New gifts enable facility upgrades and renovations that support teaching, learning and research

Facilities improvements and building renovations remain a top priority for the College of Fine Arts. More than a “facelift,” these important upgrades have a direct impact on our students and programs. Our studios, theatres, galleries and concert halls are our community’s laboratories for innovation, launch pads to our students’ professions and centers to serve our campus and Austin communities. The college is working hard toward improvements that will help increase the number of students served, further the academic mission of UT and the college and build innovative spaces that promote collaboration and creative research. 

Two gifts during the past year are especially noteworthy due to their enhancement of academic facilities in the college. 

Chas Spence (B.B.A., Finance, 2000) and his wife, Laura (B.S., Social Work, 2000), invested in renovations for the Sculpture Studios in the Art Building. Their son, Callan, is a junior in Studio Art, and their daughter, Cecilia, is a freshman Dance major. As parents and loyal UT alumni, the Spences wanted to give back to the program where Callan is studying. 

The Sculpture Studios were originally built in 1960. With only a few updates during the past decades, the classrooms and labs were in decline. Thanks to the Spences’ generosity, several studios will now receive needed safety upgrades and specialized equipment focused on refurbishing areas, ranging from cast bronze to textiles and ceramics. 

Department of Theatre and Dance alumna Susan Moczygemba-McKinsey (B.A. in Drama, 1973) gave in support of renovations in the Winship Building, where she studied as an undergraduate student. Her philanthropy is helping the expansion of two adjoining dance studios into one large multipurpose dance/theatre/performance space. The enlarged studio will benefit classes, rehearsals, guest artists and informal performances for students in the department.

Facility upgrades are allowing the college to better embrace emerging technologies, interdisciplinary collaboration and increased student access to our teaching/learning spaces and resources. Through building for the future, the college wants to ensure that it continues to attract the very best students and faculty members and that our academic programs remain at the forefront of quality and relevance.