This fall semester, scholarships and praise are falling like leaves on several Rogers State University art students. Most notably, Crystal Walters and Jordan Wong have scored an impressive number of prestigious awards.
In one week alone they each won scholarships totaling $1500 from the highly competitive and prestigious Alpha Rho Tau Tulsa Civic Art Association and the RSU Italy Scholarship Competition.
Earlier this fall, Walters and Wong each submitted digital art portfolios of 18-20 images to Alpha Rho Tau for consideration in a competition that was open to student entries from Tulsa Community College, the University of Tulsa, Oral Roberts University and RSU. The two RSU students were the exclusive winners.
During a ceremony held Nov. 9 at TCC, Wong was presented the 2011 Nancy Swindler Art Scholarship by Swindler herself. Walters received the 2011 Alpha Rho Tau Art Scholarship at the same event.
Susan Green, education coordinator at the Philbrook Museum, judged the Italy Scholarship Competition. In addition to Walters’ sepia photograph “Security” and Wong’s computer painting “Sea Anemone,” she also designated RSU student Ariel Landrum’s work “Figure #2” worthy of a scholarship.
The exhibit, which also includes a student show and sale, is ongoing through Dec. 2 in the Foundations Gallery of Baird Hall.
Walters, a graphic design and photography student, is currently a junior in the RSU bachelor of fine arts program and plans to continue her education with a master of fine arts.
Wong aspires to become a museum or gallery curator. She is a sophomore BFA studio major working in mix-media painting and graphics.
In addition, RSU photography students McKenzie Cooper and Jessica Shaw took top honors in photography in the 2011 Northeast Oklahoma Area Art Show held earlier in the semester.
For information about RSU Fine Arts visit www.rsu.edu/fine-arts/ or Alpha Rho Tau Tulsa Civic Art Association.