New York Women in Film & Television has given eight scholarships to film, television, and media production students at New York area schools in 2024 as part of the organization’s ongoing commitment to nurturing the next generation of women in media.
The scholarships were presented to students at Brooklyn College, City College, Columbia University, Feirstein Graduate School of Cinema, New York University, and Stony Brook University, and one student received the NYWIFT Sabrina Wright-Gilliar Award at the Academy for Careers in Television & Film.
Awards were presented to Brooklyn College Film Production undergraduate students Valerie Cepeda and Jennifer Giuffre; City College MFA candidate Telisha Petteway; Columbia University MFA candidate in Screenwriting & Directing Kate diRienzi; Feirstein Graduate School of Cinema MFA Directing candidate Claire Jamison; New York University MFA candidate Rubing Zhang; and Stony Brook University MFA candidate in Screenwriting Aleesha Dineros-Canuto.
This year’s NYWIFT Sabrina Wright-Gilliar Award was awarded to Academy for Careers in Television & Film student Natania Dorma. The scholarship honors the memory of the legendary prop master Wright-Gilliar (The Good Wife) and supports a high school senior committed to a career in production.
In addition to receiving cash scholarships, all were also welcomed into the organization’s Next Wave membership program for emerging professionals.
“We are always looking to the next generation of storytellers to light the way forward in our challenging and ever-evolving times,” said NYWIFT CEO Cynthia Lopez. “We are thrilled as always to support these young industry leaders who fearlessly pursue their dreams, tackle tough topics, and elevate the stories of their communities. We can’t wait to welcome them to our community at NYWIFT where they will find support, camaraderie, and professional development.”
The NYWIFT Scholarship Fund was established in 1995 to support the next generation of women filmmakers, editors, cinematographers, animators and other content producers. The organization also announced a new fund earlier this year, the Nancy Mysel Scholarship, which will be presented to an undergraduate or graduate student dedicated to film and visual art preservation.
New York Women in Film and Television www.nywift.org