Dr. Thanapoom Boonipat Grant for the Arts Announces National Scholarship Opportunity for Undergraduate Students
By Space Coast Daily // August 5, 2026
Lubbock, Texas – The Dr. Thanapoom Boonipat Grant for the Arts today announced the opening of its 2026–2027 scholarship cycle, inviting undergraduate visual artists to apply for a $1,000 award supporting their creative and academic development. The grant, established by Dr. Thanapoom (Mo) Boonipat, M.D., a board-certified plastic surgeon and fellowship-trained facial and maxillofacial surgeon, seeks to recognize and nurture emerging talent. In recognition that art is a visual medium, the application now requires a portfolio of photographs showcasing the applicant’s original artwork.
Now in its current cycle, the Dr. Thanapoom Boonipat Grant for the Arts is designed for undergraduate students enrolled at accredited colleges and universities who possess artistic ability and are interested in exploring the combination of medicine and art. The grant is not limited to students pursuing careers in the visual arts; anyone with artistic ability who is willing to explore the intersection of medicine and art is welcome to apply. Applicants may work across various disciplines, including but not limited to fine arts, painting, drawing, sculpture, photography, graphic design, illustration, digital art, ceramics, printmaking, mixed media, textile arts, and related fields. The grant is open to students of all backgrounds, and international students enrolled in U.S. undergraduate programs are welcome to apply.
Eligibility Requirements
To be eligible for the Dr. Thanapoom Boonipat Grant for the Arts, applicants must meet the following requirements:
• Be currently enrolled as an undergraduate student at an accredited college or university.
• Possess artistic ability and a willingness to explore the combination of medicine and art (applicants are not required to be pursuing a career in the visual arts).
• Submit a complete application, including original photographs of their artwork and all required supporting materials.
• Be in good academic standing at their institution.
• Submit photographs of original artwork they have personally created.
Submission Guidelines
The centerpiece of the application is a portfolio of the artist’s work. Applicants must adhere to the following technical requirements:
• Number of Images: Submit up to five (5) photographs of original artwork.
• Accepted File Formats: JPG, JPEG, or PNG.
• Maximum File Size: 10 MB per image.
• Quality: Each photograph should clearly represent the artwork with sufficient lighting and image quality.
• Originality: All artwork must be the applicant’s own original creation.
• Restrictions: Video submissions, animations, portfolio websites, and external links will not be accepted.
Applicants are encouraged to showcase work that best represents their creativity, artistic skill, and personal style. The $1,000 award is intended to provide direct financial support for tuition, supplies, equipment, or any educational expenses, with no repayment required.
While the primary application is visual, applicants are also invited to submit a brief artist statement (optional) to provide context for their work.
Philosophy of the Grant
The shift to a photo-based submission reflects the core philosophy of Dr. Thanapoom Boonipat , M.D., whose own career stands as a powerful testament to the unity of art and science. Born and raised in Bangkok, Thailand, Dr. Boonipat was sent to a boarding school in the United States at the age of 13. He went on to complete his undergraduate studies in Biomedical Engineering at Johns Hopkins University before earning his medical degree at Dartmouth College. He completed his plastic surgery residency at the Mayo Clinic Hospital in Rochester, MN—ranked the No. 1 hospital in the nation and the world for multiple consecutive years—and later pursued a craniomaxillofacial fellowship at Chang Gung Memorial Hospital in Taiwan, one of the world’s premier centers for jaw surgery and facial bone contouring. Throughout this journey, he never abandoned his early passion for Chinese painting, a creative discipline he discovered as a young boy in Bangkok.
Dr. Thanapoom (MO) Boonipat, M.D., who holds affiliations at Covenant and Midland Memorial and is a former Clinical Assistant Professor in the Department of Surgery at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, believes that art does not exist in isolation from other disciplines but rather enriches and is enriched by them. The Dr. Thanapoom Boonipat Grant for the Arts was born from this conviction—that artists need encouragement at the earliest stages of their journey and that the creative spirit thrives when it bridges medicine, technology, and the fine arts.
The grant is not bound to any specific U.S. city or state, reflecting Dr. Boonipat’s commitment to supporting artistic talent from all communities and backgrounds. Applicants should submit their image files as PDF or Word documents (or directly via the submission portal), including full name, school, major, and expected graduation date in the document header.
Key Dates to Remember:
• Application Deadline: July 15, 2027
• Winner Announcement: August 15, 2027
Dr. Thanapoom Boonipat, M.D., who is a member of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons and the International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, continues to demonstrate through his own career that artistry and expertise can converge to create meaningful impact. This grant invites the next generation of visual artists to begin writing that story for themselves.
For complete details and to submit an application, visit the official website at https://drthanapoomboonipatgrant.com/.
Contact:
Spokesperson: Dr. Thanapoom (Mo) Boonipat, M.D.
Organization: Dr. Thanapoom Boonipat Grant for the Arts
Website: https://drthanapoomboonipatgrant.com/
Email: apply@drthanapoomboonipatgrant.com
