“Phoebe Pugkhem George is an illustration major at Hartford Art School who hopes to use her skills learned to tell stories that represent and include all peoples, using mediums such as sequential art, animation, sculpture, and video art.”
“Leo Mancini is a designer, engineer, and artist. Most recently, he’s been designing and prototyping products at Propel to help people with limited income access government benefits. Before that, Leo was part of design teams at Cash App, Square, Indeed, Code for America, and Facebook.”
Phoebe, Leo, and seven other rising stars are introducing themselves to the industry at the newly launched Alumni Spotlight section of the Graphic Communications Scholarship Foundation (GCSF) web site. These talented young people are sharing their stories as ambassadors for GCSF, a not-for-profit group that has helped to make possible the educations they’ve received and the careers they’re embarking upon.
As Kaye Torres, another GCSF alum, puts it:
“GCSF not only provided financial relief to my education, the smile and joy it provided my family is worth every obstacle in my journey to complete my education. Before, I had no idea what the industry was like, but the support, the events, and the education series prepared me. Every time I see the GCSF family, it’s a bright reminder of how much they want to see you succeed – Thank you!!”
Fostering success is both the mission and the passion of GCSF, an all-volunteer, 501(c)(3) organization that has contributed more than $1.5 million in scholarships to students in the New York-New Jersey metropolitan area since 2002. Many of the students it has assisted have gone on to outstanding careers in the graphic communications industry.
“We created the Alumni Spotlight page to show the industry just how exceptional our students are,” says John Aaron, President of GCSF. “They’re living proof that the industry’s next generation of talent are right here and ready to accomplish great things.”
Besides scholarships, GCSF also provides mentoring, internships, and educational programs for professional development. Every year, it hosts an awards ceremony to showcase scholarship recipients and the donors whose generosity funds the grants that students and their families count on.
To help GCSF invest in the future of the industry, please donate here. Information about applying for scholarships and taking part in mentoring is also available at the GCSF web site.
