Eivind Cuate received the Thomas Samuels Scholarship at LaGuardia Community College.
QUEENS, NY – Eivind Cuate, a 2018 graduate of Harry S Truman High School’s Media Communications Program was recently announced as one of three recipients of the Thomas Samuels Scholarship for deaf and hard of hearing students at LaGuardia Community College.
“I’m absolutely thrilled, but not surprised at all to hear that Eivind won,” said media communications teacher Dave Roush. “From the moment Eivind stepped into my studio, his hard work and dedication was clear. I expected him to do great things in college, and I see that he is.”
The scholarship is named in honor of Thomas Samuels, a former media specialist and assistant director of LaGuardia’s Program for Deaf Adults, and is used to assist students in paying for their tuition and books. An announcement was emailed to the LaGuardia community and included the following:
“As a new media technology major, Eivind participated in the Thomson Avenue Film Festival, showcasing his own work. For one animation class, Eivind constructed an entire city with moving cars and pedestrians and then had the city invaded by UFOs and alien creatures, not easy to do in 3D animation, according to his professor. Eivind plans to continue his studies at Hunter College.”
Cuate also won $4,000 from the Walt Disney Company in 2018.
Cuate is no stranger to the winner’s stage. In 2018 he won a $4,000 scholarship from the Walt Disney Company’s “Get Reel With Your Dreams” program, organized by ABC Eyewitness News anchor Sade Baderinwa. In that contest, he crafted a 30-second PSA encouraging viewers to “be their true authentic selves,” which he illustrated by shaving his head on camera to reveal his ears for the first time to his friends and classmates.
“To this day, when I go back and watch his PSA video, it sends chills down my spine,” Roush added. “He’s a special young man and I can’t wait to see what’s in store for him next. The sky’s the limit.”
Cuate participates in a photography workshop at Truman High School in 2018.