Alumni in the News

Pamela Ribon (B.F.A., Drama Production, 1997) was named to Variety’s list of “10 Screenwriters to Watch 2016.” 

In July and October 2016, Garrett Keast (B.M., Music Studies, 1995) led enthusiastically received performances of Carmen at Opera San Antonio and La Bohème at the Aspen Music Festival. His season continues with performances with the Danish National Opera, Tonkünstler Orchestra, Göttinger Symphony Orchestra, Brandenburg Symphony Orchestra, the Hamburg Ballet and the debut concerts of the NDR Jugendsinfonieorchester in Hamburg's Elbphilharmonie. 

Eric Benson (M.F.A., Design, 2006) published the book Design to Renourish (CRC Press) this fall. The book is for graphic designers and helps to integrate sustainability into their workflow through a design process called systems thinking. 

Michael Gillespie (B.F.A., Art Education, 1983) completed a commissioned portrait of Ray and Nancy Ann Hunt of Hunt Oil Co., in Dallas. Photo by Donna Gillespie.

Hardy Koenig (B.A., Drama, 1990) received tenure and promotion in spring 2016, after five years as artistic director. He is in his second year as Head of the Department of Theatre at North Dakota State University.

David Wyatt (B.A., Studio Art, 1995) and Rachel Wyatt (B.J. 2000, M.A., Visual Journalism, 2004) celebrated the 10th anniversary of Wyatt Brand, a marketing agency specializing in the arts. 

Hacksaw Ridge, the latest film co-written by Robert Schenkkan (B.A., Theatre Studies, 1975) released on Nov. 4. It is directed by Mel Gibson and stars Andrew Garfield.

James Walters (B.F.A., Drama, 1969) spoke with the College of Fine Arts about the past 10 years working with the popular TV crime drama NCIS.

Michael Wellen (M.A. 2005; Ph.D., Art History, 2012) was appointed as the curator of international art at the Tate Modern in London, where he will focus on further developing the Latin American art representation in the Tate’s collection and exhibition program.

Cassie Shankman (B.A., Composition, 2013) will participate in a panel discussion at SXSW 2017 with her colleagues about Austin's Center for Music Therapy’s “Movement Tracks Project.” She’s worked for more than a year as the project’s lead composer.