Thomas R. and Mary P. Markusen Scholarship for the Arts and Lifelong Learning

Emeritus couple Thomas R. and Mary P. Markusen established a scholarship in their names to support individuals who have a passion for the arts and the role the arts play in lifelong learning, by recognizing a master of fine arts student at SUNY Brockport’s Visual Studies Workshop.

Mr. Markusen was a professor of sculpture and metal/jewelry from 1968 to 1998. He established the metal studio and, while serving as Art Department chair, was instrumental in bringing the bachelor of fine arts (BFA) program to Brockport in 1986. He earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Wisconsin at Madison, and in 1994, he received an honorary Doctor of Fine Arts from the State University of New York.

He has served as a member of the American Crafts Council and was a previous president of the Society of North American Goldsmiths. His work is in significant permanent collections, including the Museum of Art and Design, New York City; the Vatican; and the White House. During the Year of the American Craft in 1994, Mr. and Mrs. Markusen were welcomed at the Clinton White House as part of a group of leading crafts persons in the U.S.

As a director of Adult and Continuing Education at Brockport and advocate for adult students, Mrs. Markusen oversaw an increase in adult students who were able to complete their degrees at Brockport through on- and off-campus programing and internet courses. She served on staff at Brockport from 1971 to 1998. During her tenure, she promoted Brockport’s exceptional opportunities for lifelong learning through extensive marketing campaigns. She received bother her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Wisconsin at Madison.

Students qualifying for the Thomas R. and Mary P. Markusen Scholarship for the Arts and Lifelong Learning must be accepted into the master of fine arts program in the Department of Visual Studies at Visual Studies Workshop. They must demonstrate artistic or critical excellence as well as the potential for excellence in visual studies, as determined by the director of the Visual Studies MFA program. They also must show a need for financial assistance through the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).