Announcing the 2019-20 SETC Scholarship Winners

SETC offers thousands of dollars in scholarships for individuals studying theatre. SETC’s Scholarship/Awards Fund supports these monetary awards, which go directly to the winners to use as they wish. Meet this year’s winners.

LEIGHTON M. BALLEW SCHOLARSHIP For Graduate Study in Directing

Karen Sabo is a director, teacher, writer and actor who has been a member of three resident acting companies and has led three nonprofits. She is pursuing an MFA in directing at the University of Alabama.

Karen Sabo

DENISE HALBACH SCHOLARSHIP For Graduate Study in Acting or Musical Theatre

Charence Higgins is a Mississippi native who holds degrees in psychology and theatre from Jackson State University. She is pursuing an MFA in acting at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

Charence Higgins

ROBERT PORTERFIELD SCHOLARSHIP For Graduate Study in Theatre

Liz Haynes is a technical director who holds degrees in production studies in performing arts and modern languages from Clemson University. She is pursuing an MFA in technical direction at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.

Liz Haynes

MARIAN A. SMITH SCHOLARSHIP For Graduate Study in Costume Design/ Technology

Chloe Moore is a graduate of the College of Charleston who seeks to use the history and language of clothing to illuminate collaborative storytelling. She is pursuing an MFA in costume design at Boston College.

Chloe Moore

STEVE BAYLESS UNDERGRADUATE SCHOLARSHIP For Undergraduate Study in Theatre

Leah Eichhorn, a life-long homeschool student, is currently a freshman at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, pursuing a double major in theatre and arts administration.

Leah Eichhorn

Undergraduate Scholarship Named for Steve Bayless

At the Fall Meetings in Charlotte, the SETC Board of Directors voted unanimously to name the SETC Undergraduate Scholarship in honor of Steve Bayless, who passed away this summer in Florida. As a junior high and high school music teacher for over 35 years, Steve touched the lives of thousands of students – sharing not just his appreciation for music and theatre but also the values of hard work, confidence, respect, diversity and caring for others. Steve served on the SETC Board and received SETC’s Suzanne M. Davis Memorial Award. Most recently, Steve was the executive director of the Florida Theatre Conference. The Steve Bayless Undergraduate Scholarship is awarded to a high school student on entering a college or university in the SETC region to major in theatre.

More info: www.setc.org/scholarships-awards