Celebration of Scholarships
RISD's community of donors turns out in force to celebrate student success.
On May 3, 2019 more than 130 members of the RISD community came together to applaud the extraordinary impact that scholarships—and their donors—have on the lives of RISD students. Michael Koch 87 TX hosted the evening that explored how scholarships fuel students’ growth and make the RISD educational experience possible for the creative leaders of the future.
Underscoring the evening’s theme of growth and sustainability, Leah Marchant 20 ID designed the event to include centerpieces made from upcycled copies of XYZ magazines and featured the work of fellow students. Wynn Geary 19 ID made candles for attendees with wax harvested from RISD Beekeeping hives and Jen Thorton 19 TX and Krista Young 19 TX created textiles to wrap the candles.
Steph Foster MFA 19 PH, the T. C. Colley Scholar for Excellence in Photography—a scholarship established in memory of Thomas Colley 90 PH—shared his commitment to using his art as a platform for social change. “There are almost seven million people in the United States correctional system. African Americans make up almost 40 percent of those incarcerated despite only being 12 percent of the general population,” he said.
President Rosanne Somerson emphasized the lasting difference that scholarships make, noting that the William C. Benedict Scholarship—RISD’s oldest—was established in 1915 for students of excellent character and high scholarship need. The support it offers has increased over time with the growth of the endowment. All told, the scholarship has provided financial assistance to more than 100 RISD students.
The evening was a single moment in time to celebrate the growing number of donors who follow in Benedict’s footsteps, but the impact of their generosity will continue to transform the lives of RISD students in the years and decades to come.
To learn more about establishing a scholarship, please contact Joanne Ferchland-Parella at jferchla@risd.edu or call toll-free at 844-454-1877.
