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A conversation with recipients of student support funds across the arts

October 29, 2020

Graduate student Erin Hoppe (Arts Administration, Education and Policy) visits with Tyla Daniel (Theatre/Communication), Caitlyn Higley (Dance) and Devin Sheller (Music Education) to discuss how donor support is assisting them this year – a year like no other. Hear how the performing arts in particular have found creative ways to support teaching, learning and creative expression.

Our panel today reflects on the future of the arts at Ohio State – celebrating the on-going construction of new state-of-the-art facilities for Music, Theatre and Moving Image Production, which will complete a multi-year plan that creates an arts gateway to the Columbus Campus.

 

Undergraduate Tuition Scholarships

Overview

The following four scholarship funds honor and celebrate historic leaders in our community of dance as well as the spirit of dance itself. Undergraduate dance majors benefit from these annually awarded merit-based tuition scholarships, not only through the financial support but also through the recognition of talent, citizenship, and stellar performance in their degree program.

Descriptions

The Helen P. Alkire Scholarship Fund (600066) was established in honor of the founder of the Department of Dance at Ohio State. Scholarships from this fund are awarded to majors whose study emphasis is in performance and choreography.

The Timothy Scott Allan Award for Modern Dance Fund (640065) was established with a gift from Michael J. Allan and Celina S. Allan in honor of Ohio State Dance alumnus Tim Allan ('85) who passed away in 1996; used to support any of the following: tuition and fees, study abroad, student travel, creative projects, productions and performances.

The Stella J. Becker Scholarship Fund (600406) was established in honor of the late Ohio State alumna, dance teacher, and choreographer from Bexley, Ohio.

The Louise B. Guthman Scholarship Fund (602830) was established in honor of the late emeritus professor and used to provide scholarships to students for the study of dance production.

The Rosalind Pierson Scholarship Fund (665802) was established in memory of department professor M. Rosalind Pierson, a gifted dancer, teacher and mentor.

The Catherine Elizabeth Woods Dance Scholarship Fund (667854) was established in 2006 to honor the memory of a young dancer and performer. Catherine is the daughter of former Ohio State Marching Band Director, Jon Woods, in the School of Music.

Application Process

Ohio State Dance applicants who have been accepted by audition and admitted by Undergraduate Admissions are considered for limited recruitment scholarships at faculty discretion. Incoming students are also strongly encouraged to apply for all forms of financial aid as Dance funds are typically reserved for continuing students.

See the OSU Student Financial Aid website for more on Freshman and Transfer opportunities.  It is also strongly recommended that students apply for all forms of financial aid each year. See the OSU Student Financial Aid website for more information, especially on Special Scholarships.

Current undergraduate students in their first, second, or third year of the BFA program may apply for a tuition need- and merit-based scholarship. Students must have a demonstrated track record of technical strength, artistic vision, academic engagement, and visible citizenship. The Undergraduate Studies Committee in consultation with other faculty makes recommendations to the Chair for distribution of the scholarships.

To submit an application, current students are emailed the application link by the Academic Program Coordinator approximately one to two months prior to the deadline for submission.

Deadline for submission: February of each year with award notifications sent in early-mid March. See dates in the Internal Calendar or Ohio State Dance Weekly.

Giving to the funds

These scholarship funds are always growing their endowment and able to provide more students with more meaningful support every year. Please consider making a gift. With the thousands of alumni, parents, professionals, and Ohio State dance groupies out in the world, we look forward to continued donations paying forward and back. Click on each fund number above to enter the University's secure online giving website.

Department Project Grants

Giving to the Funds

Our project grant funds are always growing their endowment and able to provide more students with more meaningful support every year. Please consider making a gift. With the thousands of alumni, parents, professionals, and supporters out in the world, we look forward to continued donations paying forward and back. Click on each fund number below to enter the University's secure on line website.

I. Semester Funding Initiative (SFI)

Overview
The following three project grant funds honor and celebrate historic leaders in our community of dance as well as the spirit of dance itself. All current BFA, MFA, and PhD students in Dance can benefit from these funds to be used toward travel and research expenses for career/professional development goals, BFA Senior Projects, MFA Projects, and PhD conference presentations.

Descriptions
The Karen A. Bell Dance Fund (640418) honors Karen's 30 years of service to the university and reflects her foundational leadership in arts outreach.

The Vera J. Blaine Special Projects Fund (305892) was established in honor of Vera J. (Vickie) Blaine, department chair from 1982-95 and professor emerita, to support creative projects in dance.
 
The Presutti-Madison Memorial Dance Fund (605905) was established by Janet Madison, and alumna, in memory of her mother, Lucy Presutti, to provide support for archival research in dance.
 

Application Process
Undergraduate and graduate students may apply for a project support grant from the department once during the academic year. Students must have a well-articulated project plan that specifically utilizes the opportunities for which these funds are designed. Students are typically not awarded funding twice in the same academic year. Priority is generally given to high impact research or creative activities, MFA thesis projects, BFA senior projects, and projects with matching funds from other sources.

To submit an application, current students are emailed the application link by the Academic Program Coordinator approximately one to two months prior to the deadline for submission.

Deadline for submission: 
~ Autumn cycle applications are due at the end of September with award notifications sent at the end of October.
~ Spring cycle applications are due in mid-February with award notifications sent at the end of March.
See dates in the Internal Calendar or Ohio State Dance Weekly.

Please be prepared to include a 250-350 word project proposal, an itemized budget (list full budget, specify SFI requested items), and a timeline for the project. Your proposal should address the following:

  • Paragraph 1: Describe your project.
  • Paragraph 2: Discuss how SFI funding will support your project goals.
  • Paragraph 3: Explain how your training, coursework, and additional experiences contribute to the project. 

Please note:

  • Funding is for current semester or next semester events or projects, not for past semester
  • Priority given to those not funded previously
  • Software and equipment purchases cannot be funded
  • Per diem for travel cannot be funded

Final awards also affected by:

  • Number of applications
  • Budget in any given year
  • Availability of other grant sources

II. Dance Preservation Fund

Overview
Current Dance students, current Dance faculty, emeriti, and alumni may apply to the Dance Preservation Fund.

The Dance Preservation Fund (641562) was established in 1994 to further the recording of dance through awards to current students, graduates of the department, current faculty and emeriti. Visiting artists, researchers, and notators who are in residence in the Department of Dance are also eligible for funding.

Application Process
The online application for the Dance Preservation Fund is available in May for projects proposed to begin that summer with award notifications in June. More information is in the call for applications emailed to mailing lists and in the News section.

 

Travel

Featured Study Abroad Programs

  • Taiwan: student-initiated Student Exchange to the Taipei National University of the Arts (TNUA) 
    typically one semester or year long - September to June, requires application and collaboration with Ohio State Office of International Affairs (OIA) and TNUA
  • England: student-initiated program LabanDance through the Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance in London 
    typically one semester, requires application and collaboration with Ohio State OIA and Trinity Laban
  • Israel: student-initiated program DanceJerusalem through the Hebrew University of Jerusalem 
    typically one semester, requires application and collaboration with Ohio State OIA staff coordinator Elizabeth Angerman and Hebrew University
  • Jamaica: faculty-led short-term abroad in summer (odd years) with the Department of Art Administration, Education and Policy to the Edna Manley College of Visual and Performing Arts in Kingston.
  • Cuba, London, and Prague: faculty-led programs with the Department of Theatre. 
  • Brazil: faculty-led short-term abroad in spring (even years) 
    Ohio State Dance Brazil is Spring Break performance, teaching, and cultural exchange program that bridges contemporary and social forms of the African diaspora in Brazil and the United States. Dance majors audition the previous year in order to enroll in autumn preparatory courses and spring course.
  • Denmark: faculty-led short-term abroad in summer (odd years)
    Ohio State DANCE Denmark is a 5 ½ week performance, teaching and cultural exchange program that is committed to engage with dance as a creative movement practice with many forms of expression. The program invites participants to engage in bridging cultural understand between Denmark and the United States of America. Dance majors audition in the autumn in order to enroll for the summer study.
  • France: student-initiated program through Florida State University to Paris (transferrable credit to Ohio State).
  • Ohio State Hillel: various programs to go to Israel on breaks. 

University Resources

Professional Development

College of Arts and Sciences Center for Career and Professional Success  

Ready to branch out and explore your career options? Discover resources that will lead you towards an internship or job? Connect with employers?

The ASC Career Success office can help guide you toward these goals. They provide a number of internship and job search resources, including resume and cover letter review, career prep advising, and Handshake, Ohio State’s new university-wide position posting system where students have access to search and apply for part-time jobs, internships, co-ops, and full-time career opportunities. Thousands of jobs, internship and career opportunities are posted in Handshake as well as information on upcoming career fairs and on-campus recruiting events.

Use Handshake to connect with employers by searching for full-time employment, internships, part-time work, and other experiential learning opportunities targeted toward your major. This is a direct link to employers who want to hire you!

Basic requirements for student access include enrollment in classes for the current term and good financial standing.

Start setting up your profile using your name.#@osu.edu email address (do not use your buckeyemail email). The more handshake knows about you, the better it can deliver relevant content to meet your needs and interests.

To learn more about Handshake and other resources offered by the Center for Career and Professional Success, visit their office:

100 Denney Hall
164 Annie & John Glenn Avenue
Columbus OH, 43210

Focus 2 Career

FOCUS 2 Career is an online self-assessment tool that will help you explore majors and career options, and then direct you to customized major and career resources. FOCUS is free for Ohio State students, and is available through go.osu.edu/focus2career. Many more assessments are available through Career Connection for a reasonable fee. See their website for a list.

 The Barnett Internship Program