Acuff Circle awards first fine arts scholarship

Clarksville, TN – Michael Mason, an Austin Peay State University theatre major, was recently awarded the first Acuff Circle of Excellence endowed scholarship in the fine arts at APSU.

The Acuff Circle of Excellence, a non-profit organization affiliated with the Austin Peay Foundation, serves as a patron society of the APSU Center of Excellence for the Creative Arts. Its purpose is to advance the importance of arts and culture at Austin Peay and in the community.

Mason, a Springfield Tennessee native, considered dozens of career options while in high school, but then he joined his school’s forensics team. After winning several competitions, he realized a job in the arts might better fit his talents.

“Eventually, I had to make the decision of most art students: to follow my dreams, or settle for a practical career,” he said. “I decided it was time I took a real risk in my life, and at the time it was a scary decision.”

Mason started looking at the fine arts programs at Austin Peay because of the University’s convenience and affordability. He went to AP day and realized the University was a perfect fit for him.

“I arrived on campus and I had the most welcoming feeling. Everything just felt right,” he said.

For more information on the scholarship, contact the APSU Center of Excellence for the Creative Arts at 931.221.7876.