Q1 • 2023


13


Calling all graphic communications


students and educators: the Print and Graphics Scholarship Foundation wants YOU! TODAY!


t


he Print and Graphics Scholarship Foundation (PGSF) is no longer the best-kept secret in the


printing industry. With nearly 70 years in operation, the $12 million organization is boldly occupying the intersection of today’s print and graphic communications industry and its future workforce. PGSF is a private, industry-directed


nonprofit that offers technical-school, undergraduate, and graduate fellowship assistance to people interested in a career in the graphic communications field. It also grants financial support to institutions’ education-focused initiatives and provides workforce development resources to students, instructors, and employers. “As an independent nonprofit, we


are poised to be an agnostic voice in the graphic communications field, able to help all ships rise,” says Jules Van Sant, PGSF board chair and co-owner of the Pacific Northwest full-service marketing agency Bubble & Hatch. “Our mission is to continue to fund education and workforce development opportunities, expand our reach, and give


money away.”


Preparing Scholars for Print With over 120 endowments totaling $12 million, PGSF plans to award more than $650,000 in grants and scholarships in 2023. Scholarships are available for part-


and full-time undergraduates in graphic communications, and fellowships are granted to those entering or continuing graduate studies programs. Awards vary in amount from $1,500 to $10,000 per academic year, in most cases, for up to four years. They renew automatically each year for students who maintain a minimum GPA and stay in an approved field of study. Grants are issued mainly to educational institutions that want to broaden their outreach, improve technology, do more research, and include more students in the field. “We touch a lot of lives,” says Van


Sant. “The biggest challenge is finding technical colleges and universities that fit our mission. We want to be a resource to instructors, students, and the workforce pathway overall. Our grant money is meant to preach, teach, and reach print.” The organization has indeed touched


a lot of lives with its scholarships, grants, and national design contests, and students who went to college with PGSF’s help often become vocal advocates of the nonprofit.


Creating Blended Career Paths: Print, Sales, Teaching, and Marketing “When a student is chosen to receive a PGSF award, they are not only receiving financial support for their education, but they are also joining the PGSF family and will have the benefits now and in the future of a positive support system provided by PGSF staff and directors and our extensive alumni and contact network,” says Debbie Bohan, PGSF administrative director. “This makes a life-changing impact on people, and you can see that many are happy to come and give back to us.” Nick Gawreluk is a PGSF recipient is a PGSF r


turned print-industry powerhouse. Gawreluk knew since early high school that he was passionate about the print industry. He received annual support from PGSF ranging from $3,000 to $5,500 throughout


his undergraduate studies in


print media at the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT). He went on to work and study internationally—his journey spanning five continents—and he led teams at Heidelberg and HP before becoming the director of sales and account management


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