Joy of Giving Something (JGS) Fellowship

Are you a past JGS Fellow? Are you interested in being part of a network with other JGS alumni? Click here to email us and get connected.

• Aniqa Ahmed, University of Florida, 2022-2023 Fellow
• Sherley Arias-Pimentel, University of Richmond, 2022-2023 Fellow
• Ezra Bantum, University of Washington, Bothell, 2023-2024 Fellow
• Mario Becerra Aleman, Emory University, 2019-2020 Fellow
• Cecilia Caraballo Acevedo, Emerson College, 2020-2021 Fellow
• Rebecca Castillo, Swarthmore College, 2019-2020 Fellow
• Achali Cochrane, Reed College, 2023-2024 Fellow
• Jose Cuevas-Lopez, University of Washington, Bothell, 2022-2023 Fellow
• Angelica Flores Valdivia, University of California, Irvine, 2022-2023 Fellow
• Briana Henry, University of Delaware, 2019-2020 Fellow
• Jayonna Johnson, University of Dayton, 2022-2023 Fellow
• Jeanne D’Arc Koffi, Vanderbilt University, 2023-2024 Fellow
• Annie Li, Emory University, 2020-2021 Fellow
• Grace Lin, Macalester College, 2021-2022 Fellow
• Qi (Kiki) Liu, University of Pennsylvania, 2020-2021 Fellow
• Torian Love, Syracuse University, 2021-2022 Fellow
• Ameenah Mcknight, Vanderbilt University, 2019-2020 Fellow
• Mia McMillan, University of Southern California, 2023-2024 Fellow
• Ivy Miller, Oberlin College, 2020-2021 Fellow
• Rayan Mohamed, Syracuse University, 2023-2024 Fellow
• Byanca Morales Cabrera, University of Maryland, Baltimore County, 2021-2022 Fellow
• Gabriela Nieves, Macalester College, 2023-2024 Fellow
• Jonathan Nguyen, Carleton College, 2023-2024 Fellow
• Long Nguyen, Macalester College, 2020-2021 Fellow
• Deborah Olatunji, University of Pennsylvania, 2022-2023 Fellow
• Berkeley Phan, University of San Francisco, 2021-2022 Fellow
• Clara Posner, Carleton College, 2020-2021 Fellow
• Irene Rubio Franco, University of Southern California, 2021-2022 Fellow
• Tyler Sanchez, Macalester College, 2022-2023 Fellow
• Luana Souza, University of Florida, 2021-2022 Fellow
• Kori Suzuki, Macalester College, 2019-2020 Fellow
• Mai Moua Thao, Macalester College, 2020-2021 Fellow
• Alex Thomas, Macalester College, 2021-2022 Fellow
• Kalsang Tsering, Bunker Hill Community College, 2022-2023 Fellow
• Madu Udeh, University of Southern California, 2021-2022 Fellow
• Alexis Valeriano, St. Olaf College, 2019-2020 Fellow
• Cherille Williams, University of New Mexico, 2020-2021 Fellow
• Danny Zuniga Zarat, Bates College, 2023-2024 Fellow

Thanks to a generous grant from the Joy of Giving Something Foundation (JGS), each year Imagining America (IA) awards scholarships to undergraduate students at member campuses who actively serve their local communities through photography or media arts.

The Joy of Giving Something, Inc. (JGS), is a not-for-profit corporation dedicated to the photographic arts and established in 1988 by the late Howard Stein. In 2010, Director of Outreach and Education Wayne Maugans approached IA about expanding support for community-engaged visual arts students as a way to encourage them to pursue post-secondary education and find a life path. Stein saw the visual arts as a potential career for young adults. The IA/JGS Fellows Program is a generous part of Stein’s legacy.

Learn more about the Joy of Giving Something Foundation

The IA/JGS Fellows Program provides an opportunity for publicly engaged undergraduate students who attend an IA member higher education institution, or who are sponsored by an IA member cultural institution, and who work with photography and/or digital media to participate in a year-long learning exchange that includes tuition support, project support, and opportunities for professional development.

Program Outline

During the fellowship year, each Fellow will: 

• Receive a $2,000 tuition scholarship.
• Receive mentorship and financial support for a community project.
• Attend Imagining America’s Engaged Arts Summit at UC Davis in Fall 2024. Complimentary registration and travel awards are included.
• Participate in regular, virtual learning exchanges.
• Be connected to the consortium’s national network of scholars, artists, and community organizers.

The application period for the 2024-2025 IA/JGS Fellows cohort is now closed.

A complete application included the online application form, work samples, proof of financial need, and a letter of recommendation. See below under “Program Information” and “Application Criteria and Process” for additional information.

2024-2025 Program Timeline

Selection Criteria

Based on funding availability, each year six to eight undergraduate students enrolled at, or sponsored by, an IA member institution are selected for the IA/JGS Fellows Program. The selection process involves a consideration of the following based on review of submitted application materials:

• Demonstration of artistic merit;
• Demonstration of an existing community engaged practice;
• Demonstration of financial need according to the Free Application for Federal Student Aid form (FAFSA) and the Student Aid Report (SAR), or by documentation from a verifiable institutional or governmental entity; and
• First-generation college student status. While the IA/JGS Fellows Program is not limited to first-generation college students, students with this background are highly encouraged to apply.

Students of all majors/areas of study are welcome to apply. 

Application Materials

To apply for the JGS Fellows Program, students must submit the following: A completed online application form, which includes short answer questions and an essay response (see prompts below);

1. Three work samples representative of your creative practice and demonstrating your skills in photography and/or digital media;

2. Proof of financial need with a federal, state, or school financial aid report for the 2024-25 academic year (see FAQs below); and

3. A letter of recommendation from a faculty or staff member at your undergraduate institution or a community organization with which you are affiliated.

Application Form: Short Answer Questions

To be submitted as part of the application form, please address all of the following short answer questions:Provide a short biographical statement. (500 character limit)

1. In what ways does the JGS Fellows Program align with your short- and/or long-term goals? What do you hope to get out of the program? (750 character limit)

2. What personal values would you bring to the JGS Fellows Program?  What does shared leadership and community-based fellowship mean to you? (750 character limit)

3. Each JGS Fellow will undertake a community project that will be developed in collaboration with a local community member/group and with feedback from other JGS Fellows, IA staff, and mentors. What collaborative project(s) would you be interested in working on within your community as part of the JGS Fellows Program? (1000 character limit)

Application Form: Essay Prompt

Please address one of the questions listed below for your essay response (2000 character limit). Responses should reflect your creative process, personal experiences and skills you have developed working with a community member/organization, and outcomes you hope to achieve by connecting your photography and/or digital media skills with your community work.

– What motivates you to use photography or digital media in your community or public engagement?
– What was a pivotal moment that occurred for you while doing this work?
– What obstacles have you encountered in realizing your community or public work, and how have you continued through them?

Do I need to be a student majoring in photography or digital media to be eligible?
No. Undergraduate students in any major or area of study are encouraged to apply.

Do I need to be a U.S. citizen to be eligible?
No. Students are encouraged to apply regardless of their citizenship status.

Do I need to be an undergraduate student to be eligible?
Yes. The IA/JGS Fellows Program is designed to provide peer learning, mentoring, and professional development support to undergraduate students enrolled at an IA member higher education institution or sponsored by an IA member cultural institution. If you are a graduate student from an IA member institution, we encourage you to apply to the PAGE (Publicly Active Graduate Education) Fellowship Program, IA’s peer network for graduate students with a demonstrated interest in public scholarship or artist practice. 

How do I know if my institution is an IA member?
Please click here to find out if your institution is a member of IA. 

How do I provide proof of financial need?
You can demonstrate financial need by providing a verifiable document, usually a student aid report. Please provide one of the following:
Federal: 2024-25 Student Aid Report (SAR)* from your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form.
State: a copy of a report from your state’s 2024-25 financial aid application that summarizes your estimated financial need.
School: a copy of a report from your school’s 2024-25 financial aid package that indicates your estimated financial need. 

*For purposes of the JGS Fellows Program, the SAR should include your Expected Family Contribution (EFC) which is used to determine financial need.

When are the tuition scholarships disbursed?
Generally, tuition scholarships will be disbursed at the beginning and mid-point of the school year. IA staff will coordinate disbursement with the fellow and the appropriate financial aid or scholarships office on the fellow’s campus.

Will the financial support I receive for my community project and travel to the IA National Gathering cover all associated costs? 
Past community project awards have averaged $600 and can be used to offset any associated project costs paid by the Fellow up to this amount. Past travel awards to the IA National Gathering or Engaged Arts Summits have fully covered the cost of the hotel (up to 3 nights) and registration (including lunches). IA has also provided $550 to offset additional travel costs paid by the Fellow, which may include airfare, ground transportation, additional meals, etc. 

The final question on the application form provides space for you to indicate your unique support needs. We also strongly recommend communicating these needs to your recommender to see what kinds of additional financial support may be available through your department, college, or university.

What are you looking for in the letter of recommendation?
A completed application includes a 1-2 page letter of recommendation from a faculty or staff member at your undergraduate institution OR staff at a community organization where you volunteer/work. This letter should describe the recommender’s relationship to the student and provide their perspective on the student’s artistic and community-engaged practice.