2023 Memorial Fund for Education Awardees

Fiona Marques, 2023 Memorial Fund for Education Awardee

We are pleased to announce the winner of SCA’s Memorial Fund for Education 2023 Youth Grant is Fiona Marques, a student at University of Mass Dartmouth. Her most recent project, Dēcidere Danger, aims to expand upon the artistic narrative she has developed. It specifically dives into her own story of perseverance, determination, and rebirth. The physical goal of this project is to create multiple distinct steel “figures” hovering over a fragile feminine form, symbolizing how she perceives the dangers and
trauma from her past. The $1,000 grant from SCA’s Memorial Fund for Education will play a crucial role in achieving her artistic vision by directly funding her steel purchases, and propelling her further along her journey as an artist.

Award of Merit

This year, we had a record number of applications and were thrilled to see so many young artists looking to pursue their passions. With so many worthy applicants, the judges added an Award of Merit for an additional artist. The Award of Merit was presented to Jonathan Colombo, a student at the Community College of Rhode Island. His application showed evidence of hard work, and demonstrated artistic skill, talent, and expression. We hope this award of $500 will assist him on his journey of artistic development.

Sketch by Jonathan Colombo, Winner 2023 $500 Award of Merit

Sketch by Jonathan Colombo


SCA’s Memorial Fund for Education provides grants for motivated high school and college students under the age of 21, to explore their artistic potential beyond the everyday classroom setting. The cash award helps defray the costs of a student’s self-designed artistic goal, and dovetails with the overarching mission of SCA, Inc. by creating opportunities for discovery, self-expression, and appreciation of the arts.

The fund was established in 2014 as part of SCA’s ongoing educational mission. The initial funding was given in memory of Poole Barker, a young exhibiting member of SCA, with the hope that Poole’s spirit of creativity, joy and exploration would live on in these education grants. Since its creation ten years ago, the fund has grown through generous gifts in memory of Poole as well as other individuals. If you would like to honor or memorialize someone with a gift, you can make a donation with the link below.

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