Art Department: Scholarships



Application forms for the following scholarships are available in the Department of Art office. Please phone (409)880-8141 for additional information.

Applicants must submit the completed form with a portfolio of original works to be considered for the following scholarships. Portfolios may be submitted as slides, photographs, or as jpg files on a disk.

Once minimum selection criteria have been met, the following scholarships will be awarded based on the artistic merit of the submitted portfolios. Unless otherwise noted, recipients will be selected by a scholarship committee comprised of art faculty appointed by the chair of the Department of Art.

All recipients of the following scholarships must be declared majors in the Department of Art as required under the selection criteria and full time students with a minimum enrollment of 6 credits in major program requirements each term.


Isabel Stafford Morian Millington Award in Art

Established September 2005.

Isabel Stafford Morian has a long history in art. She attended the Shipley School in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, he Glassell School of Art in Houston and Lamar University. Her extensive studies have included art history, painting, drawing, printmaking and sculpture. Isabel is a past president of the Friends of the Arts and has a long history of involvement with the Dishman Art Museum.

Isabel established this scholarship because of her life-long love of the arts and to make a difference in the lives of up and coming young artists who need a helping hand.

Awards will be made for the purchase of art supplies and presented to outstanding students majoring in the visual arts who are completing the sophomore, junior and senior class levels. The intent of this endowment is to provide a significant financial award to art students studying painting, drawing, sculpture, printmaking and photography to aid with the purchase of art supplies.

To apply, students should submit a brief letter of intent outlining a project or body of work in a specific discipline plus five slides or CD images of prior work completed in the area of application to the department office. The letter should specify the semester for which the award is being requested. Recipients will be selected by the faculty of the Department of Art.

Applications will be accepted on an ongoing basis for one award per semester.

Recipients remain eligible for the award.


Jack Shofner Scholarship in Graphic Design

This scholarship was established in 1983 in the memory of Jack Shofner, native Beaumonter, outstanding commercial artist and fine artist who over the years assisted, trained and encouraged many young artists into the profession.

Selection Criteria:

  1. Major/Degree, outstanding or superior major in the Bachelor of Fine Arts in Visual Design with an emphasis in Graphic Design program
  2. Overall/Major GPA - minimum overall GPA of 2.5
  3. Class level - Entering Freshman or continuing undergraduate major
  4. Class load Requirements - full-time students in a given program
  5. Other - must meet all admission requirements of the University

Other Specifications:

Recipients must be considered good citizens of the University and the community. Special consideration will be given to statewide and national applicants.

Student must demonstrate progression and development of his/her talents.


Brian Sumrall Scholarship in Graphic Design

This scholarship was established in December 1987 by Mrs. Theron (Violet) Palmer, who was responsible for collecting memorial gifts from a number of friends and family members to honor Brian Sumrall.

Selection Criteria:

  1. Major/Degree - Bachelor of Fine Arts in Visual Design
  2. Overall/Major GPA - minimum overall GPA of 2.5
  3. Class level - exceptional incoming Freshman or continuing Graphic Design student
  4. Class load Requirements - full-time student in a given program
  5. Other - must meet all admission requirements of the University

Other Specifications:
Recipients must be considered good citizens of the University and the community at Iarge. If the scholar does not maintain the above standards during the first semester of the award, he/she will be ineligible to receive the scholarship the following semester, but may re-apply at a later time. Scholarship is renewable up to 8 semesters as long as criteria are met and maintained.


Lyle and Vivian Godkin Scholarship in Painting

The Lyle and Vivian Godkin Scholarship in Painting was established in 1991 to memorialize Lyle Godkin's accomplishments in art, to make it possible for others to pursue their careers, and to honor the memory of this warm and wonderful person.

Lyle Godkin became an artist after retirement from Gulf Oil Company. He studied with James Black, Ms. Durso, and for nine years with Jerry Newman at Lamar University. He became president of the Gold Coast Fine Arts Club and chairman of building and grounds for the Beaumont Art League.

He traveled in Europe and Asia visiting galleries and museums to view art. His work "Bayou Walk" won Best of Show in 1987 at the Beaumont Art League. His oil paintings won numerous awards and were displayed at John Gray Library and at the Friends of Art art auction exhibitions. He taught art in East Texas and Mexico, and was the juror for several shows.

Lyle said, "Art added a new dimension to my life, and for that I am grateful."

Selection Criteria:

  1. Major/Degree - Bachelor of Fine Arts in Studio Art with an emphasis in Painting
  2. Overall/Major GPA. - minimum overall GPA of 2.5
  3. Class level - Junior or Senior Painting student at time of initial award.
  4. Class load Requirements - full-time student in a given program
  5. Other - must meet all admission requirements of the University

Other Specifications:
Recipient must be considered good citizens of the University and the community.

Scholarship is renewable up to eight semesters as long as criteria are met and maintained.


Professor Jerry Newman Scholarship in Painting

Professor Jerry Newman joined the Lamar University faculty in 1962. Many former students and friends wanted to honor Professor Newman in an enduring way on the occasion of his retirement from full-time instruction. They chose to enrich the lives of many students by establishing this scholarship in his name.

Selection Criteria:

  1. Major/Degree - Bachelor of Fine Arts in Studio Art with an emphasis in Painting
  2. Overall/Major GPA - minimum overall GPA of 2.5
  3. Class level - Junior, Senior and graduate level students
  4. Class load Requirements - full-time student in a given program
  5. Other - must meet all admission requirements of the University

Other Specifications:
Recipients must be considered good citizens of the University and the community at large.


Zeila Alexander Memorial Scholarship in Art

This scholarship was established in 1999 by John Alexander, Lamar University class of 1968 alumnus and artist in New York City, in loving memory of his mother, Mrs. Zeila Alexander.

Selection Criteria:

  1. Major/Degree - Bachelor of Fine Arts in Studio Art with an emphasis in Painting
  2. Overall/Major GPA - minimum of 2.5
  3. Class level - open to all class levels
  4. Class load Requirements - full-time student
  5. Other - Recipient must be in good standing with Lamar University.

Other Specifications:
Recipients must be considered good citizens of the University and the community at large.


Lorene David Scholarship in Art Education

Miss Lorene David established this scholarship in 1972 with an initial gift.

Lorene David was born in 1897. She began teaching art to junior high students in Independence, Missouri, in 1920. In 1931 she came to Beaumont to teach art at Crockett Junior High. Two years later she moved to Beaumont High where she was head of the art department until 1949. From 1949 until her retirement in 1967, she served as the Beaumont Independent School District's director of art. She died in 1987.

Miss David was one of the founders of the Beaumont Art Museum, serving on the Board of Directors for many years. Artworks by her were exhibited by the New York Watercolor Society and the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Miss David's method of painting was very progressive for its time.

Selection Criteria:

  1. Major/Degree - Bachelor of Science degree in Visual Art, Leading to All Levels Certification
  2. Major GPA - minimum of 3.0
  3. Class Level - Sophomore or above. The recipient may continue on the scholarship until completing the Bachelor's degree as long as they continue to meet the scholarship criteria.
  4. Class Load Requirements - full-time student in a given program.
  5. Other Qualifying Criteria - Scholarship recipients must be pursuing the requirements for teacher certification.

Other Specifications:
Recipients must be in good standing with the university.


Friends of the Arts Scholarships

Friends of the Arts scholarships are available through the Department of Art to incoming freshman and continuing full time majors in the Department of Art. These scholarships are awarded through direct application to the Department of Art and through the High School Scholarship Competition exhibition. Sponsored by the Dishman Art Museum, this exhibition is presented in cooperation with participating area high school art teachers. In addition, two scholarship are awarded annually through the "Protege" competition sponsered by the Art Museum of Southeast Texas in Beaumont.


Peggy Wilson Memorial Scholarship

Cynthia Booker West Memorial Scholarship