USITT is excited to announce Matthew Smith as our 2025 Student Engagement Grant winner! Student Engagement Grants encourage and support emerging theater artists. They are given annually and provide financial assistance to USITT student members. Funding for this award is generously provided by Howard Vincent Kurtz, Professor Emeritus of Costume Design and Costume Commissioner at USITT.

Matthew will be celebrated and honored at USITT25 in Columbus on Thursday, March 6, at 9:30 a.m. during our Awards, Awards, Awards ceremony with the rest of our 2025 Award winners! Attend our awards event and after join the celebration with your fellow attendees as we make our way to USITT25's Stage Expo opening to drop the rope and be the first group of attendees on the floor!

Matthew is a multidisciplinary artist, costume designer, and maker by trade. He was born and raised in small town Texas. He is currently a second-year Master of Fine Arts (M.F.A) candidate in the UT Live Design and Production program at The University of Texas at Austin. He holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts (B.F.A.) in Theatre Design/Technology from Santa Fe University of Art and Design (SFUAD) and an Associate of Arts (A.A.) in General Academics with High Honors from Mclennan Community College in Waco, TX.

Matthew’s most notable work at The University of Texas at Austin includes being the Lead Draper for Old Man Grasshopper in James and the Giant Peach and Romeo in a world-premiere adaptation of Romeo y Juliet. Matthew’s upcoming thesis is an extensive study of the late Selena Quintanilla’s most iconic costumes, which will explore techniques in fiber transformation, couture beading, and brasserie engineering: ultimately leading to three museum-quality reproductions. 

Matthew's costume work spans across the U.S. — from Off-Broadway to regional theatres, world-renowned opera and dance companies such as Houston Ballet, Baltimore Center Stage, Everyman Theatre, and The Santa Fe Opera. Most recently, Matthew has costume designed at Rep Stage, Johns Hopkins University, and Chesapeake Shakespeare Company. 

"I'd like to thank Howard Vincent-Kurtz, for this incredible opportunity! 
I hope to honor the wisdom and patience of my mentors throughout my career: David Arevalo, David Burdick, Ginny McKeever, Marcia Dixcy-Jory, Lara Berich, Medea Maraia, and Kathleen Laundy to name a few that have touched my life. 

I'm immensely honored to receive the USITT Student Engagement Grant. Winning this award is a testament of my dedication to hone my craft and continue to challenge myself without the inevitable burden of the project materials and supply costs. It is a wonderful feeling to receive the support and encouragement of USITT Members, Awards Committee, and the Board of Directors." -Matthew Smith

Keep up with Matthew on his website and Instagram.