About the Scholarship

Nancy Mattis was a New York City Public School Teacher with a love of the Arts and Humanities. It is in her memory, and thanks to the generosity of her sister Linda, that NWCEAI offers these scholarships to help students with tuition for the Expressive Arts Professional Training Programs.

For 2026, we are offering a limited number of partial scholarships (ranging from $500-$1500).

Deadline to Apply: October 31, 2025 

Eligibility Criteria for the Diversity Scholarship

Applicants must meet the following criteria to be considered for the Diversity Scholarship:

Diverse Background and Perspective
We seek to support individuals who contribute to the diversity of perspectives, identities, and experiences in our community. This includes, but is not limited to, underrepresented racial and ethnic backgrounds, gender identities, sexual orientations, socioeconomic statuses, nationalities, disabilities, and first-generation students.

Admission & Enrollment Requirement
Applicants must be accepted for admission to Level One of the Expressive Arts Professional Training Program with Northwest Creative & Expressive Arts Institute, beginning January 2026. Currently, applications are open to students on the Clinical and Facilitator Pathways.

Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI)
Applicants should demonstrate a commitment to advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion, through academic/research interests, and/or professional goals.

Essay Requirement
We are seeking clarity of intention about the way the NWCEAI Expressive Arts Professional Training Program fits within your values, vision, and current professional development goals.

Please write a 1000-word essay responding to the following questions:

1. Please tell us how you bring a diverse background and perspective to the Training Program.
2. How do you envision applying the knowledge you learn from your Training Program?
3. Who will benefit from the skills you gain from the Program?
4. How would the scholarship help you, personally?
5. Is there anything else we should know?

To be considered for the Diversity Scholarship, you will need to:
         >> Complete an essay answering the prompts listed above and upload with
               your application.
         >> Complete and Submit the Scholarship Application Form
         >> Submit the application and essay by October 31, 2025