The State University of New York (SUNY) has announced the 2025 recipients of its annual arts awards, including the Thayer Fellowship of the Arts, the Patricia Kerr Ross Award, and the Best of SUNY art exhibition winners. Key Bird from the University at Albany and Misael Hernandez from the University at Buffalo each received a $7,000 Thayer Fellowship, while Rush Carson from Purchase College won the $1,000 Patricia Kerr Ross Award. Three students received Best of SUNY Awards, with four additional students earning honorable mention. The awards were presented by SUNY Chancellor John B. King Jr. and the SUNY Board of Trustees.
These awards matter because they provide crucial post-graduate financial support for SUNY students pursuing professional careers in the arts, covering expenses such as studio space, supplies, and equipment. By recognizing and investing in emerging talent across SUNY's 64 campuses, the program underscores the importance of the arts within the state university system and helps launch the careers of the next generation of artists, writers, and performers. The awards also honor the legacies of former SUNY Board Trustee Jeanne C. Thayer and former artistic director Patricia Kerr Ross.