Student Creates Organization for Artistic Development
The extent to which a young person can make a positive difference
serving others is realized when one considers the generosity and hard
work of student Charles Bunce.
Bunce, an Alma College sophomore from St. Louis, recently developed and
runs an organization that grants money to artists to help pay for their
education and resources.
He says the idea for the organization traces back to a class taught by
Alma College Professor Ed Lorenz during his freshman year that studied
the interconnection of humanities and geography.
“The text and class itself had a great influence on me and showed me
that a lot of people struggled in the world and also that, in some
cases, progress and opportunities were limited because of economic
obstacles,” Bunce recalls.
Bunce also gives kudos to his parents, Mark and Melodie Bunce. Mark is
lab coordinator for the science division in the Dow Science Center at
Alma College.
“While De. Lorenz’s class inspired me to do something for the world, it
is my parents that made me into a person that would even think of doing
that,” he says. “My parents have helped me so much and have
always stood by me no matter what.”
The most important thing Bunce learned was that he had the capacity to
make a lasting and meaningful difference in others’ lives. Combining
his wish to affect positive change and his interest in art, and
collaborating with two computer-programming friends, Bunce created the
Fund for Artistic Development.
The Fund for Artistic Development is dedicated to providing yearly
grants to artists of exceptional potential and talent in order to
further their artistic skills as well as providing general funding to
allow them to maintain or pursue their artistic endeavors. Grants may
be awarded to artists pursuing an art degree and/or career, as well as
to those who particularly enjoy art as a hobby and can use the money to
further that hobby.
“Overall, the organization focuses on growth, potential, talent
and, most importantly, trying to make people happy,” says Bunce.
“I believe in making people happy, and I believe in human progress,” he
adds. “There is a lot of potential out there that is waiting to
be unleashed that can change the world.”
Bunce originally planned to run the organization via email, contacting
artists whose work caught his eye and asking whether they would be
interested in receiving a grant. After meeting and teaming up online
with Caleb Langeslag of Minnesota and Nathan Miller of Alabama, the
organization expanded and formalized into a Website,
www.fundartists.com, where visitors can read about the project and
connect to a fund raising and donations page. Bunce provides
nearly all the funding for the grants from his pocket money and
paychecks.
Bunce is majoring in biology at Alma College. After Alma and graduate studies, he plans on becoming a gerontologist.
Posted: Wed, September 5th, 2007 at 12:34AM
