New Professional Scholarship

The 2024 New Professional Scholarship was awarded to Sumin Kim, an artist, art therapist, and DEIB advocate. Her work spans both traditional and non-traditional mediums, including virtual reality and toy-making. A 2023 graduate of School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Sumin is currently working as an Outpatient Psychotherapist at the Sarah A. Reed Children’s Center.

Prasad Family Foundation Scholarship

The Prasad Family Foundation International Student Scholarship is specifically designed to enable an international student member to attend the Annual Conference.

This year, we were proud to present the scholarship to Christine Phang, a PhD student at the Dominican University of California who is conducting her dissertation research on art therapy in Singapore. 

Horovitz Spiritual Art Therapy Scholarship

The Dr. Ellen G. Horovitz Spiritual Art Therapy Scholarship recognizes the specialization of Spiritual Art Therapy (within the mind/body practice).

This year, we awarded this scholarship to Christina Grosso, the Founder and Clinical Director of Mind Body One, an integrative mental health and mental performance practice in Westchester, NY that offers art therapy; play therapy; movement therapy; biofeedback, and mindfulness interventions to children, adolescents, and adults. Grosso also serves on the faculty at New York University in the Steinhardt School Graduate Art Therapy Department where she teaches courses in integrative health, trauma, clinical assessment & diagnosis, and research.

Irene Rosner David Medical Art Therapy Scholarship

The Irene Rosner David Medical Art Therapy Scholarship focuses on understanding the role of the medical art therapist and is available to a student member who is interested in pursuing a position in medical art therapy for clinical practice (such as internship) or research specialization.

The 2024 scholarship was awarded to Anna Seo, a Korean art therapist now pursuing studies in the Art Therapy and Counseling program at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Anna’s passion lies in working with cancer patients and families, and her research includes: “A Qualitative Case Study on Art Therapy for Young North Korean Defectors’ Resilience” (2020), “A Qualitative Case Study on Digital Platform-Based Group Art Therapy for Clinical Nurses’ Self-Care” (2023) in the Korean Journal of Art Therapy, and “Challenges of Art Therapists Implementing Art Therapy for Achievement Gaps in Korean Schools” (2024) in the Journal of American Art Therapy. 

Myra Levick Scholarship Fund

This year’s Myra Levick Scholarship was awarded to Monica Brown, who is pursuing a Master’s in Counseling and Art Therapy at Ursuline College. Monica’s goal to destigmatize mental illness, as she believes that in embracing the full spectrum of our emotions, we are most likely to find true healing. 

Best Paper Award

The 2024 Best Paper Award went to Joshua Kin-Man Nan, Xiao Shan Huang, and Man Ying Kang for their paper, Effects of Clay Art Therapy on Emotion Regulation and Hair Cortisol Concentration for Youth With Emotional Problems.

Pearlie Roberson Award

Created in 2000, the Pearlie Roberson Award honors Pearlie Roberson, an African American artist and art therapy client. The award, presented by the AATA Multicultural Committee, honors Ms. Roberson’s request to “remember me” and provides financial support for a project undertaken by a student or professional American Art Therapy Association member, which targets multicultural aspects and capacities of art therapy.

This year’s award was presented to Youn Ji Lee, originally from South Korea, recently graduated from George Washington University with an MA in Art Therapy. She has a strong passion for integrating art therapy into geriatric care, focusing on enhancing the emotional and cognitive well-being of seniors.

Rawley Silver Research Award

The Rawley Silver Research Award supports art therapy research studies in their proposal stage.

We were proud to recognize Kristyn Stickley, a PhD candidate at Drexel University, and Research Fellow at the Health, Arts, Learning, and Evaluation Lab. She is interested in researching the psychosocial impacts of engaging in activist and protest artmaking and their connection to art therapy practice. Her research primarily focuses on understanding the lived experience of 2020 Twin Cities BLM protest artists following the murder of George Floyd.

Distinguished Legislative Service Award

The Distinguished Legislative Award honors Nancy Schoebel, an art therapist and vigorous advocate of art therapy at the local and national levels.

This year’s award was given to Jessie Woolhiser Stallings, Jenelle Miller, Jennifer Jackson, and Yasmin Shante Henderson, leaders of the Nebraska Art Therapy Licensure Coalition, which successfully passed licensure legislation in Nebraska with unanimous support in March 2024. You can read more about how they did it here.

Distinguished Clinician Award

The Distinguished Clinician Award focuses on the nominee’s work with clients. This year, we were proud to honor Susan Ainlay Anand for her work at the Mississippi Museum of Art in Jackson, as a member of the faculty of the University of Mississippi Medical Center, and as a professor and supervisor for students and graduates of the MFA Art Therapy Program, in Pune, India.

Distinguished Educator Award

This award focuses on recognition of significant contributions to the education of professionals in the field of art therapy, specifically in the area of outstanding teaching and the development of innovative educational practices.

This year, the award was presented to Susan Boxer Kappel, Clinical Supervisor and Adjunct Professor at the Counseling Mental Health Clinic at Hofstra University. She is also the first Licensed Creative Art Therapist to chair the NY State Board for Mental Health Practitioners. Susan is committed to introducing young adults to the healing power of art therapy—and continues to inspire the next generation. 

Other Form Award

The Other Form Award may include, but is not confined to, recognition for long-term, productive involvement in the functions of the Association, outstanding achievements, and/or contributions to the field of art therapy, including individuals who have advanced the profession in other parts of the globe. This award focuses on recognition of significant contributions to the education of professionals in the field of art therapy, specifically in the area of outstanding teaching and the development of innovative educational practices.

The 2024 Other Form Award was presented to Cam Busch for her work as a pioneer in the arts in healthcare, as well as a prolific artist and dedicated art therapist. Cam has successfully promoted art therapy in her work with many arts-minded organizations and has held many volunteer positions within AATA, including Director on the Board of Directors, initiated the inaugural National Creative Arts Therapies Week for the National Coalition of Creative Arts Therapy Associations, and helped to develop a Public Relations Campaign for AATA in 1999.