Displaying items by tag: Seniors

As we celebrate the Class of 2020 during this convocation week, faculty members across the five academic units of the College of Fine Arts send their congratulations, encouragement and appreciation to this year's graduates. 

Here are just a few of our favorite video messages for the Class of 2020. 

From Beth Krensky
Professor, Department of Art & Art History 

 From Kelby McIntyre-Martinez
Assistant Dean for Arts Education & Community Engagement

 From Stacey Jenson 
Adjunct Assistant Professor, Department of Theatre 

 From Robert Baldwin
Professor, School of Music 

From Connie Wilkerson 
Associate Professor, Department of Film & Media Arts 

From Pablo Piantino
Assistant Professor, School of Dance 

To see all our faculty videos for the Class of 2020, visit our social media channels here: 

College of Fine Arts Facebook 
College of Fine Arts Instagram 
College of Fine Arts Twitter 

And don't forget you can leave messages for our grads all this week at our Live Message Board! 

Here they are! The College of Fine Arts 2019 Outstanding Seniors. Each year, an outstanding senior from each of the academic units within the College of Fine Arts are nominated by their Department/School. This award recognizes the academic achievements, artistic and/or scholarly accomplishments, and their commitments to their areas. These outstanding seniors continue the CFA's tradition of sending strong creative leaders out into the art world. We have been honored to have you as students and will be looking on with excitement to see what you do in your next chapters. Congratulations to all of you, we can't wait to see what amazing things you do!

DEPARTMENT OF ART AND ART HISTORY 

Name: Vasiliki (Kiki) Karahalios
Majors (including emphases) and minors: HBA Art History
Hometown: Salt Lake City, UT
Three words that describe you: Passionate, Creative, Ambitious
Favorite CFA class or teacher: Prof. Lela Graybill has been crucial to my development as a student and scholar, and my favorite class has been her Art of the Revolutions course.
Most memorable moment at CFA:One thing you learned at CFA: I’ve learned the breadth of fine arts as a discipline and the specific niche it occupies in history. While I’ve always had an affinity for art, it was here that I came to understand the complexities of visual culture through research and coursework.
What inspires you: My professors have inspired me by way of their research and commitment to art history. By watching and listening to them that I’ve been inspired to take art history seriously as a discipline and profession.
Summary of major accomplishments both on and off campus: Participated in research for 3 years, internships with the Utah Museum of Fine Arts, 15 Bytes, and the Supreme Court of the United States, teaching fellow in art history through the Clemente Humanities Course, Undergraduate Research Scholar, presented research on Capitol Hill, Undergraduate Research Symposium, and Oxford Consortium for Human Rights.
One sentence that describes your work: As a student in the CFA, my research has thus far included 19th-century European and American art. Senior thesis: "The Unassuming Subversion of Jacksonian-Era Democracy: An Analysis of Mary Edmonia Lewis’s Minnehaha and Hiawatha of 1868".

 SCHOOL OF DANCE 

Name: Tia Sandman
Majors (including emphases) and minors: BFA Ballet; BS Biology w/ environmental & organismal emphasis (in progress)
Hometown: Murrells Inlet, SC
Three words that describe you: Resolute, Compassionate, Intuitive
Favorite CFA class or teacher: I am thankful to all of the CFA professors, advisors, and leaders I have worked with throughout my time here. They have each aided my growth, and I could not pick just one to be my favorite.
Most memorable moment at CFA: Working with Roderick George and performing F.E.M.Queen definitely impacted me as a dancer and a person -- my dancing changed, I discovered a sense of personal agency, developed incredible relationships throughout the process, and let's not forget my knee bleeding ALL over the MCD stage during the final performance.
One thing you learned at CFA: I learned how to be confident in my choices.
What inspires you: Honesty and humility.
Summary of major accomplishments both on and off campus: Was a Ballet West Trainee for two years, and maintained a strong relationship with the company throughout my college career resulting in administrative leadership roles within the Academy Lead the Emerging Leaders Council in the College of Fine Arts, attended an Alternative Break in Arcata, CA to preserve and protect coastal ecosystems (Bennion Center) organized, planned, and lead an Alternative Break in Salt Lake City to support local refugees and human rights (Bennion Center), traveled to Aspen, CO to perform in a Beatles themed show choreographed by Melonie Buchanan Murray & James Wallace Danced professionally with Texture Contemporary Ballet for the 2018 summer season, privileged to serve as the Senior Alternate SAC President alongside Madeline Driver (SoD), traveled to New York City with a wonderful group of women to perform at New York Live Arts for Michele Wiles/BalletNext (CFA).
One sentence that describes your work: My work is reflective of where I am at that point in time; it is always genuine to who am I and who I aim to become.

 DEPARTMENT OF FILM & MEDIA ARTS

Name: Taylor Mott
Majors (including emphases) and minors: Honors Bachelor of Arts in Film and Media Arts: Animation Emphasis
Three words that describe you: Outspoken, proactive, curious.
Favorite CFA class or teacher: I've taken so many classes I loved, but any class I've taken from Sonia and/or Miriam Albert-Sobrino has been so useful. Their teaching styles are similar - caring, enthusiastic, and so, so knowledgeable. They're constantly creating to share their process and experiences. How they handle a heavy load and show such support to their students inspirational.
Most memorable moment at CFA: My senior thesis piece, The Guest, was by far the largest and most stressful set I've put together, but amazing people helped push it through. It was an absolute dream to have all my talented and hardworking friends on this crew. They made the set so positive, fun, and smooth. I cannot thank them enough. They faced challenges with a great attitude and continually helped me have fun on that stressful thesis shoot.
One thing you learned at CFA: Finding the spaces you can fill and the opportunities you can make will impact everyone.
What inspires you: Good people, museums, nature, animals, pleasing colors, and Swiss Army Man (2016).
Summary of major accomplishments both on and off campus: My involvement in the CFA has shaped a lot of my experiences. Three years with Artsforce coached me on professionalism as an artist. Being the 2017-2018 undergrad rep for film on the Student Advisory Commitee gave me the opportunity to review and approve student grants. 2018-2019, I have been the undergraduate representative on the search commitee for the new head of the film department. In the department, I've been focused on creating opportunites - fall 2015, I started the first animation club. We've made three successful trips to Creative Talent Network Animation Expo, all on grants funded by the college. From that experience, and being a student leader for the 2017 Animation Career Trek, I organized and led the 2018 Animation Career Trek to Los Angeles, scheduling tours with animation studios and mixers with professionals I had befriended in LA. Outside of campus, I interned at a local media company the summer of 2017. The summer of 2018 I was hired to do an internship at a post production house in Hollywood, Los Angeles. Both places I worked with stellar people that supported me and taught me many things. With artistic endeavors, I am leaving with a diverse body of work. My senior thesis has been a year long process - a three part project, incorporating research on political metaphors in Spanish Cinema and research on family separation at the US / Mexico border, into a short film Stled The Guest. This project received funding from the Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program, the UROP small grant, and the Ivory Homes Capstone Grant. Other live action works include Close to Home (Jury Special Mention Award), After 10:34 PM, and Tea Time (Best Genre Award). Animated works include Tenacious Two.
One sentence that describes your work: Weird, yet accessible.

 SCHOOL OF MUSIC 

Name: Paisley Tarboton
Majors (including emphases) and minors: Music – Violin Performance emphasis, Biomedical Engineering
Hometown: Logan, Utah
Three words that describe you: Collaborative, Cheerful, Dependable
Favorite CFA class or teacher: The Chamber Music class, especially participating in the Honors String Quartets, taught me the most throughout my experience in the school of music. In this course, we had coaching every week from incredible instructors including Jerry Elias, Hasse Borup, and Kasia Sokol-Borup. They brought a vast wealth of knowledge about the music we were working on, and challenged us to consider every single note in conveying the emotion of the music to the audience. However, one of the most important elements of the Honors String Quartets was not the instruction from professors, but working with fellow students who brought an increased level of excellence to every single rehearsal, and pushed me to do the same.
Most memorable moment at CFA: My most memorable moment in the College of Fine Arts was performing in the orchestra pit for Prokofiev’s ballet Cinderella. Prokofiev’s music is both intensely challenging and absolutely gorgeous, so we had to be at the top of our level every moment. Performing that music while working with the phenomenal dancers of the ballet department was exhilarating.
One thing you learned at CFA: Almost everything we do is a skill that can be practiced. Many tasks that seem insurmountable can be tackled the same way as learning the violin: break the challenge into as small of pieces as needed, and practice.
What inspires you: I am inspired by working with people who strive to always continue improving because they believe in the importance of what they do.
Summary of major accomplishments both on and off campus: 4 years participation in the Utah Philharmonia orchestra, serving as a section leader or assistant section leader for select concerts. Member of the Mount Olympus or O.C. Tanner Honors String Quartet for 3 years, performing quartets by Grieg, Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, and Mendelssohn. We also premiered several works by student musicians including String Quartet by Arcadio Rodriquez and Quartet with Electronics by Pedro Vazquez. Performing Junior and Senior Solo Recitals including concertos by Sibelius and Wieniawski and Sonatas by Bach, Beethoven, and Mendelssohn.
One sentence that describes your work: I aim to convey emotion in music through beauty of sound and precision.

DEPARTMENT OF THEATRE

Name: Gavin Yehle
Majors (including emphases) and minors: Actor Training Program & Stage Management
Hometown: Salt Lake City
Three words that describe you: Confident, Sassy, Organized
Favorite CFA class or teacher: Amber Lewandowski. But really there are too many to name. Thank you to all of my teachers!
Most memorable moment at CFA: Going to London on the theatre study abroad program. There are so many moments within that that, but being able to see world class theatre with some of my best friends in an amazing city was well worth it.
One thing you learned at CFA: More than just learning about theatre or how to stage manage or act or design, I learned what it means to be human and how I fit into that. I learned an insatiable desire to better myself. This is only the start.
What inspires you: Sparking joy and inspiring people to think in a different way. I love how art can effect change and get to people in a way that other mediums can't.
Summary of major accomplishments both on and off campus: I've participated in 13 department of theatre productions in various capacities ranging from acting, to stage managing, to designing. I've also worked at various other theatres in the valley including Pioneer Theatre, Salt Lake Acting Company, and The Grand Theatre. I always try to help to better the places that I work at, and have helped create and install various improvements to the department including video and cue light systems.
One sentence that describes your work: I strive to make work that I am proud of and that will bring joy to me and those that I am working with. 

Say hello to the College of Fine Arts 2018 Outstanding Seniors. Each year, an outstanding senior from each of the academic units within the College of Fine Arts are nominated by their Department/School. This award recognizes the academic achievements, artistic and/or scholarly accomplishments, and their commitments to their areas. These oustanding seniors continue the CFA's tradition of sending strong creative leaders out into the art world. We have been honored to have you as students and will be looking on with excitement to see what you do in your next chapters. Congratulations to all of you!

DEPARTMENT OF ART AND ART HISTORY

Name: Scott Beadles
Majors (including emphases) and minors: English BA and Fine Arts BFA w/ Digital Imaging emphasis.
Hometown: Los Angeles, California.
Three words that describe you: Reclusive, introspective, and tall
Favorite CFA class or teacher: Joe Marotta’s Studio Photography (lighting technique/analysis) class provided me with a new set of tools and a new attention to light that translates throughout all of my photography work.
Most memorable moment at CFA: My most memorable moments include each time I reach a revelation. This follows with the ability to achieve or surpass what I initially set out to do.
What inspires you: Conviction.
Summary of major accomplishments both on and off campus: Carmen Morton Christensen scholarship winner (x2) // University of Utah College of Annual Student Art Exhibition (2016, 2017) // Group show at the Utah Museum of Contemporary Art // Capstone show at Draw Inc. Gallery.
One sentence that describes your work: Contemporary photographer/artist inspired by the surrealist painters and photographers drawing on the latent language of the unconscious and the engagement with dreams.

 SCHOOL OF DANCE

Name: Shaniece Brazwell
Majors (including emphases) and minors: Modern Dance and minor in Nutrition
Hometown: Surprise, AZ
Three words that describe you: determined, passionate, and compassionate
Favorite CFA class or teacher: favorite professor is Stephen Koester
Most memorable moment at CFA: Being chosen to work with the Doug Varone Dance Company my senior year.
One thing you learned at CFA: While in the CFA, I learned to find value in every opportunity provided through the School of Dance through dance and lecture courses, guest artists as well as from other artistic disciplines outside of dance.
What inspires you: seeing unconventional artists thrive in their practice. Pushing beyond stereotypes of how they should look or work and continuing to develop a stronger creative voice.
Summary of major accomplishments both on and off campus: I performed in PDC in Eric Handman (2015) and Daniel Clifton’s (2016) work, danced in BSC (black social change) for a PBS special, worked with RDT’s Justin Bass in His work “You Can Sit with Us” and “A Bag of Nuts”, participated in the ongoing thesis work “Abject/Bodies” created by Yasin ‘Yaya’ Fairley at UMOCA, performed with Doug Varone and Dancers Dance Company, Choreographed on U of U dance students creating the work “whatever you want this to be...” and “Full Circle” and taught dance at a children’s summer camp.
One sentence that describes your work: My work explores play with musicality, strength with poise and precision.

SCHOOL OF MUSIC
Name: Kylie Lincoln
Majors (including emphases) and minors: B.Musical Instrumental Performance – Bassoon
Hometown: Saratoga Springs, Utah
Three words that describe you: Leader. Musician.Student
Favorite CFA class or teacher: Favorite CFA Class: Musical Theater and Society, Favorite Teacher: Lori Wike
Most memorable moment at CFA: The most memorable experience I had here at the University of Utah was when I was selected to travel with Dean Tymas-Jones and Assistant Dean Brooke Horejsi to Washington D.C. to participate in Arts Advocacy Day 2017. This experience was invigorating and exciting and helped me discover a passion for advocacy I didn’t know I had.
One thing you learned at CFA: How do I summon it up in one thing? Probably the most important thing that I got better at, through my classes in the CFA, is taking criticism and implementing feedback without letting it damage my self-esteem and drive.
What inspires you: As cliche as it sounds people inspire me. Everyone’s story is unique and beautiful, and that’s amazing to me.
Summary of major accomplishments both on and off campus: While at the University of Utah Kylie has played with the Wind Ensemble, Philharmonia, Campus Symphony, and several small ensembles. Kylie has also enjoyed conducting, as a drum major, for the Pride of Utah Marching Band and The Battalion Drum and Bugle Corps whichshe helped found. Kylie has been active in the College of Fine Arts as a member of the Emma Eccles Jones Fine Arts Leadership House and as an Emerging Leaders Intern. Kylie recently joined the Salty Cricket Composers Collective as an Administration Intern.
One sentence that describes your work: As an artist and leader in a polarized world, my work is about finding commonalities and making connections.

DEPARTMENT OF FILM & MEDIA ARTS
Name: Chris Anderson
Majors (including emphases) and minors: Film & Media Arts, Production Emphasis
Hometown: Provo, UT
Three words that describe you: Future ASC Cinematographer
Favorite CFA class or teacher: Grip & Lighting
Most memorable moment at CFA: Working on the crews for the short films in the Advanced Production class
One thing you learned at CFA: Push the rock every day
What inspires you: The creativity and generosity of my fellow film and music students
Summary of major accomplishments both on and off campus:
Directed three short films and served on the crews of ten others; Section Leader of the 2017-18 U of U Drumline; Marched twelve seasons of drumline (three of which at the U); Performed in seven Pac-12 stadiums, three NFL stadiums, and one baseball park
One sentence that describes your work: I am shooting a decades-long feature film about an ex-historian amateur philosopher turned slightly-more-than-part-time musician trying to make it big in the movie business.

DEPARTMENT OF THEATRE

Name: Martin C. Alcocer
Majors (including emphases) and minors: Bachelor of Fine Arts in Theatre with an emphasis in Stage Management
Hometown: Born in Mexico City and raised here in Salt Lake City
Three words that describe you: Dedicated, Compassionate, Leader
Favorite CFA class or teacher:
Favorite teacher (during my time here)- Jesse Portillo
Favorite Class- Advanced Stage Management
Most memorable moment at CFA: I’ve had many memorable moments and it is not easy to pick one. Out of all the things I have enjoyed during my time in the College of Fine Arts, my most memorable moments are those in which I had the opportunity to create and collaborate with my peers. There are two times in particular which took place over a period of a few weeks: one was during the Department of Theatre’s production of Hello, Dolly!, and the other was during the production of Steel Pier. Both are memorable for similar reasons. They were both fairly large productions, and because of the large scale, they were both high stress. Despite this, everyone in the room was committed to creating a great production. The experience I gained from each show was immense, and the memories created are unforgettable. Having the opportunity to work on these shows will be of the most memorable.
One thing you learned at CFA: During my time in the CFA, I learned about the power of networking, and the importance of balance. In this industry, networking is critical. The arts are often times heavily reliant on who you know. Having this knowledge early on has definitely aided me as I progressed through undergrad and started to build my network in Salt Lake and around the country. The other lesson I have learned is the need for balance. Even though I love what I do and am fortunate enough to be able to work doing what I love, I learned that only working was not healthy. You have to be able to step back and do something else, like spend time with family or friends, or have a hobby that is not related to work. Having learned this has greatly improved my stress levels, and I also feel like it has helped me better my craft.
What inspires you: A main component from where I find my inspiration is through the reactions that I, along with everyone else I work with on a project, are able to evoke from an audience. With theatre, or any other type of performance art where I have been fortunate enough to work, I have been able to see and hear the impact that we, as artists, have on people’s lives. Whether we take them away from their worries and stress through a production, or we are able to spark a conversation and debate, what I, and everyone in the arts is able to do, has an impact. Knowing that I have a part of this is what inspires me.
Summary of major accomplishments both on and off campus: While I was in the College of Fine Arts, I have had many fantastic opportunities. Within the Department of Theatre, I have worked, in some capacity, on nearly all of the productions whether it was as an electrician, light board programmer, or last-minute help. I also assistant stage managed and stage managed eight productions. I have been able to work at professional theatre companies, such as Salt Lake Acting Company and Pioneer Theatre Company, where I started in more entry level positions, like light board operator, and worked my way up to assistant stage manager on larger productions, such as The Count of Monte Cristo at PTC, or Saturday’s Voyeur at SLAC, where I even spent some time in the role of Stage Manager. I have also interned with Utah Opera on their production of Moby Dick. In addition to stage managing I have also assistant lighting designed at SLAC on Streetlight Woodpecker, Harbur Gate, and HIR. For the department, I designed lights for Love’s Labour’s Lost and Our Country’s Good. I currently work for Salt Lake County Center for the Arts as an On-Call Technical Director where I work at their various spaces, such as the Rose Wagner Performing Arts Center, Capitol Theatre, and the new Eccles Theatre. In this position I ensure that their policies are followed, provide technical help, and verify that everything is done safely. Through this I have been able to interact with local art makers as well as with Broadway tours like, Something Rotten, An American in Paris, and Hamilton. Nationally, I have been a part of groups within the United States Institute for Theatre Technology (USITT), which is the largest organization for theatre, entertainment, and performing arts professionals involved in the areas of design, production and technology. I was a part of the Gateway program, which aims to promote equity, diversity, and inclusion in the industry as both a mentee and a peer mentor, and I was also a part of the Stage Management Mentorship Program. In the Stage Management Mentorship Program, I, along with twelve other students or young professionals from around the country and Mexico, was paired with a mentor who gave me the opportunity talk to and network with other stage managers who have worked on touring musical productions and opera, as well as with the Walt Disney Company, Cirque du Soleil, and on events like the Super Bowl. I was also assigned to stage manage the Keynote Address that opened the annual conference in Fort Lauderdale, FL this past March. I have also served as president of the University of Utah’s chapter of Young Designers and Technicians, a club which secures funding, and organizes the trip to send students to the USITT conference. conference. Through this club, we have sent between eight to fifteen students each year to attend the conference.
One sentence that describes your work: High quality work that is achieved and demonstrated through collaboration, strong communication, and the understanding that we are all human

Can't make it to the University of Utah College of Fine Arts Convocation Friday at 9AM at Kingsbury Hall? No problem. For those who'd prefer, they can watch a live stream* of the Convocation ceremony here. Congratulations to the class of 2017!