Alumni in the News

has been invited to an 11-week residency at the Banff Centre in January through March 2010. During that time, he will compose, collaborate, rehearse and perform with other residency artists. Large scale compositional projects supported by this process will include a concerto for electric guitar and orchestra and two song cycles based on the poetry of Stephen Crane.

On September 1, Judy Sebesta (Ph.D., Theatre, 1997) became chair of the newly formed Department of Theatre & Dance at Lamar University in Beaumont, TX. Sebesta plans to continue exploring accreditation for the department through the National Association of Schools of Theatre and the National Association of Schools of Dance. For more information visit http://www.lamar.edu/newsevents/news/207_7815.htm

Fajer Al-Kaisi (M.F.A. ’07) in “Aftermath” Written by Erik Jensen and Jessica Blank

Premiere Stages Presents,“Any Other Name,” by George Brant (M.F.A. ’08)

Recent UT Design Division graduate Chappell Ellison (B.F.A. Design, 2007) received the prestigious 2009 Winterhouse Award for Design Writing and Criticism for her essay, “Compulsion: Where Object Meets Anxiety.” After graduating from UT, Ellison worked at web and graphic design companies before migrating to her current home in Manhattan. She is now an M.F.A. student in the inaugural class of the Design Criticism program at the School of Visual Arts.

The announcement and essay can be found on the American Institute of Graphic Arts website

featured in NY Times for his work in “The Exonerated” at New York Theater workshop.

receives Directing Fellowship at Arena Stage and Oregon Shakespeare Festival.

will be featured in an upcoming exhibition at Syracuse University entitled, Intermissions, which places video art and photographs at multiple venues across Syracuse, making it accessible to the general community and creating many opportunities for meaningful interaction with the work.

The exhibition curated by Clint Willour, with works by Seth Alverson, Dawolu Jabari Anderson, Chuy Benitez, Elaine Bradford, Mark Schatz and Emily Sloan. Exhibition on display August 21- September 26, 2009. Opening reception Friday, August 21, 2009 from 6:30-8:30pm.

has recently completed the inaugural US Courts, Federal Judiciary IT Fellowship in Washington, D.C. He has also been accepted into the CIO Certificate Program at the National Defense University, and is co-chair of the Attracting Talent National CIO IT Workforce sub-committee for the Federal IT 2009 Summit. This fall, he will pursue full-time Entertainment Law and Mediation Services in Nashville, TN. Currently, Bruce represents several national jazz and country music artists and bands, and plans to expand his artist list to symphonic performers and violin artists.