Scholarships and Resources
Undergraduate Students
West Liberty University’s Division of Art announces the availability of a four-year scholarship for a graduating high school senior who wishes to major in art at West Liberty University. The competition is open to all graduating seniors, and is not limited to residents of West Virginia. Applicants must have submitted an application for admittance to WLU. Students must submit a portfolio of at least six pieces of original work. The winner, as determined by the art faculty, will receive a four-year renewable art scholarship and a Housing Grant to study art at West Liberty University. Housing grants cover at least 80% of the total room cost only, and pay nothing toward board. Second and third place awards of tuition scholarships and housing waivers may be granted if available and appropriate. See Department of Media and Visual Arts Scholarship for details.
Graduate Students
Students in the graduate Art Therapy and Counseling program who are going into Practicum/Internships are provided with Student Plus membership in the American Art Therapy Association (AATA). This membership provides Professional Liability Insurance that is required for clinical work as well as access to resources and journals from AATA. This Membership is through the WLU Affiliation with AATA.
Student Organization
The CAT Club is a student-led organization that provides opportunities for mentorship, community activities, and on-campus events. All students are welcome to join the Club whether they are a CAT major or not. Monthly meetings are scheduled for Club meetings and there is at least one on-campus activity each semester. If you are interested, contact Terri Giller (terri.giller@westliberty.edu), CAT Club Advisor.
Professional Organizations
American Art Therapy Association (AATA) is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit, non-partisan, professional, and educational organization dedicated to the growth and development of the art therapy profession. Founded in 1969, the American Art Therapy Association is one of the world’s leading art therapy membership organizations. Their mission is to advance art therapy as a regulated mental health profession and build a community that supports art therapists throughout their careers.
International Expressive Arts Therapy Association (IEATA)
The International Expressive Arts Therapy Association® (IEATA®) is a non-profit, professional organization founded in 1994 to encourage the creative spirit. Our inclusive, culturally diverse organization supports expressive arts therapists, artists, educators, consultants and others using integrative, multimodal arts processes for personal and community growth and transformation.
The expressive arts combine the visual arts, movement, drama, music, writing and other creative processes to foster deep personal growth and community development. IEATA encourages an evolving multimodal approach within psychology, organizational development, community arts and education. By integrating the arts processes and allowing one to flow into another, we gain access to our inner resources for healing, clarity, illumination and creativity. We seek to build and sustain a worldwide community providing a professional, international network for bringing the arts into the world for growth, healing, communication and collaborative learning.