Dave Cross Design Arts Scholarship is sponsored by Dave Cross. Supports undergraduate students passionate about graphic design, media arts, digital design, or photography to make the arts more accessible.

Dave Cross Design Arts Scholarship | Bold. org For Donors For Applicants Dave Cross Design Arts Scholarship Graphic design, media arts, digital design, or photography Graphic design, media arts, digital design, or photography Careers in the arts can be incredibly rewarding, offering artists and creatives the ability to express themselves, share new ideas, and add beauty to the world.

Unfortunately, pursuing the arts can feel like a risky decision and many students shy away from this area due to financial worries. For students with limited resources, attending college often requires taking out student loans or making significant sacrifices to pay for tuition. As a result, many people feel pressured to pursue fields that offer stability and high starting salaries.

This scholarship seeks to make the arts more accessible by supporting students who are passionate about letting their creativity shine. Any undergraduate student who is pursuing graphic design, media arts , digital design, or photography may apply for this scholarship opportunity if they have a portfolio of their creative work.

To apply, tell us why you’re passionate about design or photography, what type of project excites you, and how you plan to take advantage of digital design tools. Additionally, link your portfolio.

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What type of project excites you the most? How do you plan to take advantage of digital design tools?

Colorado State University-Fort Collins University of Maryland-Baltimore County Academy of Art University Colorado State University-Fort Collins Fort Collins, CO # David Cross Design Arts Scholarship Essay - Revised At 52 years old, pursuing a degree in graphic design and photography isn't about starting a career—it's about answering a calling. My passion for design comes from a deep, personal need to bridge creativity and healing.

I've spent the past seven years in faith-based recovery work, leading Celebrate Recovery groups in prisons, shelters, and churches. These environments often lack the resources to present their work with the dignity it deserves. That's where design comes in—not just to make things look better, but to tell stories that restore hope and dignity to people in crisis.

One of the most meaningful projects I've completed is my "Mental Health Stamps" series. Each stamp represents someone close to me who's been impacted by mental illness: my daughter lives with bipolar disorder, I live with anxiety, my father carries PTSD from Vietnam, and my brother-in-law tragically ended his life in a murder-suicide after battling psychosis caused by undiagnosed CTE.

I created these stamps to humanize mental illness—to show faces, not labels—and to use design as a tool for empathy. The work lives in my online portfolio not just as art, but as testimony. These stamps serve as a visual conversation starter to reduce stigma and spark awareness.

The projects that move me most are ones that carry this kind of personal and social impact. I want to create branding, posters, and awareness campaigns for nonprofits working with addiction, homelessness, and mental health. These organizations often have the heart but not the budget for compelling visuals.

I want to be the bridge between grassroots service and professional-level design. I've also begun using photography to document life inside recovery meetings and food rescue missions. I volunteer weekly for Vindeket Foods, rescuing thousands of pounds of food from being wasted.

With my camera, I capture the dignity of volunteers, the beauty in reclaimed produce, and the unseen faces behind community resilience. My lens isn't focused on perfection—it's focused on truth. I've worked in Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, and InDesign, and am now exploring motion graphics and short video storytelling.

Digital tools give me the ability to match the emotional tone of a story to its visual execution. Design isn't just visual—it's emotional translation, and the digital toolbox lets me amplify those stories across mediums and platforms. This scholarship would allow me to stay focused on school and service instead of having to sacrifice either to meet basic expenses.

More than that, it would be an investment in someone using design as a spiritual and social tool—someone who believes design can heal, illuminate, and empower. I'm not pursuing this degree for a title. I'm pursuing it so I can help others believe in their own worth again—through powerful visuals, honest storytelling, and compassion that can be seen and felt.

**Portfolio Link:** https://www. frownedupondesigns.

com/graphic-design-portfolio Explore All Kinds of Scholarships for All Kinds of Students Graduate School Scholarships No-Essay Scholarships Scholarships for Nursing Students Merit-Based Scholarships High School Scholarships Scholarships for Black Students Scholarships for Women Undergraduate Scholarships Scholarships for High School Seniors View all When is the scholarship application deadline? The application deadline is Aug 8, 2025.

Winners will be announced on Sep 8, 2025. How will scholarship application information be used? What is the scholarship award?

Award amounts per winner are designated by the donor. Check the award amount for a detailed breakdown. When will the scholarship winner be chosen?

How will they be notified? The winner will be publicly announced on Sep 8, 2025. Prior to the announcement date, we may contact finalists with additional questions about their application.

We will work with donors to review all applications according to the scholarship criteria. Winners will be chosen based on the merit of their application. How will the scholarship award be paid?

Award checks will be sent to the financial aid office of the winner's academic institution in their name to be applied to their tuition, and in the name of their institution (depending on the school's requirements). If the award is for a qualified educational non-tuition expense, we will work with the winner directly to distribute the award and make sure it goes towards qualified expenses.

How will my scholarship application be verified? Before we award the scholarship, the winner will be required to confirm their academic enrollment status. Depending on the circumstances, verification of Student ID and/or their most recent transcript will be required.

How should I get in touch with questions? If you have any questions about this scholarship or the Bold. org platform, just email contact@bold.

org and we’ll get back to you as quickly as we can. Does the scholarship have terms and conditions? Yes.

The terms and conditions for this scholarship can be found here . 97% of students don't win scholarships. We’re here to change that.

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