FASA announces recipient of its first Arts scholarship
By Luis Armando Sanchez Diaz, April 4 2022—
The Faculty of Arts Students’ Association (FASA) at the University of Calgary announced the recipient of the first-ever FASA Arts scholarship, which is set to be awarded on an annual basis.
“We wanted to create something that would honour students in the Arts program and help to promote a scholarship for creativity. We wanted to celebrate individuality and the impact that those individuals play, when it comes to their engagement at the University of Calgary,” said FASA’s vice-president operations and finance, Aurelle Crerar, in a statement to the Gauntlet.
Crerar stated FASA’s commitment and goal of creating a scholarship that highlights the community work by Arts students — regardless of their major — as one of the reasons behind the scholarship.
Crerar mentioned that there were close to 200 applicants for the 2021 FASA’s scholarship application cycle and expressed that she is hopeful that this motivates students to take part in community-building projects.
“As the scholarship was based on community engagement, we hope that this will help encourage students to get involved and find something on campus that they are passionate about,” she said.
The award has a net value of $1,500 and was awarded to Ishnoor Dhillon, a fourth-year Visual Studies student.
In a statement to the Gauntlet, Dhillon described how she feels to have been awarded the scholarship.
“It is truly amazing to not only receive the scholarship but to have the honour of being the first recipient,” she said. “It feels really wonderful to know that my commitment to the student community is being recognized in such a special way.”
Dhillon also expressed her view on how the scholarship highlights the community work that students are contributing to the faculty of arts.
“This scholarship highlights the integral community involvement of faculty of arts’ students. The ability to submit your application in various forms sends a huge message of inclusion while promoting creativity,” said Dhillon who has been involved in Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) committees and clubs at the U of C.
Additionally, Dhillon is the co-founder and president of The Pentimento Collective, which is an organization “dedicated to promoting and sharing visual artworks of students,” as stated on their official webpage.
Dhillon concluded by encouraging other Arts students to apply for next year’s scholarship.
“I would encourage everyone to apply next year if they are contributing to the campus community in any way. It is a great opportunity [which] can provide recognition and reward for your hard work,” said Dhillon.
In a separate statement, Courtney Pascoe, FASA’s director of the policy, review and amendment committee, expressed her views and thoughts on the meaning behind the scholarship.
“The creation of the scholarship to me embodies a celebration of the diversity present in the Faculty of Arts and the community spirit we can foster when diverse groups come together to better each other,” she said.
“The inspiration for this was to create a legacy encouraging students in the faculty to continue fostering a sense of community and lifting each other up during these difficult times where many may feel isolated,” Pascoe added.
In addition, she expressed that she hopes that the scholarship encourages others to continue working on initiatives and projects that aim to foster community engagement.
“I hope over the years to come that this scholarship can encourage the continued collaboration and uplifting of communities within our faculties creating a supportive and loving environment for generations of students to come,” she concluded.
Future applicants must meet a criterion for their application to be considered and reviewed by the FASA council, the Policy Review & Amendment Committee (PRAC) and the Sponsorships and Grants Committee (SAGC).
Students are required to be enrolled in any program within the faculty of arts, be in any year of study and not be on academic probation. Applicants are requested, as well, to provide an academic reference and be in good academic standing, according to the application form to be found online.
Visit FASA’s webpage to learn more about the organization’s activities, work and future events. As well as to be updated on the future application process for the 2022 FASA Arts Scholarship.