DiOversity Scholarship

The application for iO’s DiOversity Scholarship is now live!

The DiOversity Scholarship is an iO Training Center scholarship offered to POC, LGBTQIA, and disabled individuals in order to complete the iO improv program. Submissions will be open until March 12th, with a workshop-style audition taking place on Saturday, March 14th.

The link for the application is here.

With any questions, please email scholarships@ioimprov.com

WHAT YOU NEED TO DO:
1) Fill out the application and submit it by Thursday, 3/12!
2) Mark off Saturday, March 14th on your calendar — that’s the date of the workshop/audition. Once your application is submitted, we will reach out to you with a time slot.
3) That’s it!
OTHER DATES/EVENTS TO KEEP IN MIND:
  • Monday, 3/2 at 8:00 — The DiOversity Scholar Show! The current DiOversity Scholar class does a monthly show. Come see what they’re up to & get scholarship questions answered too.
  • Thursday, 3/12, 7:00-8:00 — Meet & Greet & Q&A — a chance to meet up with other auditionees, current scholars and DiOversity Committee members – get any final questions answered about the program / scholarship / auditions!
  • The DiOversity Improv Jam — Part of the FLEX show every Wednesday at 10 PM. Show up and play! Always good to get some reps.
Below are some FAQs about the program — and please know you can ALWAYS reach out to us here with any questions.
Thank you!

Sincerely,
The DiOversity Scholarship Committee
scholarships@ioimprov.com

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FAQS:

General Overview:

The DiOversity Scholarship is a scholarship offered to people of color, members of the LGBTQIA community, and disabled individuals in order to complete iO Training Center classes for free. It’s also possible that certain additional scholarships could be given out offering a discount on the training program, or a specific class for free — it all depends on the interest, turnout, and financial situation of the theater.
The scholarship is one of many ways that iO is trying to ensure that more marginalized voices and performers from communities underrepresented at our theater, and in society at large, have a chance to get on iO’s stage and put great comedy out into the world.

How Does it Work?
The first step to the DiOversity Scholarship is a short written application, which will then be followed by an improv-based audition. I don’t want this to scare anyone off! The auditions take place in a very supportive environment and are run by a number of wonderful performers at iO. No improv skill is required to audition – only a willingness to play and have fun and support your teammates!

Is the Scholarship Available to Those Already In Classes?
It is, but it’s decided on a case-by-case basis. If you are already enrolled in the program but are having financial difficulty, please complete the application and then email scholarships@ioimprov.com to let us know why you need the scholarship to complete classes.

The Summer Intensive:
We’ve gotten many questions about whether the DiOversity Scholarship can apply to the Summer Intensive Program that iO hosts each year. Unfortunately, it does not apply — the scholarship only applies to iO’s year-long Training Center. The reasoning for this is that the scholarship is designed not only to give the opportunity of the entire training program, but also to give scholars opportunities outside of the classroom during their time in classes, through social events, shows, relationships with existing iO performers, and more. For this reason, all scholarship recipients must be able to complete the whole Training Center program.