FOTAD Scholarships and Merit Awards Program

PLEASE READ CAREFULLY, AS IN CAREFULLY

Merit awards are available to all declared Theater and Dance majors with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher. Award decisions are made during spring semester and applicants must be enrolled full time in that current semester. Awards are offered in the categories of Dance (Alcine Wiltz Awards), Performance (William Best Awards), Technical Theater (William Vilhauer Awards and the Curtains Up Theater Co. Award) and awards in Theater Education, and at three levels (multiple awards may be given within each level):

Apprentice Level—intended for the beginning student who demonstrates noteworthy work in the craft of theater/dance. Students who have completed one to three semesters of theatre and dance courses should apply for the apprentice level.

Journeyman Level—intended for the intermediate student who demonstrates excellence in the craft of theater/dance. Students who have completed three to six semesters of theatre and dance courses should apply for the journeyman level.

Master Level—intended for the advanced student who demonstrates mastery of the craft of theater/dance. Students who have completed six or more semesters of theatre and dance courses should apply for the master level.

The specific number and amount of awards will vary, reflecting the quality of the applicants, based on the live audition/portfolio presentation, personal interview, and the amount of funds available. The level at which the student applies DOES NOT indicate the monetary size of any of the awards.

All applicants must complete and submit the following items to the Department of Theater and Dance office no later than 4 p.m. on
February 9, 2009 . Please note on following pages the specific instructions about this list.

1. A FOTAD Awards Application Data Sheet (available by clicking HERE. Click here for an electronic submission form.)
2. One faculty member’s (typed) letter of recommendation
3. An “UNofficial” SIUE academic transcript.
4. A digital photo of yourself (can be cel phone photo) e-mailed to gconroy@siue.edu
5. A letter of application/introduction (MAX. ONE PAGE, DOUBLE-SPACED)
6. A current résumé

Applicants will prepare monologues/dances/portfolio presentations to be performed/presented for the FOTAD Awards Committee on Feb. 13, 2009, in the small dance studio on the second floor of Dunham Hall. Brief, personal interviews will be conducted with each applicant immediately following their audition/portfolio presentation.

The Awards Committee will present its recommendations to the Board by Feb. 16 for final approval and post winners in the department Feb. 17.

Additional awards for outstanding students (sometimes referred to as Honors Day Awards) are also offered each year by FOTAD through the SIUE Department of Theater and Dance, whose faculty choose awardees and who present the awards at the end of an academic year. These are available to all registered students, and are given in recognition of excellent work in the department. The four awards are: The Lynn Kluth Award for Best Student in Performance; an Award for Best Student in Dance; The George Lampman Award for Best Student in Design/ Technical Theater; and The Richard Claridge Award for Best Student in service to the department. Presentation and amount of awards is dependent on availability of funds.

Memorial Scholarships are offered on a one-time basis only, in recognition of selected individuals. A member of the FOTAD Board must make a motion for such a memorial, including the amount of the scholarship. A majority of board members (in a quorum) must approve.

Special Event Grants may be made available, upon request by a faculty member of the Department of Theater and Dance for the performance, dance, technical theater and education student groups who would like to attend conferences. In the past, monies have been offered to assist students who wanted to attend the USITT Conference, the American College Dance Festival and the American College Theatre Festival.

Revised 10/08

Specific Instructions for FOTAD Merit Awards 2008-2009

Determining level of applicant:
Apprentice: 1 - 3 semesters of completed theatre and/or dance courses
Journeyman: 3 - 6 semesters of completed theatre and/or dance courses
Master: 6 + semesters of completed theatre and/or dance courses

Letter of application (MAX. ONE PAGE, DOUBLE-SPACED):
Introduce yourself—name, major/minor, etc; give a brief background of work in theatre and dance—emphasize SIUE experience; include personal information—how you became interested in your area of concentration; why you are applying for a FOTAD Merit Award, future goals, etc.

Résumé:
Please include a current résumé in your packet—emphasize your area of concentration (make extra copies for yourself!)

Letter of Recommendation (from faculty member):
Letter must be from faculty member teaching in applicant’s area of concentration; faculty member should have experience with the applicant in the classroom and/or production work; letters are to be sealed and to be viewed only by the FOTAD Awards Committee.

Auditions/Presentations:
Dance: One to one-and-a-half minutes in length; musical accompaniment (CD, etc.) not required; Apprentice and Journeyman levels are not required to do their own choreography, but may choose to present something that best demonstrates their performance abilities; master level students must perform their own choreography.

Performance: One to one-and-a-half-minute audition monologue(s); Apprentice level .....only one monologue required; Journeyman level...only one monologue required, but you have the option of performing two contrasting monologues; master level…two contrasting monologues required.

Technical: Five-minute presentation; apprentice level...portfolio not required, but optional; students may present individual projects or oral presentation of tech résumé; Journeyman level ... may also do individual project presentation OR portfolio presentation; Master level....portfolio presentation required.

ATTN: EDUCATION MAJORS—Theater education juniors and seniors have the option of presenting their teacher portfolios during the face-to-face interview. This is IN ADDITION to a performance or dance audition, or a technical theater portfolio presentation.

This is your chance to shine. Please, impress us.

Applicants should note that scholarships are determined by the FOTAD Board of Directors (after the recommendation of the Awards Committee). The specific dollar amounts vary from year to year depending on the qualifications and number of applicants. Applicants are judged on completion (and neatness) of application packet, audition/presentation, and personal interview.

Any questions about the awards should be directed to FOTAD President Greg Conroy (gconroy@siue.edu) or Cindy Reinhardt (cgale@siue.edu), FOTAD Merit Awards Committee Chair and vice president of FOTAD.