Scholarships, Internships, Exhibitions, and More: Our Donors Help SAIC Thrive

This year, the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC) has been honored to see the continued belief donors have in educating the next generation of cultural leaders.

By investing in scholarships, internships, exhibitions, and so much more, the School’s community has acted to ensure that SAIC students have the resources they need to succeed during their time at the School and beyond.

Expanding Scholarship Support
This fall, a gift of $5 million from the Frank Family Foundation for undergraduate merit scholarships will ensure that SAIC continues to attract the country’s most talented art and design students, and its impact will be felt for generations.“When you support an SAIC student, you’re not just funding an education—you’re fueling the cultural life of our city and beyond,” shared Karen and Jim. “We’re thrilled to make this investment in the future of art and design.” 

Students who receive the Karen Frank Merit Scholarship will join more than 900 scholarship recipients who receive philanthropic funds each year. These awards allow them to focus more intently on growing their practice, engaging with faculty, and exploring off-campus enrichment experiences that prepare them to pursue a career in the arts post-graduation.

Investing in Student Spaces
SAIC’s on-campus resources are a major factor why young artists choose to study here, and student exhibitions in our prominent, state-of-the-art galleries are one of the greatest resources we offer. We host the work of more than 900 artists each year at SAIC Galleries and the student-run SITE Galleries, many of whom are publicly presenting their artworks for the first time. The School's exhibition spaces are "teaching galleries"—serving as an extension of the studio, where students can bring their artistic visions to life and learn how to best share their visions with the greater Chicago arts community.

The Statsinger Cohen Foundation, which was founded by alum and artist Evelyn Statsinger (BAE 1949) and her husband, recently made an investment in SAIC’s Department of Exhibitions and Exhibition Studies to bolster this vital teaching space. Statsinger’s love of the Art Institute of Chicago started young: While visiting the museum as a high schooler in 1946, she was so impressed by the collections that she visited the School’s Admissions office that same day. Through the foundation, her passion for art and artists lives on today. The foundation’s executive director Daniel Schulman shared, “The exhibitions program has been such an important part of SAIC's education, serving students, faculty, and the public in so many vital ways. Evelyn felt very strongly about the importance of opportunities for artists to exhibit their work publicly and this is why we thought the exhibitions program would be the ideal recipient of the foundation's support.” 

Widening Internship Access
Janet Neiman (HON 2015) and LeRoy Neiman (SAIC 1946–50, HON 2006) felt similarly about investing in student support to cultivate the skills of future art and culture leaders. Janet and LeRoy’s past philanthropy to SAIC include establishing a scholarship and funding the renovation of student space at 37 South Wabash Avenue. Today, the LeRoy Neiman and Janet Byrne Neiman Foundation continues to fund after-school community programs, university initiatives, and other educational efforts that foster interest in and love of art.

That’s why the Neiman Foundation recently made a three-year commitment to establish a fine-arts internship fund in honor of Janet, who passed away in 2025. “Janet and LeRoy believed deeply in expanding opportunities for emerging artists. When students have the chance to participate in out of classroom experiences like internships, they expand their horizons and learn how to translate their learnings from the classroom into a professional setting. Janet would be thrilled to know that her philanthropy is directly benefiting students on their journey to a successful career in the arts,” shares Tara Zabor, Neiman Foundation executive director.

When donors give to the School, they strengthen our entire community. Their giving fosters discovery, innovation, and exploration of diverse methods and perspectives. We are grateful for all that donors make possible for the School and future generations of arts leaders. ■