Applications for the 2025 SJSU Scholarship is open!
Since 2023, we’ve partnered with the San Jose State University’s Animation & Illustration Program to provide a renewable scholarship to an underrepresented artist with financial need in order to keep pursuing their higher education. One recipient will receive up to $8,000 a year, renewable up to 4 years.
In order to be eligible, the candidate must have completed their first year in the SJSU Animation Program. Application deadline is coming up on April 26, 2025!
Let’s take a look at our previous recipients:
Catherine Ngo impressed us with both her written and video essay on the application. We could all clearly see the production management potential in her! Here’s what she wrote after receiving the scholarship:
“I am immensely grateful to have the Titmouse Foundation invest in my career as an aspiring film producer! Receiving the Titmouse Foundation Scholarship will help me pay off my final year of college, focus on directing my senior thesis film, and invest in resources essential to my growth as a leader. My community service at San Jose State sparked my passion for production management and opened a new career path for me in leadership. I am so excited to embark on this learning journey with the help of my Titmouse mentor and the scholarship! With the scholarship, I aim to invest in courses and books about various project management styles, public speaking, conflict resolution, and cultivating a positive environment for a team. Being a first-generation student, navigating college and building my career has always been intimidating; I feel incredibly blessed to have the Titmouse Foundation’s support and investment in my future, which has increased my confidence to pursue my dream! I hope to one day inspire fellow individuals from underrepresented communities in animation to pursue leadership positions, uplifting those around me to also dream big!“
Many of our scholarship recipients have faced hardships such as a sick or disabled parent unable to fully provide for their families, resulting in the children having to take on extra responsibilities like looking after their siblings or a part time job for extra income. It’s hard to properly focus on their studies when these students are being pulled so many different directions. That’s why we were pleased to award students Sara Kubo and Janess Dagdagan our inaugural SJSU scholarship so they’d have one less worry on their minds. Here’s what they had to say upon receiving the scholarship:
“After a sudden illness in the family, I had to become a financially-independent working student. It has been a constant struggle of trying to balance my studies and my job and burnout was no stranger. Though I learned several great lessons and soft-skills from this experience, it had been a difficult one. I am tremendously thankful to say that the Titmouse Foundation Scholarship has given me a chance to use that time in advancing my storytelling skills. Skills that will support filmmaking that can inspire our next generation. This help will also allow me to have more time in accessing outside workshops, participating in more projects such as department zines, and overall being more integrated in the strong community that my department has cultivated. As a fourth-year student graduating in two years, I aim to use all the time that this scholarship will give me in order to make my dreams come to life.” - Sara Kubo
“Growing up, I was interested in learning how to animate. I always believed that animation was the perfect medium for diverse storytelling, and wanted to help create stories that people of all backgrounds could identify with. However, I assumed that I wouldn’t be able to afford to attend university to study animation. My parents retired early due to their disabilities- so once I began attending school, I took several part-time jobs to support myself and my family. While attending SJSU’s Animation program, I had to spend nearly 5 hours a day commuting. I also worked on weekends, which made it difficult to be involved with campus life. Thanks to the generosity of the Titmouse Foundation, the burden of my commute will be eased. I can cut down on my work hours, and my time will be utilized to continue to develop myself as an artist. I’m excited to have mentorship from the Titmouse Foundation and can now spend more time at school to attend the workshops and events my program has to offer. As a first-generation student, it means a lot to know that I can complete my education!” -Janess Dagdagan
