Lighting the way for architecture and engineering students is a new national scholarship established in honor of distinguished lighting designer Sylvan R. Shemitz.
The scholarship was started in honor of Shemitz memory, his family and his company, The Lighting Quotient.
The scholarship aims to help deserving students pursue studies of architectural, commercial, residential and theatrical lighting.
The scholarship is open to both undergraduate and graduate students.
"There are no specific GPA requirements, but students must have a declared major of architecture or engineering," said Meghan Campbell, of Peppercom Inc. Public Relations.
Peppercom Inc. is based in New York and is sponsoring The Lighting Quotient portion of the scholarship, Campbell said.
Students interested in the scholarship are asked to submit a 1,500 essay titled, "The Next Generation of Lighting: How would you bring a historical lighting installation into the next generation of sustainability?"
Drawings and schedules may also be submitted to supplement the essay.
Submissions will be judged based on communicated passion for lighting, knowledge of the lighting design industry and potential for success in a lighting design career as determined by letters of recommendation.
This year's scholarship is $2,500. The Lighting Quotient also established an endowment, starting with a $50,000 donation, and will
annually award a scholarship to one student, Campbell said.
The value of the scholarship will be based on the dividends of the endowment.
The deadline for submissions is May 1.
The winner will be selected by July 15 and announced by August 1.
"The scholarship will be effective by this coming fall semester," Campbell said.
Dan LaRocque, theatre depaelliptiparrtment chair at Auburn, said the scholarship looks like a very exciting way to help students who are pursuing a career specifically in lighting design.
"In theatre, this sort of opportunity is generally more appropriate for graduate students," LaRocque said.
Shemitz was a member of the Illuminating Engineering Society for 61 years. He founded Sylvan R. Shemitz Designs, Inc., makers of elliptipar and tambient lighting, patented many major innovations in asymmetric lighting and invented the first single-source task/ambient lighting solution, Campbell said.
"The scholarship will help deserving students pursue their studies, and most of all, their passion for beautiful lighting," Campbell said.
Do you like this story? The Plainsman doesn't accept money from tuition or student fees, and we don't charge a subscription fee. But you can donate to support The Plainsman.
