Scholarships

Numerous scholarships are available to GrC students at Cal Poly. Some are based on financial need, others are based on career interest. All are intended to provide specific monetary assistance to students in completing there degree requirements in GrC at Cal Poly.

Where to Begin

Where do you begin? If you need scholarships, you should refer to Cal Poly's Financial Aid web site. The application deadline for Cal Poly scholarships is usually the first week in March. Numerous scholarships are awarded in a process that uses a single application. So, by filling out one application, you are applying for several scholarships including:

Hans Veeder K/P Corporation

GrC Major - 3.0 GPA
Well-rounded, love people, active, w/ emphasis on extracurricular leadership

PackagingArts

GrC Major - 3.0 GPA
Demonstrated work experience in print industry

Christopher Frair

DRT concentration
3.0 GPA
Exhibited effort to perform extracurricular design projects

Doc Stapleton Memorial

GrC Major
upper division - 3.0 GPA
Demonstrated interest in printing industry

Bert and Wanda Weeden Graphic Communication

GrC Major - 3.0 GPA

Scitex/Adobe Student

GrC Major - 3.0 GPA

Guy Thomas Memorial

GrC Major - 3.0 GPA
Demonstrates leadership and organizational abilities Interest in career in newspaper industry

Graphic Communication

GrC Major - 2.7 GPA
Financial Need.
Demonstrated interest in activities related to GrC

Hank Apfelberg Memorial

Demonstrated need.
Committment to career in GrC

Graphic Communication Department Leadership

GrC Major - 3.0 GPA
UGS after 3 quarters of employment. Demonstrated leadership: UGS manager, officer in club.

Other Sources of Scholarships

In addition to the scholarships discussed above, several scholarships are administered externally from the Cal Poly Scholarship office, and therefore require separate scholarship applications. These are categorized below..

General

Print and Graphics Scholarship Foundation

Numerous general interest scholarships for those interested in the print, prepress, and digital graphics industries. One application for several scholarship opportunities.

Applications Available:
Applications Due: March 1 for HS and April 1 for continuing college students

IPA - Association of Graphic Solutions Providers Scholarship

(formerly the International Prepress Association) has a bit more focus on prepress and computer applications. It is administered through the Print and Graphics Scholarship Foundation.

Applications Available:
Applications Due: See above

Specialty Graphic Imaging Association (SGIA) Scholarship

There are $50,000 in scholarship funds available ($2000.00 to 25 students).

https://www.sgia.org/programs/sgia-scholarships

Applications Available:
Applications Due: April 30th

Print and Graphics Scholarship Foundation (PGSF)

Scholarships worth $5,000.00 are being awarded.

https://pgsf.org/application-information-instructions/

Applications Available:
Applications Due: April 1st

Adobe - Design and Circle Scholarship

Scholarships worth $25,000 are being awarded.

https://www.iie.org/AdobeDesign

Applications Available:
Applications Due: March 12th

Packaging

Tag and Label Manufacturers Institute (TLMI) Scholarships

$5000 for a student with specific career interests in the tag or label business (predominantly flexography but may be sheetfed, web offset, or gravure).

Applications Available: Jan 1st
Applications Due: March 31st
Other: A TLMI co-op helps

Printing Process

Flexographic Technical Association (FTA) Scholarships

• Rossini Scholarship

• Gary Hillard Memorial Scholarship

• FTA Scholarship

Applications Available:
Applications Due: March 20th

Final Thoughts

A couple of final thoughts: If you are awarded a scholarship, it is important that you find out who provided the funding and send them a thank you note immediately upon notification. Further, it is highly recommended that you stay in contact throughout the year, dropping a periodic e-mail or note updating the donor on your academic progress. This is very important to involve the donor in the giving process. Donors give when they know their gift makes a difference in someone's life.

Also, those organizations that provide criteria related to career interest are donating money to promote their particular industry segment. Please honor that and only apply for those scholarships for which you truly have career aspirations.