For more than 30 years, FOCUS has provided ISU students with funding to produce creative projects in both the visual and performing arts.

Friends and family joined 11 FOCUS grant recipients Thursday in the Pioneer Room of the Memorial Union for a showcase of their work.

Honored at the reception was Anjana Rao, senior in art and design, for her hand-bound book “Hidden Beauties of India.” The book featured photography and poetry portraying her personal experiences while in India “bringing to light a side of India people don’t normally see.”

Also honored was Jamie Letourneau, junior in graphic design, for her screenprinted bags and shirts inspired by child soldiers in a warring Uganda. Letourneau wanted to open people’s eyes to the situation abroad and plans to sell these items and give the proceeds to organizations supporting children in Uganda.

“These students’ work brings warmth and light into Iowa State, a primarily science and technology school,” said Dana Schumacher, FOCUS committee chairwoman.

This year’s submissions also included watercolor portraits, a brass robot, a four-drawer cabinet made of Douglas fir and a graphic novel about a rat named Axel.

Other projects were inspired by the artists’ cultures. The piece “Issues of Rural Iowa,” created by Emily Lubkeman, senior in integrated studio arts, was an exploration of the relationship between agricultural buildings and the people who use them.

“I was interested in doing a big piece; I don’t have a lot of money, so I thought this would be perfect,” Lubkeman said. “They chose me because I wanted to do something that most Iowa State students could relate to.”

Yun-Ping Chen, senior in art and design, created five pieces inspired by Picasso and Eastern and Western cultures.

As a celebration of Iowa State’s 150th anniversary, 23 previous grant winners were honored at the FOCUS Reunion Exhibit in the gallery. These included a chat book, a rosewood violin and a moving images projection – the first “legal train graffiti.”

FOCUS is an annual celebration of the arts that provides funding for innovative projects to any major using a variety of media.

Each student has the opportunity to be awarded up to $600, which is provided by the Government of the Student Body. Applicants go through a lengthy process before being awarded their grant money. An application form, teacher support and list of steps of the proposed project are reviewed by a committee of students, faculty members and staff members. The committee then decides how much money will be awarded to each applicant.

The FOCUS Grant Exhibition will be on display through May 5