Fund for WCU supports library鈥檚 student art contest; winners now on display
CAPTION: The work titled 鈥淩ooftop Conversations鈥� by Alexis Bumgardner is the first-place winner in a student art competition hosted by 甜瓜视频app鈥檚 Hunter Library with support from the 1889 Impact Grants Program.
By Bill Studenc
甜瓜视频app students participated in an art competition focused on the university鈥檚 2023-2024 campus theme of 鈥淐ommunity and Belonginess鈥� hosted by Hunter Library, which now has the winning entries on display.
Held during the 2024 spring semester, the art contest was funded by $3,000 from the 1889 Impact Grants Program, supported by donations to the Fund for WCU.
A total of 15 student artworks were submitted for consideration, with the top three entries selected by a panel consisting of library and nonlibrary public art experts, said Chuck Thomas, dean of library services.
An additional 鈥減eople鈥檚 choice鈥� prize was awarded based on the results of an online vote by students. As part of the submission process, entrants granted the library permanent, nonexclusive rights to display their art on the facility鈥檚 central stairwell walls.
鈥淥ne primary impact of this project was when students returned to the library in the fall to find student works prominently displayed in the building,鈥� Thomas said. 鈥淭he campus theme inspired wonderful and thoughtful works that we are happy to share with the campus community. None of this would have been possible without the support we received from the 1889 Impact Grant.鈥�
Alexis Bumgardner, a senior from Sylva majoring in studio art with a minor in business administration, won first place in the competition.
鈥淧articipating in the contest gave me a great opportunity to have my art shown alongside my peers. I have always had a great interest in digital art. However, I didn鈥檛 have many chances to share my artwork with others until I heard about the contest,鈥� Bumgardner said. 鈥淏eing involved in something like this gave me a huge boost of confidence and inspiration that will absolutely fuel my educational journey. Going forward, I feel that I have extra passion and experience in my profession.鈥�
Her work is titled 鈥淩ooftop Conversations.鈥� It is now on display in a high-traffic location in Hunter Library鈥檚 main stairwell along with the second- and third-place finishers and the 鈥減eople鈥檚 choice鈥� award winner.
鈥淭he digital art contest has left me with such a sense of pride, seeing my art and the art of other students placed in the library for everyone to get a glimpse of,鈥� Bumgardner said. 鈥淚 remember seeing the artwork up for the first time. I was amazed at how prominently it was displayed.鈥�
Funds from the 1889 Impact Grant Program enabled the library to award prizes of cash gift cards to first-, second- and third-place finishers and the 鈥減eople鈥檚 choice鈥� winner and to cover the cost of producing large-format vinyl prints of the artwork for display.
鈥淚 am incredibly grateful to the donors who made the contest possible,鈥� Bumgardner said. 鈥淎s the theme suggested, having events like this at WCU really brings the community together. I have heard so many positive comments about the Hunter Library art exhibits. I think it is important for the arts to be appreciated, and this contest has done exactly that.鈥�
Launched in 2021, the 1889 Impact Grants Program is designed to provide a consistent source of funding for colleges and other units at WCU in support of initiatives that enhance the engagement of alumni and community stakeholders with the philanthropic activities of the university.
Funding for the program comes from annual contributions to the Fund for WCU, including leadership gifts from members of the 1889 Club, which recognizes donors for gifts made on an annual basis to the Fund for WCU. The club, among four giving societies established by the Division of Advancement to celebrate the impact of philanthropy on the institution, is named in honor of the year of WCU鈥檚 founding.
Campus partners requested more than $176,000 in 1889 Impact Grants through 23 campuswide grant applications for the 2023-2024 academic year, and the Division of Advancement allocated $47,000 overall for 12 projects, a slight increase from the $43,500 in grant funding awarded last year.
The WCU Foundation Board Executive Committee reviews all submissions and selects the awardees in the fall of each year. In addition to the 1889 Impact Grants Program, the Fund for WCU provides first-year access scholarships to new incoming freshmen and transfer students and supports ongoing donor stewardship efforts. To learn more about the 1889 Impact Grants Program, visit the Fund for WCU website.
