In cooperation with 10 ARTS Foundation, we are proud to announce the three 2024 awardees of the Alexandra Skiba Memorial Scholarship: Brandyn Richardson, Logan Petersen and Marielene Jones. The 2024 awards support next-generation storytellers who are currently enrolled at the New York Film Academy (NYFA) in pursuing their passion for the crafts of filmmaking and acting. Alexandra Skiba was a star student who attended NYFA’s Acting for Film program in Los Angeles, California.
Brandyn Richardson is a U.S. Military Veteran in the Acting for Film Program at NYFA’s campus in Miami. Bransyn is an actor and soon-to-be father. He was born in Colorado Springs,
Colorado, and raised by my single mother. Bransyn was in the US Marine Corps and served as an aircraft rescue firefighter (ARFF), an embassy security guard (MSG), and a member of the Marine Security Augmentation Unit (MSAU).
Logan Petersen originates from Minnesota and is studying at NYFA’s campus in Los Angeles in the BFA Acting for Film Program.
Marielene “Deuce” Jones is a former U.S. Marine and is in the MFA Filmmaking Program at NYFA’s campus in Los Angeles. She is a pioneering first-generation Samoan American, breaking barriers in education and film. She’s the first in her family to earn both an associate’s and a bachelor’s degree, soon to add a master’s. Her film “Silent Waves” is set for a festival run, showcasing her powerful storytelling. A Marine Corps veteran and avionics technician, Marielene’s journey embodies resilience and determination.
The Alexandra Skiba Memorial Scholarship works with the 10Arts Foundation each year to identify and award scholarships to the next-generation story tellers. The memorial scholarship is in memory of Alexandra Skiba, who attended the New York Film Academy in Los Angeles before her unexpected and tragic death in 2020.