Charles White Art and Design Scholarship Recipient Melina Vera Wants to Change the World as an Animator

The scholarship “shows that students from different backgrounds should be recognized and that their voices matter.” 

Otis College is accepting applications for the Charles White Art and Design Scholarship, a four-year, full-tuition scholarship designed to support and inspire talented students who demonstrate exceptional artistic promise. Named for prominent American artist and Otis instructor Charles White, the scholarship invites a new generation of artists and designers to explore their passion and discover their creative futures. It is open to students applying to Otis College as first-time or transfer applicants with demonstrated financial need and a strong portfolio. The deadline to apply to Otis College for next fall is February 15, 2026, and the supplemental application for the scholarship is due March 15, 2026. 

White’s work addressed themes of social justice, equality, and human dignity. His legacy continues to inspire new generations of artists to use their creativity as a force for good. The College honors his contributions by supporting students who are committed to making a difference through their art. One such student is Los Angeles-native Melina Vera, a junior majoring in Animation and minoring in Illustration. She was one of two recipients of the Charles White scholarship in 2024, after inaugural scholarship recipient Cass Everage.

Vera describes her work as concept art, designing characters, props, and environments that tell a story. Her dream job is to work at an animation studio like Dreamworks as a concept artist or visual developer. “I would love to help create a child’s favorite movie,” she says. “Just knowing that I worked with the production team in creating a film that could bring children comfort and joy would be such an honor. Who knows? Maybe my work could even change the world.” 

Vera, a first-generation student, had always wanted to go to art and design college but worried about the expense, coming from a low-income household. “If I didn’t receive the Charles White Scholarship, I probably wouldn’t be studying art. I might be majoring in something that I would not be passionate about,” she says. “This scholarship has given me the opportunity to continue my dream and education in an art field. It also shows that students from different backgrounds should be recognized and that their voices matter.”

In addition to the monetary award, Vera says the scholarship has contributed to her creative practice. “It’s allowed me to meet new people and experience new things here at Otis College,” she says. “My creativity is often inspired not only by books, films, and shows I enjoy but also by the experiences and people I meet. I am surrounded by lovely people who encourage me to become even better in my artwork and expand my creativity.”

Vera encourages students like herself to apply to Otis College and the Charles White scholarship, “even if you don’t think you will get accepted,” she says. “What’s important is to try because you never know. I was doubtful and didn’t believe I would be accepted for this scholarship, but the moment I was on that Zoom meeting and heard the announcement that I won it I couldn’t believe my ears. I told my mom and we both hugged each other tightly, crying in each other’s arms. Maybe it could be you, too.”

About Charles White

Charles White was a renowned artist, educator, and activist. Born and raised in Chicago, he also lived in New York and Los Angeles, where he was the first African American faculty member when he joined Otis College in 1965. He was the head of the Drawing Department until his death in 1979. 

White mentored artists across generations and cultural identities, including Kerry James Marshall (’78 BFA Fine Arts), Judithe Hernández (’74 BFA Fine Arts), David Hammons (’72 Fine Arts), and Kent Twitchell (’77 MFA Fine Arts), among others. He wanted his students to stay informed and continue their lifelong education in history, music, and politics and would tell them to educate themselves visually, to know what had come before them, and to understand that the creative process demanded conviction.

“No other artist has inspired my own devotion to a career in image making more than he did,” Marshall wrote of his mentor in The Paris Review. “I saw in his example the way to greatness. Yes. And because he looked like my uncles and my neighbors, his achievements seemed within my reach. The wisdom he dispensed to the many aspiring artists who gathered around him was always straightforward: do your work with skill and integrity, everything else is superfluous.”

More information about the Charles White Art and Design Scholarship 

Apply to Otis College

Apply for the Charles White Art and Design Scholarship

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