2020 College Report

While the current COVID-19 pandemic rightly occupies our focus, as dean, I have an obligation to look towards the future, to chart a path for our students to succeed in their chosen feld. Over time, I have come to appreciate the signifcant role Texas State plays in higher education and in society. Namely, we are unquestionably one of the premier institutions for educating frst-generation college students. Texas State has a long history of educating frst generation college students, from future president Lyndon Baines Johnson (1930) to As I start my 22nd year at Texas State, I have seen the continual, steady rise in excellence. Indeed, our “22 Points of Pride” (p. 4) refect a team efort and shared purpose that allows us to stand alongside any College of Fine Arts and Communication in the country. Tis College Report documents the individual accolades, and national rankings that mark Texas State as a preferred destination, a place that provides a quality work environment, top-notch academics, cutting-edge research, and frst-rate DR. JOHN FLEMING, Dean letter from the dean college leadershi p Distinguished Alumni such as actor Eugene Lee (1974), who as a student performed for LBJ at the Johnson family ranch, and Juilliard composer Wayne Oquin (1999), who recently composed Horizon for wind ensemble in celebration of our Centennial of Bands. When LBJ signed the Higher Education Act of 1965 on the Texas State campus, he spoke of how teaching Mexican-American children in Cotulla in the late 1920s had forever impacted him: “And I think it was then that I made up my mind that this nation could never rest while the door to knowledge remained closed to any American.” Today, LBJ’s vision rings true in the College of Fine Arts and Communication as we graduate students from all backgrounds, including being one of the top 10 in the country in degrees earned by Hispanics and being in the top 20 in degrees earned by all minorities. Te mission of the College of Fine Arts and Communication involves impacting society and helping individuals fulfll their potential. Tis year’s College Report celebrates our frst-generation students, highlighting a mix of current students and young alumni. Teir stories are emblematic of a broader story, the power of education and its ripple efect in changing lives, families, and communities. In diferent ways, they have each become a leader, using their Bobcat education to positively impact their fellow students, co-workers, and local communities. Tese six stories represent opportunities for success fostered by the College of Fine Arts and Communication. Tey embody why we are here as faculty and staf. It is through education, art, communication, and the stories we tell that we transform lives and communities. cultural experiences. Tis journey to the top did not happen overnight, and so this year we have added a section on the “History of the College” (pp. 24), a sampling of milestones from the days before Texas State even granted degrees to its current status as a premiere destination for the Fine Arts and Communication. While we have created a culture where we expect success, our students face signifcant fnancial need: nationally, Texas State is the 32nd largest public university, but receives the 2nd highest amount of federal fnancial aid, with 39% of undergraduates being Pell Grant recipients. In addition, 46% of undergraduates are frst-generation college students. Rather than insurmountable obstacles, these facts are the challenges that our students annually surmount as they show their resilience and perseverance, transforming themselves, their families, and the communities with which they engage. At Texas State we have a sustained track record of transforming frst-generation students into next generation leaders. To maintain and increase that level of excellence, we need to expand and elevate our donor base. Join the Friends of Fine Arts and Communication, purchase a seat in the Performing Arts Center, support a student by sponsoring an annual scholarship, have your company sponsor one of our major events, or create an endowed scholarship. Tese are a few of the ways you can support a winning team and transform the lives of students, who in turn will transform the lives of the next generation. Won’t you help me lead the next generation of leaders? John Fleming, Dean | August 1, 2020 Each academic unit is among the largest and the best in the country in its specifc discipline. Serving over 5000 majors, more than 300 faculty colleagues and nearly 60 staf personnel, the College Leadership team is dedicated to providing a supportive, collegial learning environment that creates opportunities for personal and collective success. Together, we continue to reach new heights. (Tank you to Tomas Clark for his 12 years of leadership of the School of Music and to Deb Alley for fve years at the helm of Teatre and Dance.) MICHAEL NIBLETT Director School of Art and Design DR. ERIK TIMMERMAN Chair Department of Communication Studies MICHELLE NANCE Director Division of Dance DR. JUDY OSKAM Director School of Journalism and Mass Communication DR, JOEY MARTIN Interim Director School of Music SARAH MAINES Interim Chair Department of Theatre and Dance DR. LAURIE FLUKER Associate Dean College of Fine Arts and Communication KEVIN GILLEY Assistant to the Dean, Outreach College of Fine Arts and Communication KARL BOYSEN Director College Academic Advising Center 2 . COLLEGE REPORT 2020 F i r s t gen / N e x t gen . 3