About the Scholarship
The Marian A. Smith Costume Scholarship is awarded to a student pursuing a graduate degree in costume design and/or technology. The award is named after Marian A. Smith who served as Executive Director of SETC for 26 years and helped make SETC what it is today.
Application Deadline
April 3, 2023 at 11:59PM ET
- Applications Accepted: January 1 – April 3
- Application Reviews / Candidate Interviews: April – June
- Winning Scholar Announced on SETC Website
- Scholarship Funds Available: Upon Proof of Matriculation, upcoming Academic Year
- Winning Scholar Attends SETC Convention
- $1,500
- Free one-year SETC student membership
- Free registration for the following year’s SETC Convention
- Photo and bio recognition on the SETC website
Candidates must meet each of these qualifications to be eligible for this award:
- You must be planning to attend an accredited program of graduate studies in Costume Design and/or Costume Technology as a full-time student during the upcoming academic year.
- You must have graduated from, be currently attending, or have plans to attend an accredited academic undergraduate institution in one of the following 10 states: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia or West Virginia.
For consideration, eligible candidates must submit the following materials by the deadline:
- A personal letter outlining plans and objectives
- A complete resume
- 10 samples of completed work or renderings (digital images)
- Names, addresses and phone numbers of three to five references
- Complete, current transcripts from all colleges/universities attended
Questions about submitting application materials should be sent to info@setc.org.
Scholarship Stories
Recent Smith Costume Scholars share what winning the scholarship meant to their studies and how the award funds helped them pursue their ambitions:
Newman Jones (he/him) is a second year MFA Candidate at the University of Memphis studying Costume Design. In 2018, he received his BA from Appalachian State University. Costume design credits include Cabaret and The 39 Steps at Jean’s Playhouse (2022), Aloha Say the Pretty Girls (2022) and From Me To You Dance Concert (2021) at University of Memphis, The Wolves (2018) and various dance pieces at Appalachian State University. Newman has worked as a costume technician for Disney Cruise Line, The Ohio Light Opera, and Horn in the West.
Alex Hagman is a third-year MFA student in Costume Production at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She received her BFA in Costume Design & Technology in 2016 from The Pennsylvania State University. In her final year at UNC, Alex is the Graduate Research Assistant for the Department of Dramatic Art. Her research focuses on practical applications for digital technology, such as 3D printing and laser cutting, for use in regional theatres. In conjunction with the Costume Production program at UNC, Alex works for PlayMakers Repertory Company as a draper and is excited to be working on several upcoming productions such as Skin of our Teeth, Stick Fly, and A Wrinkle in Time.
Erin Rodgers
Erin Rodgers is a third-year MFA student in Costume Production at the University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill. She is the graduate research assistant for the Costar collection of vintage clothing, housed in the Department of Dramatic Art. She has also worked with PlayMakers Repertory Company, in residence at UNC-CH, as a first hand and draper throughout her graduate education. In 2019 she was a first hand at Utah Shakespeare Festival, where she was scheduled to return for summer 2020 until COVID prevented it. She previously attended Furman University, where she earned a BA in Art and was introduced to theatrical costuming as a career pursuit. Erin has worked regionally across the southeast, including at Heritage Theatre Festival, Alabama Shakespeare Festival, and Orlando Shakespeare Theater, as well as in NYC at Radio City Music Hall, Parsons-Meares, and several years at New York City Ballet. Her particular costume interests include historical patterning, studying extant garments, and costume collections management.
Congratulations, Chloe Moore!
Chloe Moore is currently earning her MFA in costume design at Boston University. Her recent work includes Boston University’s The Lathe of Heaven, The Scarlet Ibis with Boston Opera Collaborative, BU’s productions of Angels in America Parts I & II as well as serving as one of the resident costume designers for the 2019 season of the College Light Opera Company in Falmouth, Massachusetts. Next up she is working with a team of theatre artists to remount a new version of The TEAM’s Particularly in the Heartland as a part of Bazaar Productions. Through her work, she seeks to use the history and language of clothing to illuminate collaborative storytelling of all kinds. See more of her work at ChloeMooreDesigns.com.
2018-2019 ~ Toni Gary
“The Marian A. Smith Scholarship is a wonderful opportunity that granted me the ability to expand my techniques and further my development as a designer and technician. It allowed me to invest in computer programs and equipment to push my boundaries and delve into the digital world of design and tech while also helping me expand on my professional advertising. I am extremely appreciative of the growth that was only possible through the scholarship and SETC’s generosity.”
2015 & 2016 ~ Alyssa Couturier-Herndon
“The Marian A. Smith Scholarship has had a tremendous impact on my professional development. It has enabled me to purchase new equipment and pursue advanced theatre opportunities that would otherwise have been impossible. I am extremely grateful for this support.”
2014 ~ Jacquelyn Loy
“The Marian A. Smith Costume Scholarship provided me with the means to better promote my work. It allowed me to invest in a higher quality printer and a scanner that can accommodate my larger renderings, which can be up to 11″ x 17″. This has helped me in keeping my online portfolio up to date, but also to print images for my physical portfolio — helping me advertise myself and find work in different states every year and continue to grow as an artist and technician. I am so grateful to this scholarship and the amazing opportunities I’ve had as a result of SETC’s generosity and support! It also helped me to find confidence in my work and encouraged me to continue to push my boundaries as a leader in the workplace.”