We’re rounding the corner on a decade of the Illustrating Awesomeness scholarship!
Our custom animation studio first set aside funding to support the education of outstanding students in 2017. Since that fantastic first year, we’ve been able to offer several modest awards annually for visionary undergraduate students who are on the path to changing the world.
2025 marks the ninth year of Illustrating Awesomeness award-winners. We’re so thrilled to announce our Illustrating Awesomeness Scholarship recipients for 2025: congratulations to Kassi and Brielle!
Each year, our team treasures getting to know the creators of the future through one simple essay question:Â “Who are you, and how will you change the world?”
But what does it really mean to illustrate awesomeness?
Our award-winners stand out from the crowd through their demonstration of Authenticity, Inventiveness, Partnership, and Clarity. These values will sound familiar if you’re a fan of Next Day Animations: Every project we work on, and anything we do in the world, is based in these four core values.
All of our winners, from 2017 to today, represent authenticity, inventiveness, partnership and clarity with their vision for a better world.
Our team was particularly inspired by the creativity and resilience evident in the stories shared by all 51 applicants this year, and we thank everyone who applied.
Brielle
Brielle Bugauisan is a freshman at Purdue University, majoring in chemical engineering and minoring in ASL & Deaf Studies. In the future, she hopes to work in the energy industry, developing cleaner technologies and systems that create both environmental and social progress. She hopes to inspire diverse individuals to use their voices by making STEM education and opportunities more accessible to all communities.
Kassi
Hi, I’m Kassi Latimer, a Health and Exercise Science student and a proud Choctaw woman! My plans are to pursue physical therapy, currently completing coursework through Barton Community College and the University of Oklahoma, with OU being my main school. My goal is to be a mental health advocate for athletes! I am passionate about working with collegiate and professional athletes, focusing on both physical rehabilitation and mental health, because I believe true healing requires caring for the whole person, not just the injury. Athletes go through so much and are expected to be okay. I want to change that because they are humans just like us! I want to be a PT for professional sports teams. My goal is to one day open my own clinic that creates a safe, supportive space where athletes are encouraged to prioritize their mental well-being alongside their physical performance. This scholarship reminds me that my story, my resilience, and my vision matter, and it motivates me to keep working toward a future where strength includes honesty, balance, and compassion.
Also identified for their outstanding demonstration of clarity, inventiveness, partnership and authenticity are our Honorable Mentions:
Beatriz Tenorio Falcao
Madeline Alvarado
Toni Abrams
Our team is rooting for each and every student who took the time to apply to the Illustrating Awesomeness scholarship this year. Every essay we received was carefully read and appreciated by our Scholarship Committee. We are truly excited for the future you will build with your visions for a better world.
Learn more about the Illustrating Awesomeness Scholarship here.
