RIT’s Photo School Names First Kodak/Howard Bingham Scholarship Winner

Gregory Boyd, a graduating photography student at Rochester Institute of Technology, has been awarded the Kodak/Howard Bingham Scholarship. He becomes the first recipient of this program, designed to benefit minority students within the bachelor of fine arts curriculum of RIT’s School of Photographic Arts and Sciences.

Boyd, 21, is a native of Cincinnati, Ohio, where he graduated from the School for Creative and Performing Arts. During his studies at RIT, he majored in advertising photography and next plans to pursue opportunities as a freelance photography assistant in New York City.

"This scholarship is a fitting tribute to Greg’s remarkable potential," says William DuBois, RIT’s photographic arts chair. "His willingness to explore new situations and his ability to interact with people are among many impressive traits. Greg’s achievements are destined to reach as high as his ambitions will take him."

Kodak Professional, a division of Eastman Kodak Co., provided a $25,000 endowment for the scholarship, which honors the dedication and talent of Howard Bingham. The renowned photographer has spent the past four decades documenting many of America’s historical turning points.

Bingham is best known for his photographs of legendary boxer Mohammad Ali. The long-time friendship between the two men is reflected in a book of Bingham’s photographs, Mohammad Ali, A Thirty-Year Journey, published in 1993. He remains a frequent guest speaker and lecturer at various workshops and seminars.

The Kodak/Howard Bingham Scholarship is an annual award with preference given to students of African-American descent. Since it is funded by an endowment, other contributions are welcome and accepted. 

Internationally recognized as a leader in imaging, technology, fine and applied arts, and education of the deaf, Rochester Institute of Technology enrolls 15,000 full- and part-time students in more than 250 career-oriented and professional programs, many of which are unique and enjoy worldwide recognition. Its cooperative education program is one of the oldest and largest in the nation.

RIT’s photography school has been ranked No. 1 for graduate programs in the nation for the past decade by U.S. News and World Report, which has also ranked RIT overall as one of the nation’s leading comprehensive universities. RIT is also included in Yahoo Internet Life’s Top 100 Wired Universities, Fisk’s Guide to America’s Best Colleges, as well as Barron’s Best Buys in Education.