Five Iowa Students Receive Arts Scholarship Awards
For more information contact:
Ms Kanan Kappelman
515.348.6248
communications@iowaeda.com
Five Iowa Students Receive Arts Scholarship Awards
May 24, 2024 (DES MOINES, IA) – The Iowa Arts Council, a division of the Iowa Economic Development Authority, has announced that five talented high school seniors have been selected for this year’s prestigious Iowa Scholarship for the Arts.
The Iowa Scholarship for the Arts program supports Iowa high school students with proven artistic ability in dance, creative writing, music, theater, traditional arts, or visual arts who plan to pursue a major in the arts at an accredited Iowa college or university. Each scholarship winner will receive $3,000 for his or her college tuition and related expenses as a full-time undergraduate student in 2024-2025.
The Iowa Scholarship for the Arts was established in 1986 when world-renowned opera singer and native Iowan Simon Estes held a benefit concert in conjunction with the state’s ‘Homecoming 1986’ celebration. The proceeds from that concert provided seed funding for the Iowa Scholarship for the Arts.
The list of this year’s award recipients:
Abby Dart from Knoxville plans to pursue a degree in Musical Theatre and Dance with a certificate in Business at the University of Iowa. Dart has been a theatre and dance lover since middle school. After college, she plans to pursue a career at a performing arts nonprofit organization, and eventually work towards a master's degree in Theatre Education. Her long-term goal is to open her own playhouse someday and offer affordable theatre and dance classes.
Harlow Davis from Dubuque is planning to enroll in the Art Education and Studio Art degree program at the University of Northern Iowa. Davis's art gives a voice to the LGBTQ+ community and showcases their experience as a nonbinary transgender artist. After college, Davis plans to help others develop their own artistic skills by becoming an art teacher.
Meredith Heggen from Johnston aims to earn a degree in Vocal Music Education and Performance from Drake University. Heggen is a Lyric Soprano studying under the tutelage of Leanne Freeman-Miller. She has showcased her talent in NATS competitions, the 2023 International Lyric Academy Opera Scenes Program in Vicenza, Italy, and the Thursday Musical 2024 Young Artist Competition Winners Concert. Passionate about sharing musical narratives that foster self-discovery and connections, Heggen is engaged in music activities as a choir member and featured soloist at school and in the community.
Sara Shannon from Waverly plans to enroll in the University of Northern Iowa’s English degree program with a minor in Creative Writing and Music in euphonium. Throughout high school, Shannon has been involved in many bands, the orchestra, theatre, National Honor Society, and many clubs. Her long-term goal is to become an author after college, and she has already published some of her work.
Natalie Thomas from Cedar Falls plans to pursue a degree in English and Creative Writing with a minor in Theatre at the University of Iowa. Thomas's work is influenced by classic works of literature and explores themes of coming-of-age, mental illness, and deep human connection. After college, she plans to become a book editor while working to publish novels, poetry collections, and plays of her own.
For more information on arts and culture in Iowa, visit culture.iowaeda.com.
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