Conor Backman, a rising sophomore in Virginia Commonwealth University’s School of the Arts, is the first recipient of the Tyler Binsted Endowed Scholarship in Sculpture + Extended Media.

The scholarship was created in memory of Tyler Binsted, an accomplished undergraduate sculpture student at VCU who died in March. The merit scholarship is designated for the top Art Foundation student at VCU who has been accepted for enrollment in the Department of Sculpture in which Binsted was enrolled.

“This scholarship will honor the life and work of Tyler Binsted, who proved to be an outstanding student and artist during his time at VCU,” says Richard Toscan, dean of the VCU School of the Arts. “We will use this scholarship to reward exceptional students like Conor who have demonstrated the kind of talent and dedication we will always remember in Tyler.”

Freshman academic performance and work in the annual spring Art Foundation portfolio review will be the main criteria in the scholarship selection process.

Backman will receive $1,000 from the scholarship for the 2008-09 academic year.