Piper Torsilieri was wrapping up her final weeks as a student at The College of New Jersey, preparing for graduation and looking for a part-time job that would provide financial support as she worked to establish a portraiture business.
She was in a painting class when her cell phone buzzed. It was a representative of the Princeton Area Community Foundation, calling to say she’d won the 2017 Thomas George Artist Fund Award.
“I was so excited, I was running down the halls in school, searching for whoever I could find to tell,” said the 23-year-old who grew up in Flemington. “It’s such a relief to have some help when you graduate so you can focus on what you love. It was great – really great.”