MFA student Eliza Frensley wins competitive printmaking scholarship
Third-year printmaking MFA Eliza Frensley has won the 2025 Frogman’s Graduate Student Scholarship, a nationally competitive award from one of the world’s largest and most prestigious printmaking workshops.
Currently hosted by the Visual Arts Department at the University at Iowa, the renowned printmaking workshops at Frogman’s – which was founded in 1976 by University of South Dakota printmaking professor Lloyd Menard – regularly attracts professional artists, educators, and students from all over the world. Frensley is the fourth student from the UT School of Art’s Printmaking program to win the scholarship in recent years; previous recipients include alumni Raluca Iancu, Ashton Ludden, and Ericka Walker.
“Receiving this award means more to me than I can fully express. It’s a recognition of the hard work, dedication, and countless hours I’ve spent in the studio, and it reassures me that the passion I pour into my art is being seen and appreciated,” said Frensley, a print-based artist from Nashville, TN. She previously received her BFA in Printmaking from Temple University.
“This award isn’t just a milestone; it marks the beginning of a new chapter in my artistic journey, one where I am even more motivated to push boundaries and explore new creative directions.”
UT’s printmaking program, which has consistently ranked among the top four programs in the country in U.S. News and World Reports, challenged Frensley to the “highest levels and in ways I did not anticipate,” she said.
“I have been pushed to explore new mediums and techniques and to get comfortable with being uncomfortable. I have truly felt that I have received the tough love that I needed to get to where I am now,” she continued. “The faculty and staff, University resources, and creative environment have allowed me to expand my knowledge and love of print and cultivate my practice and research in ways I could not have imagined.”
Although the intense program hasn’t always been easy, said Frensley, it has allowed her to make “invaluable” friendships and connections in the art world.
“I will always cherish the collaboration and support I’ve received over these last three years,” she said. “I’m incredibly grateful for all the growth and learning that has occurred during my time in the graduate program.”
Frensley, who will graduate from the School of Art’s three-year MFA program in May, will receive a full scholarship to one of Frogman’s workshops as well as a solo exhibition of her work at the University of Iowa’s Gallery E148.
Learn more about the history of UT printmaking here.