Questlove has always been for the culture.
Now, the Roots co-frontman, bestselling author, cultural icon and scholar is helping some of the world’s most talented minds reach the next level of their creative journeys.
In partnership with the University of Arts in Philadelphia and whiskey brand The Balvenie, Questlove is launching a scholarship program for students interested in pursuing a Ph.D. in creativity.
The Balvenie Fellow in the PhD in Creativity will be fully funded in the three-year program that begins in June of 2022. Apart from the intensive two-week summer immersion and a return visit for a long weekend in the winter of the first year, all course work will be completed via remote learning. The winning candidate will be selected by Questlove, in partnership with The Balvenie and the University of the Arts. The scholarship program is open to anyone over the age of 21 from now through November 15th, 2021.
Quest for Craft and The University of the Arts scholarship program marks an exciting commencement of a long-term mission for The Balvenie and Questlove to expand and showcase the beautiful convergence of craft and creativity. In tandem with the scholarship program, Questlove will host a digital series on Youtube where he speaks with some of the most creative minds across various industries. The first four episodes of Quest for Craft will be released throughout the fall, starting on October 28. To be notified about the launch of the series, subscribe to The Balvenie YouTube.
“The Ph.D. in Creativity program was created to remove the constraints that many higher education programs have, and allow students to fully embrace new ideas and innovation in ways they may not normally have in other fields,” said Dr. Jonathan Fineberg, Ph.D. in Creativity Program Director. “Questlove and The Balvenie share the Ph.D. program’s core ethos that reimagines how we think about craft, in its many forms, and we’re thrilled to be giving a student an opportunity to explore their own creative journey with this scholarship.”