MJSA awards six student scholarships for education

Attleboro, Mass.--The MJSA Education Foundation recently gave six students in U.S. graduate and undergraduate programs $1,000 scholarships to help advance their skills in jewelry making and design.

Funds for the scholarship are generated through the foundation’s Scholarship Group, which consists of six permanent endowment funds managed by the Rhode Island Community Foundation on behalf of MJSA and the foundation.

This year marks the 17th year that the MJSA Education Foundation has awarded scholarships, with its funding over that time totaling more than $170,000.

The winners, recognized for their exceptional talent and promise for successful professional careers, are as follows.

--Bryan Brown of Beachwood, Ohio. Brown is a graduate student at Temple University’s Tyler School of Art in Philadelphia, studying jewelry, metal and CAD/CAM. MJSA said that Brown was cited by an undergraduate professor for his experience and mastery of CAD software and for being a resource for other students. He also has had internships at several jewelry designers’ studios, and helped with his undergraduate university’s research into getting a 3-D printer. He plans a career as an instructor in jewelry making and design.

--Olivia Shih of Oakland, Calif. Shih is a senior at the California College of the Arts, studying jewelry and metal arts. She has studied production jewelry, stone setting, enameling, 3-D printing, CNC routing, and laser cutting, and also has served as an intern at two jewelry businesses. After graduation, Shih plans to attend technique-specific classes outside CCA and will improve her business, branding and marketing skills through online classes. Her ultimate plan is to launch a jewelry line and then a gallery.

--Cuong Sy of Cranston, R.I. Sy is a graduate student at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, where he is studying metalsmithing and jewelry design. According to MJSA, he has a strong interest in making jewelry using cast elements and exploring cast-in-place stone setting techniques. His future interests lie in becoming either a production artist or an educator.

--Camille Torres of Oakland. Torres currently is pursuing a degree in jewelry and metal arts at the California College of the Arts. She specializes in creating jewelry and metal accessories that have multiple functions such as cameras, boxes or altarpieces. MJSA said she plans to continue creating wearable sculptures while also creating a production line of more affordable and approachable designs.

--Deanna Wardley of Dale City, Calif. Wardley is a senior at the Academy