Four of Iowa’s most talented high school seniors have earned an Iowa Scholarship for the Arts to support their college education this fall.
Faith De Groot of Alta, Ruby Hummel of Yale, Mikayla Lane of Cresco and Mio Legaspi of Adel are the recipients of the prestigious award from the Iowa Arts Council, a division of the Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs.
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 $2,500 for his or her college tuition and related expenses as a full-time undergraduate student in 2021-2022.
"These students have demonstrated exceptional artistic ability, and we’re delighted they will pursue their education here in Iowa,” Iowa Arts Council Administrator David Schmitz said. “An education in the arts will help them develop creativity and critical-thinking skills as they prepare for future careers in the arts or other areas.”
Faith De Groot of Alta Aurelia High School plans to study scientific illustration at Buena Vista University in Storm Lake. She draws inspiration from music, poetry and photography to create art that brings structure and expression to emotion. At Buena Vista, she will study technical art skills in digital platforms that she can use in magazines and museum displays to illustrate scientific concepts.
Ruby Hummel of Panorama High School will study music education at Drake University in Des Moines. Inspired by teachers and peers, she wants to continue to perform while studying to become a music educator, so she can help future generations connect with music.
Mikayla Lane of Crestwood High School will study visual arts and graphic design at the University of Iowa in Iowa City. She incorporates hyper-realism into her artwork, attempting to accurately portray life on paper. At the University of Iowa, she will study color theory, expand her range of mediums and learn how to create hyper-realistic artworks in color.
Mio Legaspi of Des Moines Christian School will study music and business at Drake University. With experience in show choir, a cappella choir, jazz band, worship band and musical theater, he will study vocal performance at Drake University to pursue a career in the music industry.
More information about the Iowa Scholarship for the Arts is available at iowaculture.gov.
The Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs and its three divisions – the Iowa Arts Council, Produce Iowa - State Office of Media Production and the State Historical Society of Iowa – empower Iowa to build and sustain culturally vibrant communities by connecting Iowans to the people, places and points of pride that define our state. The department’s work enables Iowa to be recognized as a state that fosters creativity and serves as a catalyst for innovation where the stories of Iowa are preserved and communicated to connect past, present and future generations.