New Gift Establishes Scholarships, Increased Support for Printmaking Students
Students at the University of Tennessee’s nationally recognized printmaking program can look forward to increased opportunities and support starting in 2026, thanks to a generous gift from Joel and Yann Dryer.
The newly established endowments, which include the $26,000 Joel and Yann Dryer Student Printmaking Award Endowment and the $100,000 Joel S. Dryer Printmaking Endowment, will help to fund awards and scholarships for outstanding undergraduate and graduate students, in addition to equipment and materials purchase, travel expenses for students to attend residencies and conferences, support for visiting printmaking artists, and more.
“We are immensely grateful for the Dryers’ generous gift in support of student scholarships and programing in the printmaking area,” said Christopher McNulty, Director of the UT School of Art. “The awards and the recognition that they will provide for our students will be transformational for future generations of aspiring printmakers.”
UT’s printmaking MFA program, established in the 1960s, has been highly ranked by US News and World Report since the publication first began listing graduate studio art programs in 1997, currently occupying the #3 spot among public universities. UT printmaking students enjoy expansive facilities, as well as unique learning opportunities such as a longstanding exchange program with the Eugeniusz Geppert Academy of Art and Design in Wrocław, Poland.
“The funds will support programming that helps us continue to create unparalleled opportunities for our students,” said Beauvais Lyons, Divisional Dean for Arts and Humanities and Chancellor’s Professor of Printmaking.
“Joel and Yann Dryer have a long-standing commitment to the arts in general, and printmaking in particular,” continued Lyons. “We are thrilled that their establishment of these two endowments will provide an annual printmaking award to students in the School of Art, as well as funds to support programming support to help advance our nationally ranked printmaking program.”
Current graduate and undergraduate students in printmaking can now apply for the Joel and Yann Dryer Printmaking Award through the School of Art website.