Alumni in the News

Hank Hehmsoth (B.M. 1975; M.M., Applied Music/Voice/Piano, 1976), a composer and jazz performing artist in the School of Music at Texas State University, has been awarded a Fulbright U.S. Senior Specialist Program grant to Santiago, Chile in music this summer. 

Art Brownlow (D.M.A., Trumpet Performance, 1994) was selected as a recipient of the University of Texas System Regent’s Outstanding Teaching Award for 2016.

Yamin Li (B.F.A., Studio Art, 2015) will present the solo exhibition "Biological Effect" at Dougherty Arts Center in Austin from June 4 to 29.

Artina McCain (D.M.A., Piano Performance, 2011) will join the faculty at the University of Memphis as Assistant Professor of Piano this fall. Photo by Claire McAdams.

Gloria Groom (M.A. 1978; Ph.D., Art History, 1989), chair of the Art Institute of Chicago’s European Painting and Sculpture department since 2015, received the distinction of the Chevalier Légion d’Honneur on April 29. The highest of the five levels of the French government’s Légion d’Honneur award, the French Ambassador to the United States, Gérard Araud presented the award during a private ceremony. The award honors Groom for her contributions to French art and culture.

Kathryn St. Clair (B.F.A., Studio Art, 1993) has been selected for inclusion in the upcoming Northern California Regional Art Competition, The Zeitgeist Exhibition—Capturing the Times Through Art. 

Rebecka Sexton (M.F.A., Studio Art, 1995) was named director of human centered design at UnitedHealth Group's Optum Innovation, Research and Development in Minneapolis.

Felice House (M.F.A., Studio Art, 2011) will continue her quest to broaden the portrayal of women in art with the help of a three-year, $15,000 Texas A&M Arts & Humanities Fellowship.

Matt Huff (M.F.A., Directing, 2004) was recently promoted to associate professor with tenure at Oglethorpe University. He also is part of a creative team that received a 2016-2017 Reiser Artists Lab grant from the Alliance Theater.

Cellist Hai Zheng (B.M. 1988; M.M., Applied Music/Voice/Piano, 1990) Assistant Professor of Music and Artist in Residence at Southwestern University, released in May her sixth CD, Remembrance on the Amatius Classics label.