The Guarisco scholarship was a generous endowed gift granted in 2010 by Leah Guarisco McGriff and Lee McGriff III in honor of Ms. McGriff’s grandfather, Peter V. Guarisco. The funds support a scholarship for an Art History & Visual Culture senior. Art History & Visual Culture majors are eligible to apply during the spring of their junior year. 

Apply Here *

(*2026-2027 application link forthcoming)
Application Due Dates:
Third Sunday of March every year
Notified by:
April 1

aspirations of the scholarship

  • To support and enhance a Sewanee Art History & Visual Culture Major’s Senior year
  • To foster Art History & Visual Culture on campus, in the community, and beyond the Gates
  • To reward exemplary engagement with the Art and Art History & Visual Culture programs on campus

what is provides

  • Support for a post-graduate career preparedness experience
  • Tuition for the senior year

what is expected from the applicant

  • Excellence in academic work
  • Enhanced engagement with the arts at and beyond Sewanee
  • Overall academic merit, with particular excellence in the Art major
  • A capacity to be an ambassador for Art, Art History, and Visual Studies on campus, in the community, and beyond the Gates

Eligibility

  • A declared major in Art history;
  • with at least a 3.0 gpa in the major and in good academic standing at the time of application; and
  • a third-year student, or junior, with at least 64 semester hours (16 full academic courses or their equivalent), but fewer than 96 semester hours (24 full academic courses or their equivalent)
  • Plans to remain enrolled in courses on campus your entire senior year

application guidelines and process

  • Up-to-date transcript
  • Resume (with relevant art history experience)
  • A writing sample from a course in the Humanities or Art History of at least 5 pages
  • Statement of purpose essays responding to the following questions:
    • Please reflect on an experience in the arts that has impacted you. By way of an example, you might consider a book, a scholarly article, a classroom experience, a museum visit, or an unexpected encounter with art “in the world.”
    • Where do you think your art history degree will lead you?
    • We expect the Guarisco Merit Scholar to be an ambassador for Art, Art History, and Visual Studies on campus, in the community, and beyond the gates. As an art history ambassador, you will be expected to organize an event. Potential event examples include but are not limited to: a field trip to a museum in Nashville or Chattanooga, inviting a scholar to campus for a lecture, organizing an art-themed movie series on campus, etc. In your response below, explain what the event will be, why you conceived of this event, and how it will reach the Sewanee student body beyond only art and art history majors as a representation of your ambassadorship. Of note: Be realistic. We are looking for actionable ideas. You will be expected to execute your plan during your senior year, which includes acquiring any funds necessary (though the faculty can help guide you on how to secure funds).

schedule

  • Early February: Application window opens
  • Third Sunday of March: Application window closes
  • End of March/First of April: Results announced

award expectations

  • The awardee is expected to execute the ambassador event outlined in the application.
  • Career Readiness experience preparations:
    • The awardee is expected to confer with their advisor on preparations for their career preparedness experience.
    • In early October (once we know the return on the fund), the advisor should furnish the student with a list of past experiences, and a short list of what is appropriate (language programs, funding for an internship, etc.)
    • The established plan is due by to the entire art history faculty by the end of January
      • Proposal should be approved by all faculty (can be a fast turnaround)
    • Ideally the awardee will be able to commit to their post-grad experience by mid-March
      • While the submitted plan should be as concrete as possible, we recognize that many plans are fluid or contingent upon acceptance into a program.
    • After the career-readiness experience:
      • A report of 500-1000 words on the career preparedness experience and how it will help them in the future.
      • It should be emailed to the student’s advisor no later than the end of the summer (late August)

Questions about the Guarisco Scholship?
Contact our Department Chair Dr. Leslie Todd (letodd@sewanee.edu)