• One CCS student will be awarded $50,000 scholarship annually.
  • Scholarship benefits disadvantaged Detroit students and is distributed over four years.
  • Gilbert Family Foundation continues to also provide scholarship support for the CCS Pre-College Summer Experience Program

 

DETROIT, October 10, 2023 – The Gilbert Family Foundation and the College for Creative Studies (CCS) today announced the launch of the Gilbert Family Foundation Endowed Scholarship Fund. The contribution totals $1 million and is earmarked for Detroit students with a focus on expanding access to arts education in the city of Detroit.

The scholarship has been created to attract and support Detroit residents with disadvantaged backgrounds, particularly those within historically marginalized communities. Eligible candidates must meet CCS-defined criteria for support either due to economic, educational or environmental factors.

“The Gilbert Family Foundation Endowed Scholarship Fund breaks down barriers for Detroit students to access a world-class education in their hometown and achieve their creative career goals,” said Jasmin DeForrest, Director of Arts and Culture for the Gilbert Family Foundation. “This collaboration with CCS embodies our dedication to promoting diversity in the arts, while also paving the way for a new generation of creatives that will help lead Detroit well into the future.”

The scholarship is available beginning in the 2024–25 school year and will provide an annual award of $50,000 in financial support to be distributed for four years to a deserving CCS student, recognized as a “Gilbert Family Foundation Scholar.”

“On behalf of CCS, we express our deep gratitude to the Gilbert Family Foundation for their tremendous support of students, the community, and art and design,” said Don Tuski, President, College for Creative Studies. “Our city has always been a place where artists can thrive, and at CCS we have the pleasure of supporting artists and designers throughout their entire careers. Nurturing artists and designers is our core mission. Thanks to the Gilbert Family Foundation’s generous philanthropy, we’re excited to inspire even more young talent in the visual arts.”

 

Pre-College Summer Experience Program

In addition to the endowed scholarship fund, the Gilbert Family Foundation will continue supporting the College for Creative Studies’ Pre-College Summer Experience program, which spans three weeks and assists high-school students in portfolio development and college readiness. Participants can select a studio focus and undertake a project, while also earning three college credits.

The Gilbert Family Foundation has invested $100,000 in scholarship support for the program, covering 16 students over the last two summers. This investment will support another nine students in 2024 for a total of 25 scholars when the funding is complete. Each scholarship covers tuition and room and board, enabling students to reside on the CCS campus.

The Gilbert Family Foundation and CCS are committed to providing wraparound education for participants in the Pre-College Summer Experience Program. With generous in-kind support from the Rock Family of Companies, students gain increased exposure to art and design career pathways through career workshops.

###

 

About the Gilbert Family Foundation

The Gilbert Family Foundation is a private nonprofit foundation founded by Jennifer and Dan Gilbert to accelerate a cure for neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) and build economic opportunity and equity in the city of Detroit. The Gilbert Family Foundation supports groundbreaking, cutting-edge research in hopes of eradicating NF1, a genetic disorder that causes tumors to grow on nerves anywhere in the body. Additionally, the Foundation supports the economic stability and mobility of residents in Detroit by investing in wealth-building opportunities and breaking down systemic barriers. For more information on the Gilbert Family Foundation, please visit gilbertfamilyfoundation.org.

 

About College for Creative Studies (CCS)
The College for Creative Studies (CCS) is a nonprofit, private college authorized by the Michigan Education Department to grant Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees. CCS, located in midtown Detroit, strives to provide students with the tools needed for successful careers in the dynamic and growing creative industries. CCS fosters students’ resolve to pursue excellence, act ethically, engage their responsibilities as citizens, and learn throughout their lives. With world-class faculty and unsurpassed facilities, students learn to be visual communicators who actively use art and design toward the betterment of society. The College is a major supplier of talent to numerous industries, such as transportation, film and animation, advertising and communications, consumer electronics, athletic apparel, and many more. Its graduates are exhibiting artists and teachers, design problem solvers and innovators, as well as creative leaders in business.