Scholarships and awards

Thanks to the generosity of alumni, community and donors, the Department of Theatre and Dance offers scholarships to students from their first year to their last. The descriptions of the scholarships that the department offers are listed below. Please take a moment to look at the history behind the scholarship and the criteria that applies to each one. To be eligible for these scholarships, students must complete the graduate or undergraduate scholarship application located in the supplemental forms area of MyNEVADA annually beginning in October.

An awards ceremony takes place in the spring of each academic year to honor all scholarship recipients. Details relating to this ceremony will be sent out prior to the event.

Dr. Art & Elaine Broten Dance Scholarship

Art Broten was the program director of what was then the Department of Physical Education and Recreation and eventually served as the athletic director at the University of Nevada, Reno. He and his wife donated money to create this scholarship for students interested in dance.

Edwin Booth Award

An anonymous benefactor established the fund for the Booth Award in 1961; it is now maintained by additional anonymous donors. The award is named after Edwin Booth, a famous 19th century actor. Edwin Booth was described by playwright Augustin Daly as, “The greatest tragic actor of his time, and beyond dispute, the noblest figure, as man and actor, our stage has known this century.” In the spirit of Edwin Booth, the Booth Award honors a talented student, typically a graduating senior, who has contributed to the department and holds great future promise in the field of theatre.

Fred MacKenzie Memorial Scholarship

The Fred MacKenzie Memorial Scholarship was established in 1980 by the MacKenzie family, two members who had been active in Nevada Repertory Company productions. The awards go to outstanding theatre students who graduated from a Nevada high school.

Grace Semenza Drama Scholarship

Evelyn Semenza, a University of Nevada, Reno graduate and the youngest child of Reno pioneers John and Louise Semenza, established this scholarship fund in her sister’s name to honor her passion for theatre.

The Jim/Bob Scholarship

Reverend Jackie Leonard created a scholarship endowment to honor the talent and dedication of two former faculty members Jim Bernardi and Bob Dillard. The endowment awards scholarships to one male and one female student each year.

Larry Hillman Theater Scholarship

Larry was a fan of theatre and supporter of the department. His partner Richard Brown (a retired professor in English) established this scholarship in Larry’s name to recognize students in areas of production, musical theatre and/or acting.

Room 8 Scholarship in Theatre

This scholarship is named after Room 8, now Room 18. In the 1970s, Room 8 was the primary theatre classroom in the 1970s where donors Bob and Kathy Gabrielli spent a lot of their time as undergraduates. The donors created this scholarship in fond memory of their university theatre experiences and wish to assist a student who similarly displays a passion and a joy for the craft.

The Theatre Scholarship

The Theatre Scholarship was established by selling name plates on seats in the Redfield Proscenium theatre for $1,000. Over 70 people purchased these name plates and part of that money provides funds for scholarships annually.