Louis E. Catron Grant for Artistic Development
The Catron fund was established for Dr. Louis E. Catron, Professor of Theatre Emeritus, who taught courses and directed productions in the theatre department at William and Mary from 1966 to 2002.
General Information
These grants support the artistic growth of talented students in the creative and performing arts through off-campus educational experiences, either at a formal educational institution or through structured practical hands-on exposure, in the United States or abroad for a summer. We encourage Catron grant recipients to enhance their talents through academic or studio classes, structured hands-on experiences, or a combination of the two. Although the number of awards and funding amounts vary, the maximum awarded is $5,000.
Eligibility
Continuing undergraduate sophomore and juniors in good standing are eligible to apply. Academic credit may be awarded for the work, but this is not required.
- You can apply for and receive only one Charles Center-funded grant per summer (this includes Charles Center Summer Research Grants, Honors Fellowships, and Monroe Scholar funding.
- If you have already been selected for a Charles Center-sponsored internship (such as Woody, Freeman, City Scholars, etc.), you will not be eligible for consideration for the Catron Scholarship during the same summer.
- Students already fully funded by another internal or external summer grant for $3000 or more will not be eligible to receive Charles Center funding, in the interest of supporting other students who have no other source of funding.
Deadline
Monday, March 4, 2024 at 11:59 pm
Examples
The following are illustrations of possible activities. Note that these examples are descriptive, not prescriptive.
- Visual art students, for example, may elect to take off-campus studio classes or tour specialized museums under the guidance of an expert.
- Creative writing students might attend a writer's residency, workshop, or conference.
- Music students might decide to enroll in off-campus master classes, take part in a music festival, or intern with a professional orchestra.
- Theatre students who are playwrights, actors, directors, or designers may seek funding to participate in off-campus internships, productions, workshops, or classes.
How to Apply
- Discuss your project or program proposal idea with a faculty member who will write your recommendation letter. Make sure the faculty member knows the application deadline.
- Access the online application and create an account. Note: if you use your W&M email address to sign up, when choosing your password, you must ensure that it is a different password than the one used for your W&M account. This ensures that your W&M account is kept secure.
- Fill out the application form and upload the required documents (proposal, budget, personal statement, transcript, samples of creative work). Input your recommender's email.
- For technical questions, please email support@slideroom.com.
Application Materials
ProposalThe statement must be uploaded (as a PDF) into the online application.This statement should be no more than 2 pages, single-spaced. The statement needs to describe in detail the endeavor itself. The strongest applicants will demonstrate prior educational experiences that will help make the project a success. In addition, it should include the following information:
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Personal StatementThe personal statement must be uploaded (as a PDF) into the online application. The statement should be no more than 1 single-spaced page. In the statement you should reflect on the factors that have influenced your artistic development and your goals both before and after graduation from William and Mary. |
BudgetThe budget must be uploaded (as a PDF) directly into the online application. The budget should be detailed (itemized when possible) and cover the period of the project, including any program costs. |
Samples of Creative WorkYour samples should be uploaded to the online application form. You must have your recommender review your sample materials prior to submitting the application.
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Research ComplianceIf your project involves research with living human subjects (including talking to people, surveys, interviews, focus groups, or questionnaires), you or your faculty mentor must request approval from the appropriate Research Compliance committee before submitting your grant application in order for your application to be considered for funding. Approval from the committee can be pending when you submit your grant application, but approval must be received before you begin research per federal regulations.
How to Register for CITI Training
Please refer to the CITI Program Getting Started Guide with questions or contact [[w|cacorb]]. |
International TravelPlease review the following information if you plan to travel internationally to conduct your summer research.
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Transcript
Upload an unofficial (from Banner self-service), William & Mary transcript, including your spring registration. |
Recommendation LetterAn applicant for a Catron Scholarship is required to have one letter of recommendation from a William & Mary faculty member who knows the applicant and their work well. The letter should indicate the length of time and context in which the faculty member has known the student. In the recommendation, in addition to commenting on the applicant’s intellectual and academic strengths, the author should evaluate the student’s potential for success in carrying out the proposed creative endeavor. The recommender is also responsible for assisting the student during the Catron Exhibition & Reception to be held during the 2024-2025 academic year and should make every effort to attend the presentation event. Your recommender will submit your letter through the online system. Once you have done this, the recommender will receive an email with instructions on how to submit the letter. Please ask your recommender to look for this email (it may go to a spam folder). You will be able to log into the system to see if the letter has been submitted. You may submit your application before the letter has been uploaded. The letter of recommendation is due three days after the application deadline and must be received in order for your proposal to be considered for funding. You are responsible for checking online to see whether the letter has been submitted by the letter of recommendation deadline. |
What Happens Next?
- All Catron grant applications will be reviewed by a faculty committee consisting of representatives from the departments of Art & Art History; Creative Writing; Music; and Theatre, Speech & Dance.
- All general Charles Center Summer Grant and Monroe Grant applicants will receive an email about award decisions by mid-April. Notifications will go out in batches, starting in mid-March, so do not panic if someone else hears their outcome before you do. Honors Fellowship results will go out last.
- Students receiving a research grant will receive an award letter they must sign and return before their research grant is issued. If doing a research project with human subjects, you will need to provide your StudentIRB or faculty mentor's PHSC protocol number.
- Catron Scholars:
- will provide a thank you message to donors when instructed over the summer.
- will exhibit their work in a gallery and give a presentation at a showcase held on campus.
Congratulations to the Summer 2023 Catron Scholarship recipients.
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Student Name |
Project Description |
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Ian Baker |
Ian attended the Summer Art Immersion at the Mount Gretna School of Art. During the seven weeks of the program, he immersed himself in a wide range of painting and drawing classes, engaged in critical discussions, received feedback during critiques, attend artist talks, and visited art museums. Collaborating with like-minded developing artists fostered a creative and dynamic environment to enhance his skills. Ian explored the natural environment of Mount Gretna under the guidance of visiting artists and college professors, which provided a unique opportunity to work from life. In addition to landscape painting, Ian also delved into figure models, portraiture, and life drawing. |
| Ella Novogratz |
Ella enrolled in the School of Visual Arts’s “Illustration and Visual Storytelling” residency in Manhattan, New York. This intensive class and residency, led by three very accomplished illustrators, helped Ella cultivate a professional-level illustration portfolio in both digital and traditional illustration mediums. This course took place over the course of around a month (between the dates of May 30th and June 28th). Ella attended classes four to five days a week and spent time in the studio space preparing works for an open studio exhibition at the end of the program. At the culmination of this program, Ella spent the rest of summer using her newly obtained illustration skills to begin a personal illustration project. |
| Payton Robinson |
Payton auditioned for the British American Drama Academy's Midsummer in Oxford's Shakespeare program. This program involves participating in auditioning and being vetted into an appropriate acting level, and participating in a production of a Shakespeare play. There were also mandatory classes on Shakespeare's work that accompanied the training. |
| Christine Schneider |
In Fairfax, VA, Christine took graphic design classes. |
| Alexandra Sklar |
Alexandra took part in a costume design course taught by Broadway director and choreographer Lorin Lattaro, alongside other Broadway designers and professors from the fashion industry in Florence, Italy. In addition to expanding and putting into practice their skills in fashion theory, costume design, and garment creation skills, the course helped Sasha forge connections with industry experts. |
| Calder Sprinkle |
The goal of this project was to explore the relationship between congregational and choral singing in the context of modern services of worship, specifically through the lens of composition and conducting. As such, the project was multi-faceted. First, Calder met several times over June and July for masterclasses with Blanton Bradley, Music Director with the Richmond Ballet and current Choir Director at Third Church, for choral conducting technique and interpretation. During this time, Calder also began work on a set of compositions for 12 musicians that incorporated congregational singing. Then, at the end of July, Calder began a residency at Third Church in Richmond, VA, working with the Worship and Arts staff there, learning to plan and coordinate a service that incorporated these compositions at the end of August. |
| Gabrielle Thomas |
Gabrielle enrolled in two ceramics workshops at the Pocosin Arts School of Fine Craft in Columbia, North Carolina. These workshops overextended to give her a well-rounded experience of focusing on surface design and the form of pots thrown on the wheel. The first workshop, Mono-Printing on Clay: Slip Transfer, provided her with demonstrations of the technique of transferring an image onto a pot. The second workshop, Reinventing the Wheel, introduced her to new ways of using the potter's wheel to create unique forms. This endeavor provided Gabrielle with the opportunity to focus on improving her craft and increasing her knowledge of ceramics techniques. |
Page updated 10/2023.
