Anonymous Founder of UWSP’s After the Flags Scholarship Reflects on Commitment to Supporting Young Artists

By Kim Westerman | September 2025

The UWSP After Flags Scholarship was established out of a unique connection between UWSP and the entertainment industry and was created by someone who, though not a UWSP alumnus, has maintained deep and lasting ties to the program.

During the late 1980s and 1990s, the scholarship founder served as the Entertainment Manager at Six Flags Great America. Each year, the entertainment department held auditions and recruited talented college theatre majors from across the Midwest to work as performers, technicians, and wardrobe staff. Among the most outstanding of these recruits were students from UWSP, who regularly made the three-hour drive each way to Gurnee, Illinois, for weekend rehearsals in the spring before relocating for the summer season. Many of those students went on to successful careers in the entertainment industry, and many have remained lifelong friends of the scholarship donor.

Although not a graduate of UWSP, the founder has long admired the university’s Department of Theatre and Dance. Having visited and observed productions at some of the nation’s top theatre programs — Carnegie Mellon, University of Michigan, Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, and Northwestern — they recognized that UWSP offers a world-class education and exceptional practical experience, equipping its students to thrive in professional entertainment careers.

The inspiration for the After the Flags Scholarship came after Broadway actor Gavin Creel’s Tony Award acceptance speech for Hello, Dolly! Creel encouraged anyone in a position to do so to start a scholarship and help change a student’s life, just as scholarships had changed his. The founder, who had contemplated establishing a scholarship for years, was moved to action by Creel’s words.

Since then, the After Flags Scholarship has provided four annual $1,000 awards to students in UWSP’s Department of Theatre and Dance, recognizing excellence in Musical Theatre, Acting, Design & Technology, and Dance. As of spring 2024, the scholarship has awarded a total of $30,000 to deserving students.

Amelia Gibbons is a current Sophomore BFA Musical Theatre Major who says, “Receiving the After the Flags Scholarship has been immensely helpful in helping me to pursue my dreams. Musical theatre is an incredibly challenging career, and receiving this scholarship has been an incredible help financially, as well as affirming the pursuit of my craft. The prestigious UWSP Musical Theatre program has helped me grow in my craft by leaps and bounds. Every day, I am proud to be a Pointer, and I look forward to representing Stevens Point with pride in my professional endeavors.” 

Scholarship recipient Stephanie Hogan says, “Acting has always been my strongest passion, and there was never a doubt in my mind that I wanted to continue to pursue that in my college career. As an actress, I love being able to connect with others through love and empathy while sharing stories that need to be told.”

Another scholarship recipient, Pauline Nikolov, says, ” This scholarship has lifted a financial weight for me, and it’s allowed me to continue my education in dance, a passion I’ve had my whole life. This award has helped me take the steps forward in reaching my goal to eventually be an educator, choreographer and performer.”

The After the Flags Scholarship is a reflection of the anonymous founder’s enduring respect for UWSP’s program, their commitment to supporting young artists, and their desire to give back to the educational community that has given so much to so many.