2025 Rhonda LP Hoffmann Scholarship Fund

Scholarship Overview:
Rhonda Lee Peil Hoffmann (November 10, 1957 – June 15, 2020) had a passion for art and for
helping those in need. This scholarship was established to honor Rhonda’s legacy by supporting
students with demonstrated artistic ability who are pursuing postsecondary education in creative
fields.
Rhonda’s career as an artist was not traditional. While studying fine arts at the University of
Wisconsin – Whitewater, she honed her skills in drawing, painting, pottery, and other media. For much
of the 1990s, she was Art Director at Interior Systems Incorporated (ISI), a Wisconsin-based
commercial interior design and manufacturing company. In that position, she was instrumental in
establishing ISI’s art department and making ISI the destination for clients seeking unique custom
interiors, particularly those developing themed restaurants and entertainment complexes. One of her
most notable projects was the “Solid Gold” McDonald’s, a rock and roll themed McDonald’s that
opened in Greenfield, Wisconsin in 1991. Rhonda’s post-ISI ventures fused her creative instincts with her interests in business and education.
She was a conceptual designer at an architectural firm, a marketing leader at a commercial
playground manufacturer, and, for many years, the principal of her own creative marketing and design
firm, EnVision. With EnVision, Rhonda made the technological leap from traditional media to
computer-based graphic design, spending many years working with clients to develop brand identities
and marketing strategies. Rhonda was fearless, a connector, the kind of person who would not
hesitate to call a complete stranger to ask for help or collaboration. Because she gave more than she
asked in return, this worked more often than not. It was fitting that her final professional role was
Director for Strategic Development at Wisconsin Lutheran College in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where
she worked to ensure the college was positioned to grow and educate future generations.
Rhonda’s life and career evidence the simple truth that defining an “artist” is itself more art than
science. For Rhonda, “artist” was not about the job title, but about the creativity brought to the job.
This scholarship celebrates Rhonda’s life by supporting students in creative disciplines, broadly
defined. To see more of Rhonda’s work, please visit our website.
Rhonda LP Hoffmann Scholarship Fund, Inc. is a recognized tax-exempt organization under Section
501©(3) of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code.
Eligibility:
• Must be enrolled in an eligible institution for the academic year in which the Scholarship is
awarded (“Eligible institution” means a college or university which normally maintains a regular
faculty and curriculum and normally has a regularly enrolled body of pupils or students in
attendance at the place where its educational activities are regularly carried on)
• Full-time freshman, sophomore, junior, or senior undergraduate student
• Pursuing an art degree (“art degree” means technical, associate’s or bachelor’s degree in any
of the following fields: art, fine art, visual art, studio art, multimedia art, art history, art
education, design (including interior design or architecture), graphic design, art therapy,
business or business administration (with a concentration in marketing), or similar technical,
associate’s or bachelor’s degree with a creative focus.
Judging Criteria:
The Selection Committee will review applications using an objective rubric that assigns points based
on the following criteria:
• Creative portfolio as it relates to the originality, creativity, composition and quality of work
submitted
• Academic performance as it relates to relevant art/creative courses from transcripts, or in the
case of applicants who will be a freshmen (or equivalent) in the relevant year, academic
performance will be based on the Applicant’s overall grade point average reported on the
Applicant’s high school transcript
• Personal Statement based on content and quality of statement provided by applicant
• Financial Need based on the Student Aid Index as reported in the applicant’s FAFSA
Submission Summary