Grade 12 student awarded the SAIC Premier Scholarship

When Jessica Li ‘25 first discovered she was awarded the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC) Premier Scholarship, she wasn’t aware how much of a big deal it was. (Spoiler: it is a pretty big deal). This four-year scholarship provides an allocation of $19,000 USD across four years with a full course load totalling $76,000. 

To apply for this merit scholarship, Jessica submitted a collection of paintings done with acrylic paint. While this showcased her skill level with traditional mediums, Jessica is interested in pursuing mixed media work and hopes to explore her creativity at SAIC’s studios. “There are lots of opportunities to experiment with different materials at SAIC,” says Jessica. “I’m interested in learning how to work with metal for example.” 

Jessica is also already considering her choices and planning for life after postsecondary. “I was thinking of becoming a teacher to help students in the future get deeper into the art programs - maybe even revamp the art curriculum,” she explains. 

Because she’s a gamer herself, Jessica is also open to pursuing a career related to the gaming industry, particularly as a character design artist. While she is currently enrolled in SAIC’s arts education program, she says she may transfer to the drawing and painting program to be more creative and develop a portfolio more suitable for game development. Since most positions at her desired company require at least three years of prior experience, she hopes to gain some experience working at game development studios in China after she is done with her degree at SAIC. 

Jessica is thankful for her guidance counsellor, Ms. Leiter, for Shai, Greenwood’s Lead Social Worker, who helped her to balance her academics with her artistic endeavours, and her teachers for being understanding. 

For students who want to seriously pursue the arts in postsecondary, Jessica recommends asking their Adviser for an Arts AP course, which can get them into highly selective postsecondary programs. “Most people assume an Arts AP course would be easy, but it’s actually really hard to get a good mark,” says Jessica. “Keep going and remember to take a break for yourself when you need it.”

Congratulations to Jessica Li for this remarkable achievement!