Below please find information about several scholarships available to students as part of the Department of Theatre and Dance.
Board of Trustees Talent Scholarships
Each year, NMU Board of Trustees (BOT) Talent Scholarships are given to those who make important contributions to the Department of Theatre and Dance at NMU. Returning theatre and dance majors and minors are eligible for $500 to $2000 per year in scholarships. Scholarships do not automatically renew but are renewable year-to-year upon application.
Scholarship recipients will be required to participate in NMU Theatre and Dance productions throughout the year and remain in good standing within the department. For maximum scholarship consideration, students are encouraged to apply as early as possible. Applications will open during the first week of winter semester and will close on the last day of spring break.
How to Apply
The NMU BOT Theatre Talent Scholarship application has 2 main sections: general information and essay questions. Past scholarship recipients will also be required to list their production involvement for the past academic year. Stay tuned for a link to apply.
The NMU BOT Dance Talent Scholarship application has the same requirements as the Theatre Talent Scholarship, with the additional requirement of a video submission. Only dance majors are eligible to receive Dance Talent Scholarships. Your video submission should include an introduction (your first and last name) and one solo piece of choreography in the style of your choice. Please introduce the piece with its title and choreographer. Stay tuned for a link to apply.
Questions?
Any questions about scholarships or scholarship applications can be directed to the Theatre and Dance Department Head or the Program Head of your anticipated major. See below:
Department Head - Bill Digneit wdigneit@nmu.edu
Assistant Department Head - Jill Grundstrom jgrundst@nmu.edu
BFA Acting Program - Jimmy Ludwig jiludwig@nmu.edu
BA/BS Dance Program - Karina Johnson karijohn@nmu.edu
BFA Musical Theatre - Paul Truckey ptruckey@nmu.edu
BFA Theatre Technology and Design - Lex van Blommestein lvanblom@nmu.edu
BA/BS Theatre and Entertainment Arts (Performance) - Kristen Beth Ludwig krludwig@nmu.edu
BA/BS Theatre and Entertainment Arts (Design Technology) - Em Rossi erossi@nmu.edu
The James L. Rapport Scholarship
Origin: Established in 1998 by donations in honor of James L. Rapport.
Purpose: The award will recognize contributions made to the Forest Roberts Theatre by a full-time student who meets the minimum GPA requirements at Northern Michigan University.
Eligibility: Preference will be given to theatre majors, with subsequent consideration given to those who have performed on the Forest Roberts stage or worked in a backstage capacity.
There will be three categories of possible awards. Awards can be made in one or more categories and to one or more individuals in any given year.
- This award will be given as a grant to be used in connection with the annual McMaster's Seminar at the Stratford Theatre Festival in Stratford Ontario, Canada, or for the New York theatre trip to offset expenses. The student must show financial need and dedication to the NMU theatre program.
- To be eligible for this award, a candidate must be a graduating senior and have shown talent, dedication, and innovation in their cumulative body of work while enrolled as a theatre undergraduate.
- This award will be given to an undergraduate full-time student for contributions to the theatre program and excellence in performance whether on stage or in backstage work. The theatre faculty will select recipients.
Award: A minimum of $500 per year. More than one category may be given in any year if funds allow.
Number: Varies
Special: The first year's award will be awarded with $1,000 from funds donated in honor of James L. Rapport. Subsequent year's award will be funded from available earnings. This fund is to be endowed in perpetuity with only the available earnings being used to make awards in accordance with the NMU Development Fund's spending policy for endowed accounts. In the event that the scholarship becomes obsolete (i.e. the theatre program is dissolved), the corpus of the fund will be used in other areas of student need in the department of Communication and Media Studies at Northern Michigan University as directed by the executive committee of the NMU Foundation.
Forest Roberts Theatre Award
Origin: Established in 1998 with donations in memory of Forest A. Roberts.
Purpose: This fund will provide awards to full-time students at Northern Michigan University.
Eligibility: To be eligible for the award a candidate must be a full-time undergraduate student at NMU of a least sophomore standing. Candidates must have a minimum 3.0 NMU grade point average. Preference will be given to theatre majors who have sustained high-quality contributions to theatre program and who have demonstrated generosity of spirit in their theatre activities, whether in performance or technical production. The theatre faculty will select recipients.
Award: A $500 Award will be given per year until the funds are exhausted. In the final year of the award, if there is less than $500, the entire amount will be awarded
Number: One per year until funds are exhausted. Not renewable.
Created: This scholarship was established with gifts made in memory of Forest Roberts.
Mitzi Selin Scholarship
Description: Established in 1962 by friends and relatives of Mrs. Mitzi Selin. She was active in the Marquette fine arts community and a strong supporter of the NMU theatre program.
Qualifications:
- Full-time student in the Department of Theatre and Dance (incoming, undergraduate, or graduate student)
- Has made, or demonstrates the potential to make, significant contributions to the theatre program.
- Amount of money varies.