Art & Art History Scholarships

This scholarship provides support for students in the Department of Art & Art History. Institution’s leadership will select recipients with preference for applicants majoring within the Department of Art & Art History who exhibit superior artwork.

One scholarship is available to outstanding Art & Art History majors.

Department may offer a maximum of $1800.  Students selected must be enrolled full-time (12 credits per quarter) and be of superior academic ability.  If a student is not enrolled full-time, they will not receive the award.

$1800.00

Must be an American citizen. Prefer someone returning to complete an undergraduate degree. Junior or senior status.

One or two scholarships in the amount of $400 to 800 will be awarded to students majoring in art.  Students applying must submit a portfolio of representative work as well as a statement of philosophy/artistic intent.  This scholarship honors George Wade Keagle of Bellingham.  Mr. Keagle studied art in Scotland and enjoyed painting. He also donated artwork and sculpture to the Western Gallery.

$800.00

This award was established by Professor J. Ruth Kelsey, who taught primarily painting and art education classes for 24 years before her retirement in 1972.  One grant is offered to an undergraduate art student.  Selection is based on the applicant’s portfolio of past work.

This scholarship was established by J. Ruth Kelsey, a professor in the Department of Art & Art History, who taught painting and art education classes for 24 years before her retirement in 1972.  One scholarship is available for partial tuition and fees for one academic year. The Scholarship was established to encourage and reward junior-level students of outstanding talent, ability and motivation.  Students applying must submit a portfolio of past work in addition to a statement of philosophy/artistic intent.  The following year, the recipient will present a show of his/her work.

Each scholarship recipient must be a woman with a dependent child or children, pursuing a college degree with preference given to art majors.  Recipients must demonstrate outstanding academic potential as well as financial need.

The scholarship honors Mary K. McIntyre Gorrell, a professor in the Department of Art & Art History, who taught fibers and fabrics for 25 years at Western. Scholarship will be awarded to exceptional students pursuing a career as an art educator with the public schools.  All other things being equal, (which they never are), students who demonstrate outstanding talent with fibers and fabrics shall receive special consideration.

Available to Art Studio majors demonstrating financial need.

This is an annual scholarship for students whose focus is Art Studio in the College of Fine and Performing Arts, Art & Art History Department.

The purpose of the Skipping Stone Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in Art Scholarship is to recruit and increase retention in the Dept. of Art & Art History to members of historically underrepresented and systemically oppressed, racialized, and marginalized communities inclusive of LGBTQ+ identities to improve their academic pursuits and experience, in order for the Department of Art and Art History to flourish in a diverse community. The award will be split between Art Studio and Art History.

Whenever possible, preference will be made to applicants who demonstrate, in descending order of priority: Preference to students enrolled in the Metro Art Access course during summer quarter (when offered); Freshman/Sophomore or Junior accepted into the Department of Art and Art History Major; Good academic standing; Strong portfolio/research w/clarity and creativity of intention; and Financial need.

Art majors in the Department of Art & Art History whose concentration is photography and who demonstrate financial need.

$1500.00

One Scholarship is available to a full-time junior or senior majoring in studio art. Merit is the determining factor in the selection, and preference may be given to Students who graduated from a Whatcom County high school. The scholarship committee in the Department of Art & Art History will accomplish selection.