During the past 150 years, SAIC alumni, friends, and donors have established 294 permanent endowment funds for scholarships and fellowships, providing crucial support for undergraduate, graduate, and Continuing Studies students. Alumni like Ivan Albright (SAIC 1919–23, HON 1977), LeRoy Neiman (SAIC 1946–50, HON 2006), Richard Hunt (BA 1957, HON 1979), Ed Paschke (BFA 1961, MFA 1970, HON 1990), Elizabeth Murray (BFA 1962, HON 1992), Cynthia Rowley (BFA 1981), Sanford Biggers (MFA 1999), and Rashid Johnson (MFA 2005) benefited from scholarships and fellowships while studying at SAIC. Students who receive scholarship and fellowship funding are provided with support that enables them to realize their educational goals. They are also more likely to give back to SAIC as they achieve success in their careers. The generous gifts from donors throughout the course of SAIC’s history has helped the school become the renowned institution that it is today.

1891: The first scholarship, the Chicago Woman’s Club Scholarship, is established at SAIC.

1923: Two SAIC alumni establish the Alumni Scholarship to provide assistance to students demonstrating financial need. Alumni have continued to contribute to this fund throughout the decades.

1950: Elizabeth B. Stein (BA 1941, MA 1955)—SAIC alum, photographer, and art teacher— establishes an endowed scholarship in her name. Elizabeth Murray (BFA 1962, HON 1992) benefits from this scholarship as a student at SAIC.

1976: The Cornelia Steckl Fashion Scholarship is established in honor of SAIC’s first Fashion faculty member. Cynthia Rowley (BFA 1981) receives this scholarship in 1981.

1986: Marion Parry establishes the Odyssey Travel Grants, the first lottery-based travel award fund at SAIC, a program that is endowed in 1998.

1988: The Sage Foundation Scholarship is established to support the school’s long-standing commitment to help young, talented artists and designers realize their potential.

1994: The James Weinstein Memorial Fund for Photographic Artists is created to support MFA in Photography candidates.

2005: The LeRoy Neiman Scholarship is created by alumni LeRoy and Janet Neiman (SAIC 1946–50). It remains the largest scholarship established by alumni.

2009: The Pritzker Family Foundation establishes the Pritzker Scholarship Fund to help address the financial need of SAIC students.

2011: The Justyna Palka Memorial Endowed Scholarship is established through the generosity of Ogilvy and Mather along with Palka’s family and friends in memory of SAIC alum, Justyna Palka (BFA 2009).

2012: The Walter and Shirley Massey Chicago Fund is created by John Thomson, a member of SAIC’s Board of Governors, to provide critical need-based funding for undergraduate students matriculating from Chicago Public Schools. The fund honors SAIC President Walter Massey and his wife Shirley, who are committed to providing opportunities for underprivileged and minority students.

2014: The Ellen Sandor Scholarships are created to help the school attract the highest caliber graduate students to the Department of Art and Technology Studies and the Department of Film, Video, New Media, and Animation.

2014: The Margot and Thomas Pritzker Graduate Fellowship is established to attract, retain, and provide critical merit-based funding for exceptional graduate students at SAIC.

2014: The Diane v. S. and Robert M. Levy Scholarship is created by former Art Institute of Chicago Chair, Robert M. Levy and his wife Diane, to provide need-based funding for undergraduate students attending SAIC.

2015: The HOLLY HUNT Graduate Merit Fellowships are established to provide merit-based funding for graduate students.

2015: Alum and Professor Emerita Angela Paterakis (BFA 1954, CERT 1985) and her husband George posthumously establish the Angela and George Paterakis Scholarship fund through their trust.