Pilar Pobil Humanities Scholarship


Pilar Pobil Humanities Scholarship

The Pilar Pobil Legacy Foundation has established an endowment to permanently fund the Pilar Pobil Humanities Scholarship in the College of Humanities at the University of Utah. The scholarship aids first-generation students in the Writing Studies Scholars Program, which supports transfer students from Salt Lake Community College who have demonstrated a commitment to human rights and social justice.

The foundation is committed to honoring Pobil’s contributions to the arts and humanities. To recognize Pobil’s impact, the foundation has financially secured an annual scholarship to be funded in perpetuity. “We are honored that the Pilar Pobil Legacy Foundation has set up a scholarship for some of our most deserving students,” said Hollis Robbins, former dean of the College of Humanities. “Her legacy will not only live through our talented students but through her artwork that is prominently displayed throughout our buildings.”

As a writer, painter, and sculptor, Pobil was devoted to promoting human rights through the humanities. Pobil received many honors and awards, both locally and internationally. In 2019, she was named one of Utah’s 15 Most Influential Artists. In 2016, she was knighted by the King of Spain for her extraordinary contribution to Spanish culture. Pobil passed away in 2024, yet her presence is still felt at the College of Humanities through her many vibrant paintings that grace its halls.

Foundation president Monica Whalen notes, “Through the Pilar Pobil Humanities Scholarship, Pobil’s commitment to human rights and helping people elevate themselves through many forms of expression reaches a higher level of meaning.”

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