Students were collectively presented with nearly $19,000 in scholarships for their artwork Sunday at the 33rd annual undergraduate show at the Tarble Arts Center.

The exhibit will display the winners’ artwork and will be open to the public until March 29.

During the ceremony, students were given scholarships chosen by art faculty, and awards were presented to the students whom the jurors picked out.

The jurors for the art show were Charlie Buckley, a landscape-cityscape painter; Haley Ahlers, a graphic designer and photographer; and Lisa Costello, the gallery director at Parkland College.

David Griffin, the art department chair, presented the awards.

The best in show of the 2015 undergraduate art show was Ashlynn Frey for her painting called “Windows.”

Seven students won honorable mentions and 10 students won merit awards in their respected fields.

“I am pleased to say that the art department will present just shy of $19,000 in scholarship award money today,” Griffin said.

He said the reason the amount is high is because of donors, alumni and the department fundraising that goes on throughout the school year.

The first awards presented were the departmental awards.

“These awards recognize the academic and creative accomplishments for our students,” Griffin said.

Different categories were in place for the departmental awards.

For the first one, the Outstanding Senior Area awards, eight students won the award in their respective fields.

This year a new award was created out of the contributions from the art foundations faculty.

“The award recognizes the outstanding achievements of the freshmen in the foundation area,” Griffin said.

Three first-year art students were presented with the award.

Alexandra Sager, a senior graphic design major, won the Susan Stevens Memorial Award.

Junior graphic design majors Zachary Jones and Sophia Kent won the Graphic Design Recognition award.

Many other scholarship awards were presented to students.

Stephanie White can be reached at 581-2812 or at sewhite2@eiu.edu.