2017 Robert Vazquez Scholarships Awarded

Left to right: Sergeant-at-Arms Kathy Tonkin Vazquez, Simeon Henderson (accepting for his daughter Mariah), Vice President Whit Norris, Jamal Copeland, Carissa Oldknow, and Luke Semones

Last week the winners of the 2017 Robert Vazquez IATSE 479 Scholarship were announced to the membership via email. The scholarships were officially bestowed to the winners at the April General Membership meeting by Vice President Whit Norris and Kathy Tonkin-Vazquez, wife of Robert “Bobby” Vazquez, for whom the scholarship is named. As announced last October, the scholarship was expanded to four prizes.

The winners of the 2017 Robert Vazquez Scholarship were:

Mariah Price – daughter of member Simeon Henderson*

Jamal Copeland – son of member Reginald Copeland

Carissa Oldknow – daughter of members Patrick and Michelle Oldknow

Luke Semones – son of member Ellen Semones

2017 Scholarship Essay

The Robert Vazquez scholarship provides $4,000 to a member, member’s spouse, son, daughter, grandchild or any child for which the member may be deemed to act as legal guardian. Candidates are challenged to write an essay on a topic, with a jury of selected readers.

This year the Scholarship Committee posed the question “What is the social impact of films and what do you feel is the main social/societal responsibility of the producing studio in all films it releases?”

2017 Essays

This year’s winners have been collected together to be shared with our membership and the film community.

The members of the Scholarship Committee would like to thank everyone who submitted to the 2017 Scholarship Essay and to the selected jury members who contributed their time to read all of the submissions received. If your child did not win a scholarship this year please be aware that they can participate in subsequent competitions (previous winners may not participate again).

Read the 2017 Winning Essays (PDF format)

Find Out More

Click here to read more about the scholarship.

* Mariah’s father accepted the scholarship on his daughter’s behalf