Created in 1997, The Malcolm J. Dashiell scholarship fund was dedicated by Janet Dashiell Gardner in memory of her husband. Dashiell, who helped establish the Bachelor of Fine Arts program at The University of Akron, taught sculpture at UA for 17 years.

The grant is available in both the Fall and Spring semesters and can be used during the current or subsequent term. The maximum amount available to students who apply is $1,000 per grant. The deadline for applying is Oct. 23 at noon.

According to the guidelines, the award provides partial support to students for art supplies, tools and software. Recipients can also use the grant to aid in more ambitious projects such as work for their senior exhibition, senior thesis, or honors projects.

The grant, however, may not be used to purchase required materials included in a course supply list for a class.

The application includes a cover sheet, resume, personal narrative, budget, samples of work and a letter of recommendation. The required cover sheet can be found on the last page of the guidelines.

Students are encouraged to apply because of the artistic flexibility the grant can offer them.

When junior Kayla Weinman was previously awarded the grant, she was beyond excited because it afforded her the opportunity to realize a project she had thought was out of her reach.

Along with allowing her to work on a larger scale, writing a proposal also gave Weinman an idea of how to write grants in other academic situations.

According to Weinman the application process involved mentally exploring an ambitious project she could not afford to undertake on her own. She then focused on what materials she had access to and which materials she would need to purchase.

Lastly Weinman organized her thoughts and plans into a document and submitted it.

Weinman admits that the process can seem scary but “once you break it down it really isn’t that hard of a process.”

At the end of the spring semester, recipients will be announced at the Myers School of Art Awards Ceremony. Prior to the ceremony, applicants will be notified by email of the outcome of their application.

Those selected to receive an award will be obligated to give back to the school by participating in school-sponsored events, centered on areas where a student’s voice and perspective are valued. Recipients must fulfill these obligations within 6 months of receiving the award.

Weinman encourages art students to apply for this grant and others like it and not allow fear to be a deterrent.

“Every student should apply to these grants and never be afraid of the outcome because the worst answer they could get is no and no is basically the answer they would have gotten if they didn’t try at all,” Weinman said.