Daytona State photo student awarded Ad Fed scholarship

Chelsea Perez, a third-semester student in Daytona State College’s Associate of Science in Photographic Technology program, has been awarded the 2012 Jim Shipley Scholarship by the American Advertising Federation of Daytona Beach.

Chelsea Perez

The $1,000 merit-based scholarship is awarded to Volusia County residents who are actively pursuing studies at area colleges and universities to prepare for careers in advertising, marketing, public relations, graphic design, multimedia design, photography, fine art and other related fields.

Perez was presented the award at the Advertising Federation’s annual ADDY® Awards competition banquet held this month at the Shores Resort and Spa, Daytona Beach Shores.

“We’re very proud of Chelsea for receiving this honor,” said Daytona State Photography Professor Steven Benson. “She submitted a solid overall scholarship application package, one that indicates she is passionate about photography and has been actively working to perfect her skills since high school.”

Perez is a 2009 graduate of Seminole Ridge Community High School, Loxahatchee, FL, where she earned a 4.0 grade point average and won numerous awards for her photography. She earned her Associate of Arts degree from Palm Beach State College with a 3.95 GPA in May 2011 and enrolled in Daytona State’s photography program that summer. Perez currently holds a 3.65 grade point average and is a member of the college’s Student Photography Association.

Upon earning her AS degree, Perez plans to pursue a Bachelor of Science in Photography from the University of Central Florida through a partnership the university shares with Daytona State. The bachelor’s program classes are conducted in Daytona State’s School of Photography with cross-level instruction by faculty from both institutions.

A collection of Perez’s work can be viewed on her website at perezpixels.weebly.com.

For more information about Daytona State’s photography program, please contact Dan Biferie, program chair, at (386) 506-3581, biferid@daytonastate.edu.