October 12, 2023
College of Architecture, Planning & Design doubles scholarship funding
Over the past two years, K-State’s College of Architecture, Planning & Design has nearly doubled its scholarship funding. The increase is attributed to the generosity of philanthropic donors.
For the 2023-24 academic year, APDesign awarded more than $672,000 in scholarships to students pursuing degrees in a diverse range of fields, including architecture, landscape architecture, interior architecture, industrial design, community planning, and real estate and community development. This represents a substantial increase from the approximately $330,000 in awards granted to students in the academic year 2021-22. These scholarships play a crucial role in helping students achieve their academic and professional aspirations.
Key highlights of the scholarship program include:
• Education abroad scholarships: APDesign increased funding for education abroad scholarships, enabling students to gain international experience and expand their horizons.
• Retention scholarships under the Society We Serve Initiative: The college is dedicated to supporting students' retention and success through these scholarships.
• 5th Year Fellowship: A notable addition to the scholarship offerings, the 5th Year Fellowship aims to bridge the gap in tuition costs for eligible students in the final year of professional master's degree programs. In some cases, this fellowship can be extended to cover additional degree-related expenses.
For the academic year 2023-24, APDesign awarded 25 students the fellowship. Recipients were selected by their respective departments based on their outstanding academic achievements and leadership activities.
Students receiving the fellowship are Libby Couture, Christa Gorman, Emily Hemsath, Natalie Hummel, Blaine Hupe, Sabreena Leach, Christina Mackenzie, Meredith Park, Colton Parmley, Linh Phan, Gage Roberts, Maly Sears, Jacob Shreve, Maria-Claudia Smart-Rengifo, Catherine Steinacker, Lizeth Sustaita-Delgado, Isaiah Tarwater, Rowan Taylor, Andrew Thompson, Shelby Thornton, Lance Wackerla, Natalie Walls, Allison Wilken, Jacob Williams and Caitlin Young.
In total, nearly $205,000 of scholarship funds have been distributed to the inaugural 5th Year Fellowship recipients, marking a significant investment in their academic and professional growth. The college is striving to ensure that all students in good academic standing in the last year of a 5-year master's degree program can benefit from tuition-free education.
“We are so grateful to be in the position to help so many students achieve their goals to become future leaders in the architecture, planning and design professions,” said Michael McClure, dean and professor of APDesign. “The hard work and talent of our students is matched by the passion and generosity of our alumni and donors.”
APDesign's scholarship program covers a wide spectrum of student needs, ranging from incoming freshmen to transfer and graduate students. Additionally, the college offers 5th year Fellowships, which are awarded in the fifth year of professional master's degree programs. All APDesign students are encouraged to apply for departmental and dean's office awards by utilizing the K-State Scholarship Network application.