Prominent Fellowship Celebrates 100 Years, Invites Faculty Applications
Laura Auricchio, vice president for the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation, presented on the fellowship's 100 years of supporting artists, writers, scholars and scientists in the Stockton Art Gallery.
Galloway, N.J. — Beginning in 1925, the Guggenheim Fellowship has supported over 19,000 artists, writers, scholars and scientists in their pursuit of scholarship under the freest possible conditions. Laura Auricchio, who serves as vice president for the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation, hopes to continue this endeavor with Stockton University faculty and staff.
At an Oct. 21 event associated with the Art Gallery’s fall exhibition, “Diverse Perspectives in Photography: Four Black Guggenheim Fellows in the Philadelphia Region,” Auricchio discussed the benefits of the fellowship.
According to Auricchio, whose work has been supported through fellowships from Fulbright, Whiting and other notable foundations, the impact of the Guggenheim Fellowship isn’t just monetary – it’s “tremendous” in how it bolsters an artist’s work and opens doors to new opportunities due to its long-standing reputation in supporting the best of the best.
“Our fellows tell us that it is something that has made a great difference in their lives due to the level of confidence they gain in themselves and the confidence that others begin to have in them,” Auricchio said.
Auricchio emphasized that a recipient is given complete freedom to complete their project upon receiving the fellowship. She shared an example of an artist who, after receiving the fellowship in 1925, debuted her project in 1950.
“One of the key foundational things that distinguishes the Guggenheim from other fellowships is that we do not insist that you complete the project exactly as you envisioned it,” Auricchio said. “In fact, as a former educator, I kind of hope you don’t, because if you knew what the outcome was going to be before you started, then why would you bother?
“The purpose of the fellowship, in part, is to give you the time and opportunity to explore and figure out where the project is going to take you,” Auricchio continued. “If it takes you 25 years to do it, as it did in the case of Violet Barbour, then it takes you 25 years to do it. We really trust our fellows. We give them the time and the money, and we trust that they will do wonderful things with it and that they know what that looks like.”
Shortly before the presentation, she explored the two-floor Art Gallery exhibit and described being “blown away” by the variety of artistic photographs captured by the four exhibited artists.
“This seems to be the season for celebrating the Guggenheim’s impact on photography,” Auricchio said. “We have earned a great track record in supporting folks who went on to make a tremendous difference in shaping the field of photography.”
The next application cycle will open in August of 2026 and conclude in September. Ideal applicants are mid-career individuals with a compelling project they would like to bring to life.
“The Guggenheim Fellowship is a wonderful opportunity for our campus community to participate in scholarship and support,” said Ryann Casey, coordinator for Stockton’s Art Gallery. “The Guggenheim Fellowship is not just financial support; it’s an opportunity for true fellowship and community amongst scholars.”
– Story by Loukaia Taylor
– Photos submitted
Panel of Guggenheim Fellows Dazzles, Inspires Art Students
September 26, 2025
Galloway, N.J. – Few people can say they’ve shared the stage with a photographer whose work inspired their own path to a coveted Guggenheim Fellowship.
Ron Tarver, a Philadelphia-based photographer, can say it without hesitation.
On Sept. 24, Tarver told the audience how his first encounter with Donald E. Camp – the second African American ever awarded the Guggenheim Fellowship in photography – left him “awestruck.”
“I have always been in awe of your work. Not many photojournalists come out of that field and go on and do artistic work,” Tarver, who was a photojournalist for over 30 years, said of Camp. “I just felt honored being in the room with him, but over time, we became friends, and, over some more time, I realized he was just as goofy as I am.”
Camp beamed at the memory and returned Tarver’s praise, saying, “I remember having the honor of being invited to look at a project of yours, and we spent a couple of hours going over what you want to propose. I remember thinking, ‘I hope he gets it (the fellowship).’”
Guggenheim Fellows Featured in Stockton’s Art Gallery
August 14, 2025
Galloway, N.J. – Stockton University’s Art Gallery is set to return with a fall exhibition centered on African American history, stories and experiences from four Black Guggenheim Fellows from Sept. 4 to Nov. 8.
The two-floor exhibition, entitled “Diverse Perspectives in Photography: Four Black Guggenheim Fellows in the Philadelphia Region,” will feature the work of Donald E. Camp, who in 1995 was the second African American photographer to receive the Guggenheim Fellowship following Roy DeCarava in 1952. In addition to Camp, the exhibit will have works from Ron Tarver (2021), William E. Williams (2003) and Wendel A. White (2003).
