2019 WIA Scholarship recipients revealed
As part of Women in Animation (WIA)’s mission to create an international community of animation professionals that support women in all areas of the animation industry, three standout individuals out of 66 Stateside applications from 25+ academic institutions have been awarded this year’s WIA scholarship. Recipients April Apodaca, Mariyah Rahman and Catharine Ren were announced by WIA VP Jinko Gotoh at the 2019 BRIC Talent and Innovation Summit this past weekend.
The three winners of the 2019 WIA Scholarships have demonstrated a strong commitment not only to their own artistic explorations but to the larger WIA goal of envisioning a world where they, as women, will share fully in the creation of animation content. These scholarships will make a difference in enabling our winners to continue in their studies and to ultimately gain their full potential as artists and creators.
-Gail Currey, WIA’s Chair of Chapters and member of the WIA Scholarship Committee.
LA-based Entertainment Design student April Apodaca, presently studying at Art Center College of Design, aims to pursue a career as a Visual Development artist with a focus on fantastical characters and worlds and a love for “insects, reptiles, and touching fuzzy plants she knows she probably shouldn’t”.
I’m honored to receive this award. There’s so much talent in the industry right now and as a new artist, I think it’s very easy to become discouraged. This scholarship has inspired me to keep pushing forward to do what I love. Animation has the ability to tell stories in a beautifully unique way, to people both young and old, all around the world. I want to be a part of bringing those stories to life.
Hailing from the twin island republic of Trinidad and Tobago in the Caribbean and with a BA in Linguistics from the University of the West Indies, Mariyah Rahman hopes to eventually work in production design and presently studies Illustration for the Entertainment Arts at Art Center College of Design in LA.
As an international student, I am not eligible for federal aid like many of my peers, and it has thus far been an uphill battle to be able to afford an education in this field. Being acknowledged by WIA is an honor, but the best part is knowing that there are people who are so committed to supporting diversity in this field.
Presently studying Character Animation at California Institute of the Arts, artist/animator Catharine Ren’s ambitions began with the desire to see her own life experiences reflected in the types of animated films she grew up with.
I wanted to see more female leads who weren’t only interested in romance, more princesses of color, more girls who weren’t slim-bodied with huge eyes and tiny chins, for example. While so much has already been changed by women in the industry so far, I’m very excited to eventually work alongside them.
Receiving the WIA Scholarship is an honor and a responsibility. I’m thrilled and gratified to have the support of the amazing women of the industry, and the scholarship represents being part of the solution in this generation. Given this support, the onus is now on me to become the best artist and animator I can, and to provide the same kind of solidarity and community to the women and girls who come after me.
The mission of WIA includes the creation of educational opportunities, encouraging strong connections between individuals and inspiring excellence. To join or learn more visit womeninanimation.org