Benenson Awards in the Arts
The Benenson Awards in the Arts provide funding for fees, travel and other educational expenses for arts-centered projects proposed by undergraduates. Applicants must be undergraduates in good standing in Trinity College or the Pratt School of Engineering; seniors may apply funds to projects planned for the one year period following graduation. For information and inspiration, please see the description of previous awards (2009 , 2010 , 2011, 2012).
In the past, the Benenson Awards have supported projects such as:
- the incorporation of technology and art with dance choreography
- an interpretation of the Target icon into a multicolor landscape of circular shapes
- a 10-15 minute film about the nation's interstate highway system completed with antiquated media
- a journalism piece on French culture from the lens of a local bar during the June 2010 World Cup
The awards are named in honor of the donor, Edward Benenson, T ’34, a Duke trustee emeritus. The New York City developer was a pre-med student who went to work in the family's real-estate business at his father's request. Benenson began making annual gifts to support the awards program in the mid-1970s because he hoped to encourage students to pursue excellence in the art or craft of their choice.
In choosing awardees, the faculty selection committee will look for evidence of your academic preparation, your qualifications for completing the project, a timetable for bringing the work to completion, and a detailed budget. Personal equipment (cameras, computers, etc.) should not be included in the budget. Each project will be evaluated on its merits. The project must be arts-centered (not travel-centered), and able to be completed within one year of the award date. Award winners will be asked to sign a contract addressing use of funds and providing reports to the committee and the donor.
Approximately 20 awards are made each year; recent awards have ranged from $600-$4500 with an average award size of $1800.
2012 Award Receipients
| Name | Major | Graduation Date | Title |
| Jennifer Blocker | Public Policy and Theater Studies | May 2012 | June 25 - August 3, 2012 |
| Ashley Brasier | Visual and Media Studies | Dec. 2011 | Career Discovery at the Harvard Graduate School of Design |
| Martin Connor | Music | May 2012 | Requiem for Victims of the 2010 Earthquake in Haiti |
| Nathaniel Hill | Theater Studies | May 2012 | Commercial Theater Institute 16-week Intensive course |
| Monica Hogan | Dance, Biology | May 2012 | The Classic, Contemporary, and Creative: Expanding Dance Choreography and Performance |
| Wanda Jin | English (Min. Theater Studies & Dance) | May 2012 | RADA and Odin: Summer Studies in Theater |
| Alison Kibbe | Interdepartmental: Cultural Anthropology and Public Policy | May 2012 | Movement, Justice, and Community: An Artist Activist's Journey |
| Nusaibah Kofar-Naisa | Political Science | May 2012 | A Portal into Kano, Nigeria |
| Jonathan Lee | Biology (BS) and English (AB) | May 2012 | Aesthetics of the Environmental Iconography of Singapore |
| Katherine Noel | Visual Arts, English, Photography Minor | May 2012 | High Caliber Craftsmen Course with Follow Up Sculpture Series |
| Richard Paez | Theater Studies | May 2013 | The Theatermakers Summer Intensive at the Eugene O'Neill Theater Center |
| Braxton Shelley | Music | May 2012 | Songs Of A Survivor: A Gospel Recording Project |
| Connor Southard | English | May 2012 | Service and Profit After the War: Stories of Building and Rebuilding in Sierra Leone |
| Eddie Wu | Philosophy | May 2012 | American Impressions: 2012 |
| Ali Yalgin | Political Science and Theater Studies | May 2012 | Prague Film School-Summer Workshop in Filmmaking |
| Cameron Zohoori | Neuroscience | May 2012 | Underwater Photography Internship in South Africa |
How to apply
Please complete the online application form. Preview the application here. Applications must be accompanied by two letters of recommendation and an official transcript. These should be sent to the Benenson Selection Committee, URS Office, 011 Allen Building, Box 90051 (ursoffice@duke.edu) by 11:59pm on March 1.
You may request an electronic transcript from the Registrar's Office web site. Please have the transcript sent to ursoffice@duke.edu.
Supplementary materials may be provided, if appropriate, and should be submitted in person at the URS Office in 011 Allen Building.
