Jacques Parker and Marie Deguard Scholarship Grant

The Jacques Parker and Marie Deguard Scholarship, offered by the Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation, supports high school seniors in the region pursuing higher education in visual arts or architecture. Scholarships are renewable for up to five years, covering costs for college, apprenticeships, or specialized courses. This initiative aims to promote economic mobility and provide opportunities for creativity, ensuring a lasting impact on students' lives in Berkshire, Columbia, northeast Dutchess, and northwest Litchfield counties.

The Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation
Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation was established in 1987 in Salisbury, Conn., with an anonymous donation of $100,000. Originally an affiliate of the New York Community Trust, the foundation became an independent public charity in 1990. Today, BTCF manages more than 550 funds that put over $14 million into action each year. Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation serves Berkshire, Columbia, northeast Dutchess and northwest Litchfield counties. This unique area where New York, Connecticut and Massachusetts meet contains 2,200 square miles of natural beauty and small-town charm that is home to nearly 230,000 people.
Mission: Strengthening communities through philanthropy and leadership.
Vision:  All residents have opportunity for economic mobility and a high quality of life.
Values:
Renewable scholarships will be awarded to high school seniors applying to college, and scholarship recipients may continue to receive support for the costs of apprenticeships or specialized courses of advanced study during and for up to five years following college graduation.

Eligibility

Graduating high school seniors and young adults residing in the Berkshire Taconic region (Berkshire County, MA; Columbia County, NY; northeast Dutchess County, NY; and northwest Litchfield County, CT) in the pursuit of higher education and/or careers in the visual arts or architecture, specifically to include the study of painting, design, illustration, sculpture, or architecture.