This Scholarship honors and celebrates the life of Riah Milton—a Black, transgender woman—killed in Cincinnati, in June of 2020. It was established by her sister, Ariel Mary Ann—also a Black, transgender woman—to advocate for, uplift, and support local youth who may not have the space to live their authentic truth. Ariel is passionate about issues surrounding the Black, LGBTQ community and wants to help grant them the same opportunities and experiences she herself had as a student with Cincinnati Shakespeare Company’s PROJECT38 and Summer Camp programs. The scholarship prioritizes students demonstrating financial need whose identities have been historically marginalized, with a particular focus on Black, Transgender, nonbinary, and Gender Non conforming individuals.
Scholarship applicants must first demonstrate financial need. All information you provide on this form is confidential and will not be shared with anyone outside of the selection committee. Your name and any information that might identify you will be redacted before the selection committee reviews your application.
Students who are eligible for financial assistance are asked to write briefly about why they personally identify with Riah’s story, and what they believe the potential effects of a Shakespeare Camp or Class on their life might be. Also, we ask you to provide the name and contact information for a personal advocate, such as a teacher, counselor, or church leader, who can tell the selection committee why Shakespeare Camps and Classes would be a perfect fit for you.
Scholarship finalists may be invited for a personal interview, so we can understand your interests and qualifications better and can discuss any other needs you may have that would make it possible for you to attend the classes/camps. You may be asked to provide some documentation for financial need.
You may download a pdf of the scholarship application at the button below. Please fill out and email to scholarships@cincyshakes.com.
The deadline to apply for scholarships is April 1st. Applicants will be notified of awards no later than May 1st. Please contact us with any questions.
NOTE: Be sure to download this application and SAVE it to your desktop before filling it out so that your responses are captured. If you fill out the form inside of a web browser, your responses will NOT be saved.
Learn More about Riah Milton's story here:
WCPO: Riah Milton, woman killed in Liberty Township robbery, was 'just a joy to be around'
Scholarships are made possible by Ariel Mary Ann, as well as generous donors to the Riah Milton Scholarship Fund. We are forever grateful for their support.
Interested in supporting this scholarship fund so that more students can experience everything Shakespeare Summer Camp has to offer? Click below to make a gift to the Riah Milton Scholarship Fund:
