Tribute Fund Scholarship Grants

The Chicago Calligraphy Collective has established a Tribute Fund Scholarship Grant to honor the memory of members who contributed unselfishly and graciously to the Collective with their art and calligraphic talents. Since 2021, the CCC has made annual awards as follows:

  • The 2025 Tribute Fund Scholarship Grants were awarded to Alma Hoffmann in honor of CCC member Pam Sussman and to Christine Spisla in honor of CCC member Beth House.

  • The 2024 Tribute Fund Scholarship Grants were awarded to Shizuka Toyama in honor of CCC member Pam Sussman and to Ashok Giri in honor of CCC member John Avila.

  • The 2023 Tribute Fund Scholarship Grant was awarded to Tatiana deFigueiredo Gebert in honor of CCC member Pam Sussman.

  • The 2022 Tribute Fund Scholarship Grant was awarded (in 2023) to Nancy Belda in honor of CCC member Peter Fraterdeus.

  • The 2021 Tribute Fund Scholarship Grant was awarded to Kate Lehman in honor of CCC member Rosie Kelly.

In 2026, we will award two Tribute Fund Scholarship Grants,
one each in honor of CCC members Pam Sussman and Robert (Bob) Williams.

Our dear friend and colleague, Pam Sussman, passed away on September 21, 2022. She was an active member and instructor for the CCC and a faithful attendee at the South Side/Northwest Indiana study group. She was a generous person, always willing to share her resources, time, instruction and smile with those around her. She handed down all she knew to her many grateful students throughout the years. In addition to book arts, Pam—a lifelong artist—spent years honing her talents in various media, including rubber stamping, fabric arts, miniature book art, calligraphy, quilting, sewing, painting, origami and graphic arts. Pam’s generous spirit lives on, not only in her family, but in all who had the privilege of knowing her. She is deeply missed. We are pleased to honor Pam through a 2026 Tribute Fund Scholarship Grant.

Robert “Bob” Williams was one of the founders and first presidents of the Chicago Calligraphy Collective in 1976 and a guiding presence in Chicago’s calligraphic community for decades.

Born in Chicago on December 15, 1936, Bob graduated from Englewood High School and earned an AB in Clinical Psychology from the University of Chicago in 1958. Inspired by the beautiful hand of lute-maker Ian Harwood, he traveled to England in 1966 to study calligraphy with Dorothy Mahoney and Ann Camp, members of the Society of Scribes and Illuminators.

Returning to Chicago, he became a book designer at the University of Chicago Press while deepening his commitment to calligraphy. In 1976, he helped found the Chicago Calligraphy Collective and served as one of its first presidents.

Bob taught extensively for the CCC, the Newberry Library, and the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. He contributed essays to scholarly journals and to the Encyclopaedia Britannica, highlighting the work of early women writing masters. His own calligraphy—spare, classical, and often paired with his elegant drawings—set a high standard of excellence. He also played a pivotal role in establishing the CCC’s annual juried exhibition Newberry Prize, creating a tradition that continues to recognize and encourage excellence among its members.

Bob passed away on June 27, 2025. With deep respect and admiration for his enduring impact on the CCC and the broader calligraphic community, we honor his legacy through a Tribute Fund Scholarship Grant.

 

About the Scholarship Grant

One or more Tribute Fund Scholarship Grants of up to $500 USD may be awarded annually to deserving applicants who meet the grant requirements. The scholarship grant is designed to provide financial support for furthering knowledge of calligraphy and its related arts and may be used for workshop or conference registration fees, online learning or new endeavors of calligraphic study. Applicants of all skill levels will receive equal consideration.

More information can be found here: Call for Entries

Questions? Please contact vicepresident@chicagocalligraphy.org.

Important Dates

June 15, 2026 – Scholarship grant applications are available on the CCC website.

October 1, 2026 – Call for entries closes at 11:59 p.m. (CST).

December 1, 2026 – Applicants notified of their status.

Requirements

  • Any member who has been a paid member of the Chicago Calligraphy Collective for at least the past two years is eligible to apply.

  • Applicant must be 18 years of age or older.

  • This grant is not based on financial need or skill level, but will be awarded to an applicant who demonstrates a desire to expand their calligraphic knowledge and experience.

  • The grant recipient is required to reciprocate at the conclusion of their grant cycle in the form of a presentation, workshop or demonstration in addition to an in-depth article for the CCC newsletter on the contents of your studies or experiences.

  • The grant recipient must agree to allow the Chicago Calligraphy Collective to use their name, story, photographs and/or images of their artwork in the newsletter, website and other promotional materials as well as on social media, including Facebook and Instagram.

  • Collective’s Officers, Directors, members of the Selection Committee and major donors and their families are disqualified from receiving scholarship grants.

Application Procedure

Complete the application form which includes Personal Contact Information, Certification Signature, Promotional Release, Biographical Statement, Membership Status, Purpose of Applying, Special Circumstances, Projected Costs and Reciprocity Commitment.

  • Please submit three examples of your current artwork exhibiting your passion for calligraphy or its related arts. Images must be high resolution JPEGs, minimum 1024 pixels wide by 768 pixels high. Please submit three examples of your current artwork (practice pages or finished pieces) exhibiting your passion for calligraphy or its related arts.

  • Do NOT include your name, email address or website information in any of the essay answers or on your artwork to ensure anonymity during the blind selection process.

  • Review the Tribute Fund Scholarship Grant Checklist.  

Applications Accepted June 15-Oct 1, 2026


2025 Tribute Fund Scholarship Grant Awardees

Alma Hoffman

Alma Hoffmann is a graphic design educator and participant in 'The Art of Letters - Symbiosis V' mentoring program. Guided by her belief that “learning more is the best way to teach better,” she is exploring the exciting intersection of gestural calligraphy and dance. To enrich this expressive work, she is returning to structured letterforms, strengthening her foundations while expanding her creative range. She will be using this grant to learn ‘Mastering Italic Hand' with expert feedback from SSI fellow in 2026.

Christine Spisla

Christine Spisla found calligraphy as a creative and healing outlet after a life-altering injury. Though she explored many artistic paths over the years, calligraphy always called her back. She is now committing to a year-long learning program “26 seeds - A Year to Grow 2026 in person from Reggie Ezzel” to solidify her foundations, drawing inspiration from illuminated manuscripts and bookbinding.