Scholarships

The Krenicki Arts & Engineering Scholarships seek to promote creative collaborations between the arts and engineering fields, and are made possible by the generosity of alumni John Krenicki (Mechanical Engineering) and Donna Krenicki (Graphic Design).

Four scholarships will be awarded each academic year – two for students in the College of Engineering and two for students in the School of Fine Arts. Each Krenicki Scholar will receive a scholarship of $5000. In addition, they will form a cohort that will meet on a regular basis to discuss their academic and creative work, and participate in activities centered in the Krenicki Arts & Engineering Institute, including workshops, visiting speakers, and other events.

Who Can Apply

Applications are invited from current UConn undergraduate students pursuing majors in either the College of Engineering or the School of Fine Arts who currently have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or above. Applicants should be able to demonstrate existing interests in both engineering and the arts, broadly defined, and a desire to explore this intersection further .

How to Apply

The application window will be open from November 1, 2025 to February 1st, 2026. Please click here to apply.

Molly Deptula

Molly Deptula is a junior Multidisciplinary Engineering student specializing in Entertainment Engineering Design and minoring in Electronics and Systems. Entertainment engineering combines her love of technical tinkering with her passion for performing arts. A lifelong storyteller with a love of learning, Molly has spent her college career exploring how to integrate engineering and theatre to create mechanical magic. In the spring semester of 2025, she joined a team of fellow entertainment engineering students working on the mechanical and electrical design of an entertainment hoist. This past summer, she interned with Cirque du Soleil at their Las Vegas resident show ‘O’, where she worked with industry professionals to expand her understanding of mechanics, hydraulics, controls/software, and electronics. Molly is honored to have been selected as a Krenicki Scholar and is incredibly grateful to the Krenicki family and Institute for the unique opportunities they offer.

Vincenzo Farulo

Vincenzo Faruolo is a 21-year-old puppeteer, designer and builder based in Manhattan. Currently a senior in the Puppet Arts program at UConn, Vincenzo began puppeteering before he could walk or talk. Puppetry has always been his calling. Deeply inspired by the Muppets creator Jim Henson from a young age, Vincenzo grew up captivated by the power of giving life to inanimate objects. While his early focus was on performing, his time at UConn has expanded his artistry into the world of puppet design and fabrication, with a concentration in television style puppetry. Guided by faith and purpose, Vincenzo is committed to using the gifts, talents and passion God has blessed him with to spread joy and hope through the magical art of puppetry. He believes that once we find our purpose, our fingerprints become blue prints, so he is excited to use his uniquely designed hands to create and inspire. Vincenzo is incredibly blessed to be a Krenicki Institute Scholarship recipient and is thrilled for what lies ahead.

Moera Kamimura

Moera Kamimura is a junior majoring in Mechanical Engineering with a minor in Industrial Design. She has a passion for creatively blending the arts and engineering to advance sustainability, product design, and quality, and she is currently conducting research on the construction of lithium-ion batteries. As a former member of the Innovation House Learning Community, she thrives in hands-on, collaborative environments and eagerly takes on new creative challenges. Beyond academics, she enjoys transforming thrifted finds into revived second-hand clothing, applying years of developed skills to champion sustainable fashion and reduce waste. She is honored to be a Krenicki Arts and Engineering Institute Scholarship recipient and looks forward to continuing her exploration of sustainability at the intersection of art, engineering, and innovation.

Pamela Mackingue

Pamela is a senior at the University of Connecticut studying Industrial Design and Digital Media Design. Passionate about the intersection of play, empathy, and functionality, she hopes to create products that are inclusive, sustainable, and imaginative. Her experience includes researching alternative leather materials through UConn’s Materials Library, where she prototyped a wallet from kombucha leather, as well as serving as Branding and Media Manager at UConn Student Television. In the summer of 2025, she completed a design internship with TJX in the Kids Product Development department, gaining experience in children’s product design and soft goods. Pamela is especially honored to be a recipient of the Krenicki Arts and Engineering Institute Scholarship.

Krenicki Arts and Engineering Institute