CCU alumna Sara Becker wins national prize

Sara Becker, a CCU alumna with a major in art studio–printmaking specialization, became the first recipient of Volcom’s prize for “Using Art to Combat the Stigma of Mental Illness.” 

Volcom, a Southern California-based lifestyle brand and sports company, sought out talented individuals who wanted to prioritize their passions and get paid for it. Their #ThisFirst contest asked those who entered to answer the question: “What’s your ‘this’ and what would it mean for you to put #ThisFirst?” More than 10,000 passionate people entered the contest, with only 15 winners chosen in total: five national winners and 10 global winners, all with unique passions, from music, to cliff jumping, and much more. 

For the 23-year old Philly native, Becker's plan to use her art to advocate for mental health was her ‘this.’ Growing up with a father who has schizophrenia forced her to combat society’s negative ideas about mental illness, and to challenge her perception of her father’s actions.  

When Becker saw the call for submissions to #ThisFirst on Facebook, she had just graduated from CCU in May 2017 with a bachelor's degree in art studio.

 “I had confidence in myself, but everyone always says, ‘Oh, you can’t get a career in art very easily.’” So when Becker decided to put together her submission video, she never imagined that her video would be the one Volcom picked.

Read her story here. https://www.hercampus.com/school/drexel/local-volcom-thisfirst-winner-using-art-combat-stigma-mental-illness