-21 academic year is $1,000.
• Students are responsible for Health insurance costs of 3247.00 unless they can prove they already have health coverage.

Selection Criteria:

Scholarship recipients are selected based on the following:

• Preference given to students with financial need as defined by federal and state guidelines
• Participation and demonstrated leadership in campus or community activities
• Demonstration of the potential for excellence through a strong application to the graduate school
• Evaluation of information submitted in the candidate’s scholarship application

Scholarship Renewal:

This scholarship is renewable for up to 2 consecutive years or 3 years for Dual degree students at PNCA. To maintain this scholarship, you must:

• Maintain full-time student status (enroll in a minimum of 12 credits each semester)
• Maintain a minimum 3.00 PNCA GPA

Scholarship Timeline:

Application Deadline: July 15th, 2020
Award Notification: Week of July 20th, 2020