April & May 2019 College News

- - COLLEGEOFFINEARTSANDCOMMUNICATION APRIL AND MAY ISSUE | SPRING 2019 LET TER FROM THE DEAN DR . JOHN FLEMING Te quality of a university can be measured via a combination of faculty accomplishments, student success, and alumni accolades. By these measures it has been another exceptional year for the College of Fine Arts and Communication. Journalism and Mass Communication was recently ranked the #15 undergraduate program in the country (p.12), while Teatre earned recognition as the best in the state of Texas (p.22). Faculty continue to shape their discipline: Jef Davis created the new brand identity for the George and Barbara Bush Foundation (p.2), while Johnny McAllister was one of only 16 emerging flmmakers from across the globe selected for the Cannes Film Festival (p. 18). Ana Baer’s screendance work was selected for exhibition in Mexico, Portugal, and Hungary (p.10 11), while Roseann Mandziuk became only the fourth faculty member (and frst female) in the College to earn the title of University Distinguished Professor (p.9). Alumni continue to be leaders in their feld with Nicki Harle (p.9) and Dionicio “Don” Flores (p.14) being named to the Texas State University Board of Regents. While Johnny Brantley made his Broadway debut (p.21), Eugene Lee won a Helen Hayes Award for Best Actor and you can see him on Netfix and Showtime this summer (p.18). Not to be outdone, Tony winner Julie White earned her third Tony nomination (p.22). Likewise, JMC alums Randy Rogers and Sunny Sweeney continue to enjoy success in the country music world (p.14). Students are also excelling as six music students won TMEA Collegiate Music Educator Awards (p.17), while Carrington Tatum is a national fnalist for general news writing (p.13). Notable ongoing projects include our Black and Latino Playwrights Conference earning a National Endowment for the Arts grant (p.15) and our Feria del Mariachi celebrating its 20th year (p. 17). Finally, as part of a record class of 5167 graduates, congratulations to our 696 undergraduates and 58 master’s students who have earned their degree this semester! FOLLOWUSONSOCIALMEDIA! CONTENTS f inearts.t xstate.edu facebook.com/t xstcollegefac instagram.com/t xstfac twitter.com/t xstfac youtube.com/t xstatecollegefac ART AND DESIGN [PG. 2] COMMUNICATIONSTUDIES[PG.8] DANCE [PG. 10] JOURNALISM AND MASS COMMUNICATION [PG. 12] COVER PHOTO: Te Hunchback of Notre Dame , directed by Kaitlin Hopkins , breaks box ofce records during its performances in the Patti Strickel Harrison Teatre. [ PG . 23] MUSIC [PG. 16] THEATRE [PG. 16]