Awards & Fellowships

The Arthur Levitt Jr. ’52 Artist-in-Residence (not offered in art 2023-24)

The Arthur Levitt Jr. ’52 Artist-in-Residence will be an emerging artist, near the beginning of his/her career, recruited each year to the College with an aim toward stimulating new perspectives and cooperative endeavors among the studio arts, music, theatre, dance, and creative writing. He or she will be someone of rising prominence in the arts whose work reflects the approaches of two or more of the arts departments. The appointment will involve a mixture of teaching, projects involving faculty and students, and public exhibition or performance.

This program was established to complement the existing arts faculty with visiting visual artists, dancers, choreographers, musicians, composers, directors, actors, designers, and writers of fiction, poetry, plays or cinema. By the nature of their work, the candidates should foster collaboration and synergy between at least two of the arts programs at Williams. Team-teaching with permanent faculty members from other arts disciplines and the cross-listing of courses is encouraged, as is involving students in creative productions, performances or installations.

Terms of Appointment

The Levitt Artists-in-Residence are appointed at 0.5 FTE (with full benefits) for teaching two regular semester courses or the equivalent. The salary is set at approximately half of a starting assistant professor’s annual salary. Additional compensation is occasionally available if, for example, the visitor also teaches a Winter Study course, works with an ensemble, stages a production with Williams students, or oversees an exhibit installation, etc. The specific FTE allocation and salary level will be determined by the departments/programs in full consultation with the dean of the faculty’s office.

Ideally, the Levitt Fellows relocate to Williamstown for the duration of their appointment, rather than commuting once or twice a week just to teach. They are eligible for faculty housing and are provided with office space and a computer. The host departments should also be prepared to provide studio, stage, or rehearsal space as needed.

When offered, instructions will be posted.

Class of 1960s Scholars

The Class of 1960 Scholars and Fellows Program was instituted in the summer of 1985 by Francis Oakley, then President of the College, who proposed that large departments consider organizing a program of non-credit seminars to bring together a select group of outstanding majors with visiting scholars or artists of distinction.

In the Art Department, the 1960’s Scholars program is intended to make academic, scholarly, and creative work more familiar to students by allowing them to meet with “live” scholars and artists. Every year, the art department selects a small number of students who we believe have potential for a career in education. These students are invited to take the lead and work together to choose artists and historians who will come to our campus to give lectures that are open to the public. In this way, the college hopes to encourage more of our best students to consider careers in teaching, research, and creative work.

S. Lane Faison, Jr. 1929 Prize

S. Lane Faison Jr. ’29 (1907–2006) was among the most influential art educators of the twentieth century, and taught several generations of America’s leading museum directors, curators and scholars. He did so by setting the highest standards for looking carefully and sensitively at paintings and sculpture. As a curator and art critic for the influential journal The Nation, he was an important voice in the world of contemporary art, which he wrote about with the same clarity, precision and wit that he brought to the great art of the past. The S. Lane Faison, Jr. 1929 Prize is awarded to the student whose paper best reflects his high standards in the critical engagement with an object of art.

Fulkerson Award for Leadership in the Arts

The Fulkerson Awards recognize an outstanding Williams senior and a second year art history graduate student for their initiative in raising awareness of the visual arts on campus and showing the characteristics of future arts leaders. Students must be nominated for the Fulkerson award and are required to write an essay on what leadership in the arts means to them. The evaluating committee is composed of members of the museum staff and Art Department faculty. The criteria for evaluation include: creativity, maturity, communication skills, and potential for future leadership.

Arthur B. Graves Prize

Established by Arthur B. Graves, 1858, for the best six essays prepared by seniors on subjects assigned by the following departments: art, economics, history, philosophy, political science, religion. The fund also provides a cash award or awards for the best report or reports delivered in the senior political economy project.

Hubbard Hutchinson 1917 Memorial Fellowship

Established in 1940 by Mrs. Eva W. Hutchinson in memory of her son, Class of 1917. Awarded to a member or members of the graduating class who produce the most creative work in music composition, poetry, fiction, painting, sculpture, photography or choreography; then to those who show unusual talent and promise in performance; then to those majoring in philosophy or the sciences. The purpose of the award is to assist in continuing work in the special field of interest for a period of two years following graduation.

Frederick M. Peyser Prize in Painting

Awarded annually by a faculty selection committee to a student for a distinguished painting.

Every year a cash prize is awarded to a student distinguishing herself/himself in painting. The winning painting will also be exhibited at the Williams College Museum of Art from May to June . Works in oil, acrylic, watercolor, or gouache are acceptable. You may submit up to two paintings. It’s easy to apply.

Bruce Sanderson 1956 Prize in Architecture

From a fund established by the friends, family, and classmates in memory of Bruce Sanderson, 1956, who died while serving in the United States Navy. Since Bruce Sanderson found his special interest at Williams and at graduate school in architecture, a cash prize is awarded to the senior who, in the opinion of the faculty members who teach architecture, shows the greatest achievement and promise in this field.

Karl E. Weston 1896 Prize for Distinction in Art

In appreciation of Karl Weston’s, 1896, great service to Williams College as teacher and as Director of the Lawrence Art Museum, a book prize is awarded each year at commencement to a senior majoring in art whose work has shown unusual brilliance, imagination, and industry.