George T. Dorsch Awards
The George T. Dorsch Awards were established with funds bequeathed to the History of Art department by one of its founding members, George T. Dorsch. An esteemed member of the department—and of the FIT community where he taught for 32 years—Dorsch passed away in September 2000. He left behind the farsighted and gracious legacy of an annual gift to support faculty and student professional achievement.
Income from this bequest funds two annual awards:
- The George T. Dorsch Endowed Scholarship supports a student who has performed exceptionally in History of Art Department courses.
- The George T. Dorsch Endowed Fellowship supports research and travel for an adjunct faculty member with a PhD, teaching in the History of Art Department.
Year-to-year, the amount of each award fluctuates between 15,000 and 20,000 based on bequest income.
The exact amounts will be updated on the website on May 1st. Applications are due November 1st during the following Fall Semester. Announcement of Awardees will be made in March.
Student Award
2024-2025 amount: $18,100, Application Due November 1st, 2024
Eligibility
Students applying for the George T. Dorsch Endowed Scholarship:
- must have earned the grade of "A" in at least four History of Art and/or Museum Professions courses taken at FIT (grades of A- are not accepted)
- must be current FIT students (full time and part time students are eligible)
- may apply more than once; successful applicants may not reapply
Application Materials
Gather the following before completing the application.
- Résumé
- Proposal essay of no more than 500 words explaining the intended use of scholarship funds. The proposal should explain in detail the activities that will advance your academic and/or professional development, such as graduate study, travel, internships, non-profit or volunteer work, a research or creative project, etc.
- Detailed preliminary budget and timetable listing the anticipated expenses and scheduling of the project
- Recommendation form completed by an instructor outside the History of Art Department
It is recommended that you have a short meeting with Professor Andrea Vazquez de Arthur to discuss your proposal.
Finalists are selected from among all applicants and will have 10-minute interviews with department representatives in February. Portfolios, if applicable, may be presented at the interview.
How to Apply
Deadline: November 1st
Fill out the online application form. You will upload your application materials at the time you fill out the form.
Sign the recommendation form (.pdf), then forward it to the reference. Your reference should fill out the form and then email it to [email protected].
Finalist interviews will be arranged after the application deadline and will take place in the offices of the History of Art Department.
Questions about submissions should be directed to: [email protected].
Faculty Award
2024-2025 amount: $19,200, Application Due November 1st, 2024
Eligibility
Faculty applying for the George T. Dorsch Endowed Fellowship:
- must have received a doctoral degree and be currently teaching in the department as an adjunct faculty member when you apply or have taught at least one course during the calendar year (i.e., January to January)
- may apply more than once; successful applicants may not reapply within the next two years
Application Materials
Application Deadline: November 1st
Gather the following before completing the application.
- Résumé
- Proposal essay of no more than 500 words explaining how you intend to use the fellowship. Proposed activities should advance the applicants academic and/or professional development, for instance through post-graduate study, research, and/or travel.
- Please note that Dorsch Award funds are paid to faculty through FIT payroll and are subject to withholdings up to 40% of the award amount.
Questions about submissions should be directed to: [email protected].
Past Recipients
2023 Abbygail Coston
2022 Cat Trzaskowski
2021 Anthony Miller
2020 Emma Ike
2019 Keira Wiggins
2018 Darnell Lisby
2017 Arielle Johnson
2016 Santiago Garcia
2015 Elena Kanagy-Loux
2014 Thiago Ferreira Eichner
2013 Julia Sinelnikova
2012 Raisa Nosova
2011 Ilana Pfefer
2009 Ariel da Fonte
2008 Julia Plotkin
2007 Marisa De Marco
2006 Amy Yandek
2005 Rasa Siminkas
2004 Catalina Vásquez-Kennedy
2023 Marianne Eggler, PhD, for publishing doctoral dissertation as a book on German
Modern Interior
2022 Eveline Baseggio-Omiccioli, PhD, for study of religious relics in Venice, Italy
2021 Anne Monahan, PhD, for study of The Primary Market for Black Modernists
2020 Martina Mims, PhD, for study of August Endell
2019 Whitney Thompson, PhD, for study of Frances Palmer
2018 Celia J. Bergoffen, PhD, for study of the Cypriot Pottery
2017 Sandra Skurvida, PhD, for study of John Cage
2016 Blair Fowlkes Childs, PhD, for study of Syrian/Phoenician cults in the Roman
world
2015 Ann Shafer, PhD, for study of Islamic tile work in Morocco and Turkey
2014 Samuel D. Albert, PhD, for study of Transylvanian Modernist art
2013 Mari Dumett, PhD, for study of the Fluxus Movement
2012 Sandra Skurvida, PhD, for study of Iranian Contemporary Art
2009 Laural Weintraub, PhD, for study of Charles Demuth
2008 Trudie Grace, PhD, for study of representations of the national flag in American
Art
2007 Shana Lindsay, PhD, for study of the concept of sacrifice in Contemporary Art
2006 Chad Mandeles, PhD, for study of American painting
2005 Celia J. Bergoffen, PhD, for archeological work in the Middle East
2004 Marshall W. Mount, PhD, for study of the art of Niger