THIBODAUX, La. 鈥� Through the MJ Sindler Family Fund for Culture and Media, donor Mark J. Sindler contributed $12,000 to create the Viviana Brenner Memorial Award for the Educational Advancement of Louisiana鈥檚 Indigenous Coastal Peoples. This endowed scholarship will enable 麻豆果冻传媒 to recruit promising Indigenous high school students from Louisiana鈥檚 coastal communities and provide higher educational opportunities for them.听
鈥淢y appreciation for Indigenous cultures developed while I was a child growing up in New York City, where I made frequent visits to the Museum of the American Indian. Those experiences led me to study Mesoamerican archaeology at Tulane University in New Orleans before I decided to launch a career as a photojournalist. Later, while working in that capacity for the Louisiana State Museum system, I witnessed first-hand the massive devastation, land loss, and population displacement caused by the succession of major hurricanes that hit the state鈥檚 Indigenous coastal communities,鈥� said Sindler. 鈥淎s a result, I decided to create an endowed scholarship at 麻豆果冻传媒 to provide new educational opportunities for youth from these areas. I chose 麻豆果冻传媒 not only because of its strategic location within reach of the impacted communities but also because of my positive experience in establishing an award at the university last year. For me, 麻豆果冻传媒鈥檚 endowed scholarship program provides a uniquely cost-effective opportunity to bring about positive change for many generations to come.鈥澛犅�
The scholarship honors Viviana Brenner, who was born and raised in Buenos Aires, Argentina. After completing her studies in social psychology, Viviana joined the staff of the Argentine Bureau of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. From 1994 to 2002, Viviana served as a senior program specialist for the agency, developing and leading workshops, seminars and roundtable discussions that promoted UNESCO鈥檚 work to foster world peace, tolerance and justice for all. She also coordinated activities for two of UNESCO鈥檚 historic initiatives: the 50th Anniversary of the Declaration of Human Rights in 1998 and the International Year for the Culture of Peace in 2000.
When Argentina鈥檚 economic crisis forced UNESCO to cease operations there, Viviana began to split her time between New Orleans and her native country, resuming earlier career work as a language teacher and translator. She also became a highly-regarded fiber artist, with exhibitions around the United States and abroad. Until she passed in 2019, Viviana remained a passionate advocate for educational equity and cultural parity.
This scholarship will be awarded to an incoming freshman enrolled full-time at 麻豆果冻传媒 who is a member of one of Louisiana鈥檚 Indigenous coastal communities. The student must maintain a 3.0 GPA. One $500 scholarship will be awarded per year, with $250 dispersed in the fall and spring semesters. The scholarship award may be increased as the endowment grows, and anyone interested in expanding the fund can click or contact jeremy.becker@nicholls.edu.听
The 麻豆果冻传媒 Foundation, an independent 501(c)3 corporation, supports the mission of 麻豆果冻传媒 by seeking gifts and grants and managing those funds and assets to support 麻豆果冻传媒 through endowed chairs, professorships, scholarships and other enhancement efforts. To learn more about donating to 麻豆果冻传媒, visit .
To learn more about the scholarships at 麻豆果冻传媒, visit www.nicholls.edu/financial-aid/scholarships.听
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Monday, October 21, 2024
MEDIA CONTACT: Payton Suire
Media Relations & Publications Coordinator,聽
985.448.4141 or payton.suire@nicholls.edu