SVA has teamed up with innovative advertising, design and digital agency Deutsch NY for a new scholarship for future undergraduate students, Fund the Change. This renewable merit scholarship will award two incoming first-year BFA Advertising or BFA Design students each $10,000 per year, totaling $40,000 each over the course of four years.

Fund the Change is the first scholarship of its kind in that its support goes beyond the financial. It will also provide year-round mentorship opportunities and paid summer internships at Deutsch NY, creating a clear path for growth from throughout the recipients’ undergraduate careers. Eligible students must apply by February 1, 2021, and winners will be announced on March 15, 2021.

Conceived by Deutsch NY to support creative undergraduate students from historically underrepresented backgrounds, and inspired by the Black Lives Matter movement, Fund the Change aims to bring more diverse talent to the advertising industry. “In the heart of our city, we knew SVA was the right partner for us. Together we will be a catalyst for our next generation of creative professionals by bridging the gap between the classroom and agency experience,” says Val DiFebo, CEO of Deutsch New York.

As of September 2020, the World Advertising Research Center (WARC) reports that less than 6% of the advertising and design industry identifies as Black or African American. While Deutsch NY has a long history of offering paid internships to a diverse group of candidates, Fund the Change will further that mission by supporting the winning students through their entire college careers and creating long-term post-college opportunities to grow within the industry.

Administered through the Visual Arts Foundation and funded by Deutsch NY, Fund the Change also furthers SVA’s ongoing mission to build a more inclusive environment for its community. By recognizing the academic achievement and creative potential of students who, through their varied cultural perspectives and ideas, are poised to impact the fields of design, marketing or advertising, SVA and Deutsch NY will ultimately create a launchpad for aspiring industry professionals and future industry leaders. As students progress through their college careers, this scholarship is designed to grow with them, setting them up for success in a lasting way.

“This scholarship is a dream come true for me, a first-generation BIPOC SVA alumnus and now a chair at the College. Anything is possible when talent is supported and nurtured,” says Gail Anderson (BFA 1984 Media Arts), chair of BFA Advertising and BFA Design and creative director of Visual Arts Press, the College’s in-house design studio. “Thanks to our friends at Deutsch, new doors will open for the next generation of creative professionals.”

Features