Nine College of Arts & Letters students each were awarded a $500 scholarship from the Alumni Endowed Student Book Scholarship and Robert L. Fiore Student Book Scholarship funds as a recognition of their academic achievement and to help ease the financial burden of a college education. The funds may be put towards school materials such as books and art supplies.
The 2019 recipients include:
Briana Beeman
Beeman, a junior Theatre major, has been an Assistant Director of several productions through the Department of Theatre and interned at the Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey, where she researched women in postcolonial theatre and presented her findings at the College of Arts & Letters Creative Arts and Research Forum and the University Undergraduate Research and Arts Forum (UURAF). Beeman also serves on the E-Board of the College of Arts & Letters Student Council.
Madison Chaffer
Chafer, a junior Graphic Design major
Jason Dernay
Dernay, a sophomore dual major in Theatre and Management, currently is a Disney Musicals in Schools Intern for the Wharton Center Institute, Board Treasurer for the Spartan Theatrical Arts Resource Team (stART), and a member of Second Stage Productions. Earlier in the Spring 2019 semester, Dernay traveled with a select group of Department of Theatre students to participate and perform at the International Theatre Festival at the American University of Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates.
Matthew Gillespie
Gillespie, a senior Graphic Design major, actively participates in the American Institute of Graphic Arts, where he has been part of portfolio reviews and speaking engagements with renowned designers from around the world. He also attended the Design in Chicago Study Away trip this past spring break, where the group visited 10 different agencies and studios.
Kaileigh Hermann
Hermann, a sophomore Experience Architecture and Graphic Design major, is a member of the College of Arts & Letters’ Citizen Scholars program. This year, she has been a part of the iOS Design Lab cohort on campus. This coming summer, she will be going on the Accessibility in the Tech Industry in Silicon Valley study away trip.
Samuel Meade
Meade, a junior with a dual major in Interdisciplinary Humanities and History, is part of the Honors College, Citizen Scholars program, and is a Resident Assistant. He has worked for the Department of Theatre and the College of Music as an Assistant Director and was a Directing Intern at Seagle Music Colony in Schroon Lake, New York. This summer, he plans to study abroad at Cambridge University in the United Kingdom as part of its Interdisciplinary Summer Program.
Chardonnay Richardson
Richardson, a sophomore Apparel and Textile Design major, is part of the STEP and TRIO programs and the Women of Distinction (WOD) on campus. She has volunteered with the Welcome Team for the past two years, as well as the Textile Art Community Project, the MSU Food Pantry, MSU Family Day, Homecoming, Vex Robotics Weekend, and the Office of Cultural Academic Thanksgiving Unity to service food to students who couldn’t make it home for Thanksgiving.
Elena Schafer
Schafer, a junior English major, works as a Social Media Lead at the Red Cedar Review, where she delegates content creation and creative campaigns for the literary journal’s online presence. She also is a Writing Center Tutor, where she offers on-site and online academic support for MSU students. This summer, Elena will be attending the NYU Summer Publishing Institute, which immerses rising undergraduate seniors in the publishing industry through workshops, strategy sessions, and lectures.
Abigail Scott
Scott, a junior with a dual major in English and Professional Writing is an intern with the College of Arts & Letters’ Excel Network and a member of the Citizen Scholars program. This year, Scott served as the Social Media Chair for the MSU Irish Dance Club and she will serve in that position again next year. This summer, she will study abroad on the Literary Studies in Dublin program where she will be studying Irish Literature at Trinity College in Dublin.
