AU art students earn $17,000 in scholarships at 2026 Juried Exhibition 

The Department of Art & Design in the Katherine Reese Pamplin College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences celebrated student achievement on Feb. 12 during the 2026 Juried Student Art Exhibition Reception and Scholarship Ceremony in the Mary S. Byrd Gallery of Art. 

Each year, the exhibition highlights some of the strongest work created by students in the program. This year’s show was led by Gallery Director Raoul Pacheco and juried by Madeline Beck, curator at the Marietta-Cobb Museum of Art. The selected works reflected strong ideas, technical skill and a range of creative approaches. The most important aspect of the show however turned out to be community. 

“Art is the gathering. It lives in the eyes of people,” Pacheco said. “We don’t get through this together without each other. The community is what makes events successful, but support is what makes these things worth it.”

Throughout the evening, faculty awarded a total of $17,000 in scholarships to outstanding students. A special moment of the night included a surprise appearance from Mary S. Byrd, the woman for whom the gallery is named. 

Several major scholarships were presented. Kat DeBoard received the Eugenia Comer Scholarship; Seth Prior earned the Samuel & Sarah Singal Scholarship; and Avery Watson received the Nate Bindler Scholarship.

The Greater Augusta Arts Council Student Artist Awards went to Watson, who won first place; Orrin Thompson finished second and Patricia Guthrie finished third. 

Other winners: 

• Gabe Rawlins – Columbia County Artist Guild Arts Award
• Jon Mack – Georgia Rehabilitation Institute Courage and Creativity Award 
• Patricia Guthrie – Philip Morsberger Purchase Award
• Aliya Burnside and Diana Rojas Romero – Katherine Pamplin Talent Studio Art Award
• Mikel Leonard and Mia Noble – Pamplin Digital Storytelling Scholarship
• Jadie Ward – Studio Arts Foundation Award
• Diana Rojas Romero – Clay Artists of the Southeast Award
• Laila Gracy – Lillian Rosen Scholarship
• Antonio Fernandez – Gertrude Herbert Institute of Art – Freeman Schoolcraft Award 

Dustin Avent-Holt, PhD, associate dean of Pamplin College, was in attendance and had the pleasure of witnessing the talent on display.

“The students’ creative work on display at the exhibit is a reflection of the talents of our students and the dedicated mentoring of faculty in the Department of Art & Design,” Avent-Holt said. “It is a testament to their commitment to student success at Augusta University.”

The exhibition will remain on display through March 4.