Koerner Camera Systems Scholarship recipients announced

Portland State University School of Film extends its congratulations to the 2020-2021 recipients of the Koerner Camera Systems Scholarships, William Mayhew and Lily Mehallick. 

Now in its sixth year, this scholarship, made possible by the generous support of Koerner Camera Systems, enables the School of Film to make two awards of $5,000 each to Film majors with an interest in cinematography.

William Mayhew, a junior Film major, is grateful for the financial support afforded by this scholarship, which will enable him to focus more fully on his goals of creating films and other media that contribute to the movement for social justice. “My life has constantly forced me to confront the sickening inequalities present in America, and since pop culture has a profound influence on the average American’s worldview, I hope to create entertaining media that will also cause people to question the system and share my compulsion to demand a better world,” he said. 

“As a person who comes from a family that is not very well-off financially, paying for college is one of the most stressful parts of my life—but thanks to this generous scholarship, I do not have to worry about taking on any new student loan debt for the next academic year,” said William. “Without this anxiety hanging over me, I will be able to devote all of my focus to my current academic performance and long term goals in the world of filmmaking.”

For Lily Mehallick, a sophomore Film major, the Koerner Camera Systems scholarship will help her weather recent financial challenges and support her work on her current project, a 30-minute film, which she is self-funding. “We’ve been fortunate to hire an amazing cast, including three very prominent Portland actors,” said Lily. “I have many other stories that I’d like to produce, and it is likely that savings in tuition will free up funds to make new film projects.”

“This scholarship provides significant financial freedom for the coming year,” said Lily. “It also gives me a huge psychological boost to know that my hard work and talents are being recognized.”

The ongoing support of Koerner Camera Systems is a vital and foundational contribution to student success in the School of Film. 

Associate professor and School of Film director Amy E. Borden has seen the opportunities created by the Koerner Camera Systems scholarships. 

“So many of our students are primed to see this beautiful world as future cinematographers,” said Borden. “Their eyes frame each instance as shots with the ability to fight for equity alongside this beauty. The Koerner scholarships allow us to elevate our students and foster their creativity by giving them the most precious of resources, time, while offering students the chance to learn state-of-the-art camera technology. PSU FILM is so proud that Koerner Camera Systems continues to support our students. This partnership is vital for our school.”