The Cassandra Butts Scholarship Arts Scholarship
2 awards – $1000 each
Open Date:        February 1, 2019
Close Date:       April 30, 2019
 
The Cassandra Butts Scholarship Arts Scholarship is for students with majors in the visual arts including, but not limited to, architecture, ceramics, drawing, fashion, graphic design, illustration, interior design, painting, photography, sketching, video production and other decorative arts. Established in 2017, the scholarship honors Cassandra Quin Butts who wanted to ensure that youth have access to arts and arts education regardless of race or economic status.  Ms. Butts, President Obama’s classmate at Harvard Law School and longtime member of the president’s inner circle, advised him throughout his political career.  She served as the deputy White House counsel and was a nominee to the ambassadorship to the Bahamas.  On Capitol Hill, Ms. Butts worked as a top advisor to Senator Harris Wofford and House Democratic Leader Richard Gephardt. A civil and human rights advocate, Ms. Butts served as a senior advisor at the Millennium Challenge Corporation, and an attorney with the NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund.
 
Students must be U.S. citizens or permanent U.S. resident, pursuing a major and career in a visual art, and planning to enroll in the upcoming 2019-2020 academic year as a full-time undergraduate student. Candidates must exhibit leadership ability and participation in community service activities. A minimum 2.5 GPA is required.
 
PROCEDURES
 
Candidates must furnish the Committee with proof of exceptional ability in his/her chosen field by submitting:

1.  A personal statement explaining how the scholarship will aid in his/her development into a professional artist (500 word maximum)
2.  TWO (2) letters of recommendation.  (One letter must be from an art teacher)
3.  A resume (2 pages maximum) detailing his/her academics, extracurricular activities, honors, employment, community service, and special skills
4.  A recent photograph suitable for publication (i.e., a cap and gown picture, or other professional quality and professionally dressed photograph).
5.  An official transcript (all pages, in color, and legible)
6.  A photo of original piece of artwork from the art genre for which are you applying, with each file name showing the piece’s title