Luke Spencer-Pierce Memorial Scholarship

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The Luke Spencer-Pierce Memorial Scholarship is a one-year, non-renewable grant of $1,000, awarded to a graduating SHS Senior intending to pursue Art or Art-related fields in post-secondary study and/or career path.

Eligibility

The Applicant must:

• be a Senior in good standing at Salem High School that has spent at least two (2) full academic years studying Art, with at least one (1) year in the Advanced Art class.
• be admitted to a two-year or four-year college degree track with a stated major/minor in an Art-related field. These include, but are not limited to degree programs in Visual Arts, Art Education, Art History, Arts Administration, and/or major or minor programs in the following related disciplines:

               Architecture, Design (including fashion, graphic, industrial, interior, urban, or landscape)  

               Crafts (including ceramics, fiber, glass, leather, metal, paper, plastic, wood, and mixed media)    

               Photography & Media (including film, audio, video, and work created using technology)

• Should no graduating senior intend to pursue an Art or Art-related Major/minor, the selection committee will consider applications from college-bound Seniors that have (1) met the two-year high school Art class requirement and (2) have excelled in Art, as evidenced in the student’s portfolio.

Application

The Application includes the completed Application Form; an Artist’s Statement of 300 words or less; Portfolio including at least five (5) digital images, including title, media, and dimensions; and a Teacher’s Recommendation that speaks to the candidate’s readiness and likelihood of post-secondary success. 

Application Deadline – Selection - Announcement

The deadline is March 15. The recipient will be selected by representatives of the Spencer-Pierce family or their designees. Announcement is made at Honor Day, and the check is mailed on presentation of proof of registration in a two- or four-year degree program as described above. 

Luke Spencer-Pierce (1990-2021) was a local creative, artist, musician, and humorist. After graduating from Salem High School, he studied at Herron School of Art where he earned the B.S. in Visual Communications. A leader in the Art Department at SHS, he displayed considerable talent in drawing, painting, and digital arts, and went on to create graphic design for IUPUI during college.

Luke’s primary interest was commercial art, and he spent nine years working with the Three Sixty Group, an Indianapolis-based ad agency, where he advanced to the position of Art Director. He is best remembered for his numerous Athletic and Sportsmanship campaigns for the IHSAA and the NFHS.

Luke was a believer in the value of solid fundamentals and was offered various college scholarships that enabled him to select from several schools for his training. He was always mindful of the importance of that, and it is in that spirit this award is made. Images courtesy Three Sixty Group.