cvpa.gmu.edu Annual Report 2021–2022 College of Visual and Performing Arts College of Visual and Performing Ar ts
Feature Stories School of Art Alum Lands Gig on Hollywood Blockbuster Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings Mason’s Artwork Transforms Northern Virginia Dance for PD® Program Moves to Mason New Guest Artist Series Makes Inclusive Theater a Reality Mason Community Arts Academy Endures and Emerges Even Stronger Jacquemin Family Foundation’s Gift Supports the Hylton Center’s Future 4 6 8 10 12 14 cvpa.gmu.edu Annual Report 2021–2022 College of Visual and Performing Arts 16 Purks Endowment Grant Winners and Research Grants 17 Published Works 18 Faculty Awards and Notable Accomplishments 20 Current Student and Alumni Achievements 22 CVPA Stories 25 Graduation and Enrollment 26 Financials 27 Giving 28 Endowments 29 Donors 31 CVPA Leadership Mural artist Lecsi Pillar working on mural for the Corner Pocket, a student gathering spot on campus. Full story on page 10. Photo by Sierra Guard Watercolor borders used on cover and throughout report by Anna Zubkova, istockphoto.com
People who see my posts on social media have grown used to a share or link with the heading “PDM” (Proud Dean Moment). Even though pride is one of the seven deadly sins, I can’t resist the feeling when someone in CVPA does something wonderful. And sometimes I just have to kick it out into the world with that PDM sticker on it.
Well, this annual report might be watermarked PDM on every page. Reading over this book I am both proud of and humbled by the accomplishments of our college during this past year. If last year’s metaphor was the pivot/pirouette, this year the choreography had us moving more-or-less forward as an ensemble, with the occasional zig and zag, retreat, and side-step.
The stories, pictures, and numbers in this report tell of a college whose individuals accomplished many notable and some truly astonishing things in and out of the classroom, studio, stage, screen, gallery, and cyberspace; but just as importantly, they create a mosaic of a community that is multi-faceted, resilient, generous, and dedicated to making the world a better place.
So please forgive the pride I feel as I offer this report for your consideration. If you’re already a member of our community, as student, faculty, staff, parent, alum, guest artist, patron, donor, or Mason colleague, I hope you feel the same way as you read. If you’re new to the College of Visual and Performing Arts or to George Mason University, I hope you’ll take this opportunity to get to know us, and be in touch with your questions, observations, and ideas.
Cheers, Rick Davis, PDM Dean, College of Visual and Performing Arts
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Manifesting the dream
School of Art Alum Lands Gig on Hollywood Blockbuster
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings
Joseph Le, BFA Graphic Design ‘12, went from shooting his own films to working as an action designer on an international blockbuster with a legendary team. Growing up in Fairfax, Le wanted to major in film, but worried that he should choose a more traditional path. An animation class in his junior year with Professor Gail Scott White in the School of Art rekindled his passion for creating moving stories. Feeling adrift post-graduation, Le connected with friends in the film industry and began working with them, eventually moving into shooting and editing his own films.
As Le’s style developed and his films gained more attention, he became part of the stunt communities in New York City and Los Angeles. This led to Le connecting with his cinematic idol, legendary late 2nd unit director, stunt coordinator, martial artist, and veteran member of the Jackie Chan Stunt Team, Brad Allan. Upon seeing Le’s work, Allan invited him to Los Angeles to shoot previsualization content for his latest project, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings.
After working with the film’s team and trainers, Le was officially hired and flown to Sydney, Australia, to work on the set where he developed action sequence storyboards for different fight scenes. Le is credited as an action designer on the film.
Le returned to the United States late in 2021 after working on a new live-action anime film Saint Seiya: Knights of the Zodiac, filmed in Budapest, Hungary. In April 2022, Le returned to campus, sharing his journey and advice with students from across the College of Visual and Performing Arts in a private masterclass, followed by a film screening and discussion that was open to all Mason students.
Pictured from left to right: Brian Le, Andy Le, Simu Liu, D.Y. Sao, Joseph
Still
frame from a pre-vis (Wenwu montage fight) with a temporary effect for the ring power
Le
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Joseph Le developed action sequence storyboards for different fight scenes in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings.
Left: Reference pose for a wire stunt gag in the bus fight
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Photos provided by Joseph Le
Art renewing community
Mason’s Artwork
Transforms Northern Virginia
“Art is essential to a university’s learning environment and invites research partnerships across all disciplines,” said George Mason University Curator Don Russell. A new arts space in Arlington—Mason Exhibitions Arlington at 3601 Fairfax Drive—is one such partnership that is already generating a buzz.
“It’s great to have a really prominent artistic footprint for Mason in Arlington,” shared College of Visual and Performing Arts (CVPA) Dean Rick Davis. Mason Exhibitions Arlington was conceived seven years ago as a jointly operated and funded beyond-the-classroom space that would be for visual arts, small performances, screenings, and meetings.
Beyond the new gallery, the Murals at Mason project (a program of Mason Exhibitions) is bringing largerthan-life artwork to bold and brilliant reality all over town. In the Corner Pocket, a student hang-out spot on campus, sits a mural by Lecsi Pillar, BA Art and Visual Technology ‘22. At Mason’s Potomac Science Center, a mural by artist TakerOne called “Fauna of Belmont Bay” is part of Murals at Mason’s larger eco-consciousness mural series titled Elements and the result of a university-community partnership. In addition, seven new murals grace the walls of Manassas Mall, painted by local and/or student artists.
“For student artists who have never done murals but want to learn, Murals at Mason provides mentorship throughout the project while still empowering the students to learn through the experience,” said Yassmin Salem, BA Integrative Studies ‘20, program manager for Murals at Mason.
“Art at its best can transform the deepest darkest moments of human experience in a way that allows us to approach it,” said Davis. “Great poetry, drama, music does that, and certainly great visual art does that, because we can stand in front of it—it invites us in.”
This mural, entitled “Fauna of Belmont Bay,” is part of the Murals at Mason’s larger eco-consciousness mural series called Elements. Photo by Evan Cantwell
Opposite page (from top to bottom): Mural artist Lecsi Pillar with mural for the Hub’s Corner Pocket Photo by Sierra Guard; Mural artist TakerOne works on mural called “Fauna of Belmont Bay” Photo by Evan Cantwell
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Mason Exhibitions Arlington
Photo by Ron Aira
Moving into wellness
Dance for PD® Program Moves to Mason
In fall 2021, George Mason University’s School of Dance shared the transformative power of dance with the Northern Virginia community. In partnership with the Bowen McCauley Dance Company (BMDC), free Dance for Parkinson’s Disease (Dance for PD®) classes were open to the public and offered on Mason’s Fairfax Campus in October and November.
Dance for PD,® a non-profit program of Mark Morris Dance Group, is a movement-based class that begins slowly with warm-ups and progresses to combinations of movements that correspond with a variety of uplifting music. The class offers not only physical benefits, but also reduces the dancers’ social isolation, which is commonly associated with this neurological disease.
The Dance for PD® program is a continuation of BMDC’s priority to continue serving the Parkinson’s community following the conclusion of the company’s 25th and final season in September. As announced during BMDC’s final performance at the Kennedy Center, the Dance for PD® program will continue to offer free fall classes for the public within the Kennedy Center, Maryland Youth Ballet, and George Mason University. Serving participants within the Northern Virginia community, Mason’s hosting of Dance for PD® programming works in tandem with BMDC Artistic Director Lucy Bowen’s commitment to PD resources remaining accessible across the Washington, D.C., area.
Bowen led classes on campus and worked with Assistant Professor Shaun Boyle D’Arcy to incorporate Dance for PD® instruction into Mason’s School of Dance education curriculum, ensuring that the next generation of dancers can carry on this important work. Shaun D’Arcy adds, “Dance serves as such a natural conduit for bringing people together and promoting well-being. The Dance for PD® program has beautifully demonstrated this for years, touching so many lives.”
Participants in the Dance for PD® program take a bow during an event at the Kennedy Center.
Photo provided by Dance for PD®
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“ Dance serves as such a natural conduit for bringing people together and promoting well-being. ”
Shaun D’Arcy, Assistant Professor, School of Dance
Participants in a Dance for PD® class at Mason explore movement and music in a class with Lucy Bowen McCauley in October 2021.
Photos by Shaun Boyle D’Arcy Top photo provided by Dance for PD®
Exploring the change
New Guest Artist Series Makes Inclusive Theater a Reality
Knowing that it’s critical for students to engage with their industry while studying at Mason, Djola Branner, director of the School of Theater, created the new program Guest Artist Series: Creating Anti-Racist Theater. The idea: Bring conversations with prominent voices and changemakers in theater to the Mason community to discuss strategies, examples, and success stories.
The 2021–22 series spanned the fall and spring semesters with a focus on exploring race and power in the work of each guest artist. The fall lineup included writer and director Tlaloc Rivas; artist, scholar, and facilitator Omi Osun Joni L Jones; and playwright/television writer Julia Cho alongside playwright/director Chay Yew. Each guest joined Branner for 90-minute conversations that drew Zoom audiences of up to 70 guests. Participants tuned in from across the United States, including guests joining in from Texas, California, Massachusetts, and Georgia.
The spring series brought actress, playwright, and activist Nikkole Salter; playwright, activist, and lawyer Mary Kathryn Nagle; and director, artist, writer, and activist Luis Alfaro. In addition to guests sharing their insights on how to change the industry for the better, Mason students were encouraged to embrace the combination of activism and artistry as seen in Nagle’s plays (she is one of the country’s most produced Native playwrights and an enrolled citizen of the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma). Jones and Branner discussed how their work creates space for BIPOC narratives by drawing from a theatrical jazz aesthetic. Alfaro, a Los Angeles native who teaches at the University of Southern California, talked about “looking around the table” to see who wasn’t represented in the decision-making process for theatrical work and then consciously adding those missing people and diverse perspectives into the room. Branner will continue the series in the 2022–23 season, bringing even more insightful leadership into the Mason community.
Pictured from left to right: Tlaloc Rivas, Omi Osun Joni L Jones, Julia Cho, Chay Yew
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Pictured clockwise from top: Nikkole Salter, Djola Branner, Luis Alfaro, Mary Kathryn Nagle Photos provided by the artists
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“ The idea: Bring conversations with prominent voices and changemakers in the theater to the Mason community to discuss strategies, examples, and success stories. ”
Educating with art
Mason Community Arts Academy Endures and Emerges Even Stronger
In March 2020, as the pandemic shutdown became a reality, Mason Community Arts Academy (MCAA) rose to the challenge with breathtaking speed. Within a week, they reimagined their instruction and moved classes and experiences online. Private lessons and theater classes continued to meet, providing much-needed consistency and a creative outlet for students, as well as faculty and staff, who were learning how to navigate a new version of daily life.
Their fully online summer of 74 programs saw 1,023 students from 32 states and 11 countries, increasing their reach more than they ever imagined. MCAA remained online for the following year, transitioning to modified in-person programs from summer 2021 to spring 2022, carefully adhering to safety guidelines while gradually adding more program options and increasing the number of participants with each season. Following an intricate hybrid model for private lessons and a strategic approach to resuming group classes, MCAA’s resilient faculty and staff welcomed audiences back to theater showcases, music recitals, and an art show in spring 2022, and are approaching prepandemic numbers across all of their programs.
Though outreach programs looked different than in previous school years, through their Instruments in the Attic donation program and the in-kind support of Day Violins, the Academy’s “Gotcha Day” provided over 100 instruments to teachers from local school systems, who were just returning to school and looking to rebuild their music classes. During the summer, MCAA offered 108 programs, working with nearly 1,600 students, while over 300 students attended music lessons. Though it was challenging along the way, their extraordinary faculty and staff have remained resilient, learning and using new technology, while maintaining a standard of excellence in their programs through all modes of teaching.
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Acting and music students learn through Zoom Opposite page: A safe return to in-person performances and two students experiment with digital illustration Photos provided by Mason Community Arts Academy
Helping local arts
Jacquemin Family Foundation’s Gift Supports the Hylton Center’s Future
John and Tracie Jacquemin have committed to a five-year, $1,000,000 pledge from the Jacquemin Family Foundation in order to support the Hylton Center’s building fund and endowment. Serving as a recital hall and community gathering place, The Large Rehearsal Hall has been named The Jacquemin Family Foundation Rehearsal Hall in their honor.
“We are so grateful to John, Tracie, and their family for their transformational support of the Hylton Performing Arts Center,” said Rick Davis, executive director of the Hylton Center and dean of the College of Visual and Performing Arts. John Jacquemin is a current member of the George Mason University Foundation Board of Trustees and has formerly served on the university’s Board of Visitors. He is the president and CEO of Mooring Financial Corp., a private investment firm based in Tysons, Virginia. The Jacquemin Family Foundation supports charitable causes across Northern Virginia and the Greater Washington, D.C., region, especially in the fields of education, the arts, environmental conservation, housing, hunger, and early childhood education.
Both John and Tracie deeply appreciate the role of the Hylton Center as a vital gathering place for the region’s arts community. “ The Hylton Center is a real jewel for this part of Virginia,” said John Jacquemin. “Making our support for it visible in this way represents the commitment I feel to Mason after all my involvement with the university.” The impact of the Jacquemins’ philanthropy at Mason extends well beyond the Hylton Center. The Education Abroad Scholarship, established in 2016, provides yearly financial support to students that study abroad. Tracie Jacquemin notes, “It may be only a $1,000 grant, but that money might have paid for their airfare, or given them spending money, so that they could enter the program.” The Jacquemins are also involved with the Smithsonian-Mason School of Conservation (SMSC) in Front Royal, where they established a research fellowship to fund PhD candidates.
Photo by Evan Cantwell
John and Tracie Jacquemin Image provided by the Jacquemin
Opposite page: The
Photo by Evan Cantwell
Family
Jacquemin Family Foundation Rehearsal Hall
Hylton Performing Arts Center
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Robert K. Purks Faculty Enrichment Endowment
The College of Visual and Performing Arts (CVPA) is proud to encourage the continued creative development and expansion of our faculty, offering them time and resources to pursue the interests that energize them beyond their classrooms. Established in 2018 by Robert Purks, a long time Arts at Mason Board member and supporter, The Robert K. Purks Faculty Enrichment Endowment provides perpetual support to further the research and creative activity of faculty in the College.
Grant Winners
Samirah Alkassim, Film and Video Studies
Traveling to Jordan to conduct research for her upcoming book A Journey of Screens in 21st Century Arab Film and Media (Bloomsbury, forthcoming 2023)
Mark Cooley, Art Distribution for his documentary Fighting Indians, which premiered in November at the American Indian Film Institute
Victoria Ellison, Art Attending a workshop on the art of Nihonga—a traditional Japanese mineral painting technique—so she may share one of Japan’s oldest art practices with Mason students
Robert W. Gillam, Director of Music Technology Researching, writing, and sharing electro-acoustic musical compositions that amplify the benefits of National Parks
Peter Kimball, Film and Video Studies Bringing his award-winning American Sign Language play Millstone to the big screen
with on-set ASL interpreters and ASL coaches during the film’s pre-production
Edward Knoeckel, Music Implementing problembased learning (PBL) methodologies in a Music for Non-Majors course and spearheading a pilot study to analyze the effect of implementing the PBL learning style in a music appreciation course at Mason
Juana Medina, Art Integrate the stories, livelihoods, and cultural practices of Zapotec women of Teotitlán del Valle, Mexico, into a children’s book
James Justin Plakas, Film and Videos Studies; Art Merging historic photographic processes with motion picture film to create his multimedia project “Camaro Lucinda”
Justin P. Sutters, Art Attending a year-long leadership training program, School for Art Leaders, hosted by the National Art Education Association (NAEA) in Bentonville, Arkansas
Research Grants
Center for the Arts
Great Performances at Mason: Camille A. Brown and Dancers National Endowment for the Arts Grant for Arts Project
Great Performances at Mason: Cartography George Mason University Office of Research, Innovation, and Economic Impact
Great Performances at Mason: Cartography Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation ArtsCONNECT
Great Performances at Mason: Sphinx Virtuosi National Endowment for the Arts Grant for Arts Project
Great Performances at Mason: SW!NG OUT National Endowment for the Arts Grant for Arts Project
Great Performances at Mason: SW!NG OUT New England Foundation for the Arts National Dance Project
Center for the Arts and Hylton Performing Arts Center U.S. Small Business Administration Shuttered Venue Operators Grant
Christopher d’Amboise, Dance The LIVE Center Mentoring Series Grants for Arts Project award, National Endowment for the Arts
Hylton Performing Arts Center (above) Education Initiative: Dan and Claudia Zanes: Songs of Streets and Sunshine—Brooklyn Virginia Commission for the Arts Artists in Education Express Grant
Hylton Presents: Acrobuffos Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation ArtsCONNECT
Hylton Presents: Ballet Hispánico National Endowment for the Arts Grant for Arts Project
Veterans and the Arts Initiative City of Manassas
Creative Forces®: NEA Military Healing Arts Network
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Published Works for 2021–22 Academic Year
Samirah Alkassim, Film and Video Studies
Contributed chapter 13, “Twilight Reflections in Single Frames and Short Sequences,” to the book ReFocus: The Films of Jocelyne Saab: Films, Artworks and Cultural Events for the Arab World
Co-edited the book Global Horror: Hybridity and Alterity in Transnational Horror Film
Angela Ammerman, Music
Published her new book, The Music Teacher’s Guide to Engaging English Language Learners, which includes chapters written by Dr. Charles Ciorba, director of Music Education, and Dr. Linda Monson, director of the Dewberry School of Music
Tommy Britt, Film and Video Studies
Published the essay “Variations on ‘the lonely walk’ in the films of Kathryn Bigelow” in Kathyrn Bigelow: A Visionary Director, a special issue of New Review of Film and Television Studies
Charles Ciorba, Music
Published the article “The Creation and Validation of a Jazz Theory Measure: Implications for Improvisation Education” in the International Journal of Music Education
Niyati Dhokai, Veterans and the Arts Initiative
Published the paper “Music Workshops as a Pathway to Community Engagement for Military Veterans” in Journal of Applied Arts & Health, Volume 11, No. 3 Tele-Arts Engagement Guide in support of Creative Forces®: NEA Military Healing Arts Network (2021)
Heather Green, Art
Published essays as part of the What Sparks Poetry: Books We’ve Loved series on Poetry Daily include “On Camille Dungy’s TROPHIC CASCADE”; “On Dan Beachy Quick’s STONE GARLAND”; “Heather Green on ‘Fable for a Genome’”; “Heather Green on ‘Villains’: Speaking Truth and Nonsense”
June Huang, Music
Published the article “What’s in Your Glinda Bubble? Finding Peace in Performing” in the American String Teachers Journal
Seth A. Hudson, Game Design
Published the paper “A Research-Based Approach to Game Writing Pedagogy” in Transactions of the Digital Games Research Association, Volume 5, No. 3
Carole Rosenstein, Arts Management
Published “Living Cultural Heritage and the Traditional and Folk Arts in the Nonprofit Sector: Data on Scope, Finances, and Funding” a report for the Alliance for California Traditional Arts (ACTA) with Schar School’s Dr. Mirae Kim and Drexel University’s Neville Vakharia; From ACTA: “The study contributes to a small but increasingly imperative body of research on arts and cultural organizations that serve nine underserved communities and communities of color”
SAMIR AH ALKASSIM, FILM AND VIDEO STUDIES
JUNE HUANG, MUSIC
TOMMY BRITT, FILM AND VIDEO STUDIES
Photos provided by subjects
Published Works
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Mason Faculty and Staff Awards
Emily Green, Associate Professor, Music (pictured)
Presented with the Teacher of Distinction Award from George Mason University
Amanda Kraus, Film and Video Studies
Recognized for her 15 years of service at George Mason University
Notable Faculty and Staff Accomplishments
Samirah Alkassim, Film and Video Studies
Participated in the “Globally Connected Dissidence of the 60s and 70s” panel, presenting the work of Jordanian filmmaker Khadijeh Habashneh, for the online Global Women’s Film Heritage Networking Symposium that was organized by the Centre for Communication, Cultural and Media Studies (CCCMS) at Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh, held from January 10–14, 2022
Participated in the 2022 Society for Cinema and Media Studies Conference Roundtable, “Publishing on and Around the Middle East - Contemporary Directions and Challenges”
KJ Mohr, Professor, Film and Video Studies
Presented with the Adjunct Faculty Service Award from George Mason University
Samantha Sinagra, Academic and Program Manager, Film and Video Studies
Presented with the Exceptional Support Award from George Mason University
Robert Yi, Assistant Director, Art (pictured)
Named one of the top 10 academic advisors at George Mason University for the 2021–22 academic year
Sara Barger, Film and Video Studies
Hosted the DC Student Film Fest (sponsored by the DC Commission on the Arts & Humanities and Women in Film & Video D.C.) at The Wharf on Friday, September 17, 2021, which screened 16 short films by student filmmakers in Washington, D.C.
Lisa Billingham, Music Accompanied her student Bryan Stenson, DMA candidate in choral conducting, to present during poster sessions at the American Choral Directors Association, Southern Region conference in Raleigh, North Carolina
Tommy Britt, Film and Video Studies Had a reading of his script Ashlee Knows presented by the Cindependent Film Festival
Hans Charles, Film and Video Studies
Worked as cinematographer for Bitchin’: The Sound and Fury of Rick James, a documentary of legendary funk artist Rick James, directed by Sacha Jenkins; the film screened at Tribeca Film Festival
Served as the Director of Photography on W. Kamau Bell’s new docuseries, We Need to Talk About Cosby, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in January 2022, and is now available on Showtime
Worked as the cinematographer for CW’s new series All American: Homecoming
G. Chesler, Film and Video Studies
Selected as an advisor in the inaugural ITVS Humanities Documentary Development Fellowship, funded by the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) to support independent documentary filmmakers and advisors working in the humanities
Rick Davis, Dean Wrote the libretto for "Stations of Mychal," a song cycle for tenor, viola, and piano with music by Kevin Salfen, featuring former faculty, tenor Rick Novak. The cycle was performed at the late Fr. Mychal Judge’s home church in New York City as part of the 20th anniversary commemorations of 9/11 and has since had multiple performances
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GLEN M c CARTHY, MUSIC
Niyati Dhokai, Veterans and the Arts Initiative
Named one of Diverse: Issues in Higher Education 2022 Emerging Scholars
Shared her presentation on “Expressive Coping Techniques” at the 2022 Virginia Women Veterans Summit
Emily Green, Music
Named a Mason Fenwick Fellow; The Fenwick Fellowship is awarded annually to a Mason faculty member to pursue a research project that uses and enhances the University Libraries’ resources while advancing knowledge in his or her field. Dr. Green’s research project is titled “Musical Practices of Early Black Virginians”
June Huang, Music
Shared a presentation on teaching communication skills through chamber music at the American String Teachers Association Conference, held from March 16-19, 2022, accompanied by nine Mason students: Joanna Zakzewski, Annette Lee, Jaclyn Kitcoff, Crystal Williams, Eddie Adams, Paige Sharkey, Brian Bera, Alex Keitt-Saenz, and Robert Katz
Nikyatu Jusu, Film and Video Studies
Named one of Variety’s 10 Directors to Watch for 2022
Premiered her feature film Nanny in the U.S. Dramatic Competition at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival and received the Grand Jury Prize
Received the first ever Motion Picture Association Creator Award for Nanny; the film was screened at the New Directors New Films 2022 event presented by Film at Lincoln Center and The Museum of Modern Art
Ed Knoeckel, Music
Composed a score for the film Selahy, which was recently selected to be screened at the Bentonville Film Festival in Bentonville, Arkansas
Glen McCarthy, Music
Led a clinic for music educators in Fairbanks, Alaska, for the organization Teaching Guitar Workshops!; also serves as Executive Director of this organization, which helps school music educators start or enhance classroom guitar programs and deliver more music making opportunities to children
Kevin McDonald, Music Presented his research “Hearing the American Civil Rights Movement in the Music of Max Roach” at the annual Jazz Education Network conference in Dallas, Texas
Juana Medina, Art Published the children’s book I Will!: A Book of Promises, which was featured in the Washington Post as one of the best children’s books of 2021
Sang Nam, Game Design
Accepted into the Fulbright Specialist Program to work in Tunisia with colleagues in Le Centre International Tunis pour I’Economie Culturelle Numerique, which is the institution in charge of heritage (sites, monuments, museums, collections, cultural properties) to build capacity in game designing and virtual reality for their teams
Sang Nam and Eric Piccione, Game Design
James Casey, Virginia Serious Game Institute Presented at the 2021 5th UNESCO International Conference on Learning Cities (ICLC) in Mason Korea
Presented a talk on “How Game Communities Will Help Shape Education” earlier this year at Dublin Learning City, an international UNESCO conference
Darden Purcell, Music Presented “Shaping the Sound: Attaining Authenticity in Your Jazz and Pop Vocal Ensemble” with the Mason Jazz Vocal Ensemble at the American Choral Directors Association Southern Region conference in Raleigh, North Carolina
May Santiago, Film and Video Studies
Presented her paper “Queer Authorship, Spectatorship, Gaze, and Sensibility in Horror” at the Final Girls Film Festival in Berlin, Germany
Russell Santos, Film and Video Studies
Served as the editor for Jon Batiste’s music video Freedom, which won Best Music Video at the 64th GRAMMY Awards
Paul Zdepski, Art Completed a solo exhibition covering the last 24 years of his work at the Shenandoah Museum of Contemporary Art
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NIKYATU JUSU, FILM AND VIDEO STUDIES
MAY SANTIAGO, FILM AND VIDEO STUDIES
Photos provided by subjects
Young Alumni Commissioning Project Award Winners
Juan Megna, Music
2023 recipient of the Young Alumni Commissioning Project Award including $5,000 in commissioning support; the award will support Megna’s new project, titled Trailblazer, an album of original compositions that will build a dialogue between jazz and Afro-Brazilian genres
Carlehr Swanson, Music
2023 Young Alumni Creative Development Award winner including $3,000 in commissioning support; the award will fund her new project Growing Pains, an extended play record of original music, combining the styles of jazz, R&B, and gospel, exploring love, loss, faith, and hope along the transition to adulthood
Kyle Finnegan, Film and Video Studies
2023 Young Alumni Creative Development Award winner including $3,000 in commissioning support; the award will support his new documentary film, exploring the complicated role of MSG (monosodium glutamate) in the United States, as influenced by pervasive misinformation and the uniting love of food across cultures
Meagan Arnold, Hannah Looney, Mike Rose, Film and Video Studies
2023 Young Alumni Artistic Support Grant winners including $2,000 in unrestricted support; the grant will support the creation of Momentum/Memoriam, an experimental music video that explores and contextualizes the group’s grief over the loss of their late collaborator and Mason alum Jason Cortez, BA Film and Video Studies ‘15
Mohammed Saffouri, Film and Video Studies
2023 Young Alumni Artistic Support Grant winners including $2,000 in unrestricted support; the grant will support the development of his first narrative feature film, a deeply personal story about the experience and perseverance of a Muslim-American immigrant woman in the United States
Saffouri’s senior thesis film, Touchline (Khat At-tamass), premiered in North America at the Tribeca Film Festival and was the first Jordanian film and the first film from George Mason University to be selected by the Festival
Touchline also screened at Malmo Arab Film Festival in Sweden, won the Jury Award at the Franco-Arab Film Festival in Amman, Jordan, and was a semi-finalist at Flickers’ Rhode Island International Film Festival
Current Student & Alumni Achievements
Michael Barranco, Music Invited to present his dissertation topic, “The Sound of Metal: Timbral Characteristics of Crash Cymbals, Triangles, and Tambourine” at the Athens Institute for Education and Research 13th Annual Visual and Performing Arts Conference in Athens, Greece
Dominique Bianco, Music Awarded Vocal Jazz Soloist - Undergraduate College Outstanding Performance in the 45th Annual DownBeat Student Music Awards
Eduardo Fajardo, Music Selected to perform for the Marina Piccinini International Masterclasses in summer 2022 in Marlboro, Vermont
Carlos E. Figueroa Dasilva, Music Accepted into the Fairfax Symphony Orchestra Diversity Fellowship Program, which encourages greater racial and cultural diversity in the orchestra field by helping to provide meaningful opportunities for talented minority musicians to achieve their full potential
Stephanie Fuselier, Arts Management Accepted the position of managing director of Joy of Motion Dance Center in Washington, D.C.
Megan Hajdo, Film and Video Studies
Had her film A Clean, Well-Lighted Place accepted by the 2021 Virginia Emerging Filmmakers Festival, presented by Shenandoah University at the Alamo Drafthouse Cinema in Winchester, and was a finalist for “Best FirstTime Filmmaker”
Alexander Hammett, Film and Video Studies
Won the Best Director Award at the Miami Indie Film Festival for his latest film, Tale of Tarot
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JUAN MEGNA, MUSIC
Taj Kokayi, Film and Video Studies
Won Next Wave Initiative’s Spike Lee Directing Award, a project focused on amplifying emerging Black artists
Alexandra Kowalski, Music
Received the Paul and Ginny Ebert Horn Studies Scholarship Award
Drake Leach, Theater
Performed in Signature Theatre’s production of She Loves Me! from March 2-April 24, 2022, while a senior at Mason
GaYoung Lee, Music
Won a Gold Medal in the 2021 Grand Maestro International Music Competition; the Grand Maestro International Music Competition, a worldwide competition organized by the Concours de Musique et des Beaux Arts Canada, is judged by a panel of international concert artists, university professors from renowned musical institutions, and experienced pedagogues
Marcia McCants, Music
Performed at the Colour of Music Festival in South Carolina and with the festival at PASIC (Percussive Arts Society International Convention) in Indianapolis
Julie McDonald, Music
Won a piccolo/C flute spot in the Professional Flute Choir for the National Flute Association’s 2022 Convention taking place during summer 2022 in Chicago
Adelina Mitchell, Theater
Originated the role of Ruth in Olney Theatre Center’s world premiere production A.D. 16!, which followed her recent appearances in Signature Theatre’s production of Rent and Round House Theatre’s production of Quixote Nuevo
Alicia Rodriguez, Film and Video Studies
Worked as 1st assistant director on Hess (2021), which screened at the Cannes International Pan African Film Festival and Toronto Independent Film Festival
Nicholas Thompson, Music Joined The President’s Own United States Marine Band in a full-time role, after previously holding the principal clarinet seat with the Lima (Ohio) Symphony Orchestra and the Flint (Michigan) Symphony Orchestra
Dylan Toms, Theater
Performed in Signature Theatre’s production of She Loves Me! from March 2-April 24, 2022
Kristine Tran, Ryan Strong, Music
Awarded The NAMM President’s Innovation Award from The NAMM Foundation, which honors college students who demonstrate excellence in the field of music and who are interested in pursuing a career in the music industry
Alaa Zabara, Film and Video Studies
Selected to participate as a director in the second cohort of the CBS Leadership Pipeline Challenge; the mission of this program is to empower early-career storytellers to step into creative leadership positions and to reconfigure the entertainment industry’s “talent pipeline” to make it more equitable
Zabara’s film Selahy was an official selection of the Bentonville Film Festival in Bentonville, Arkansas, chosen to compete within the festival’s Competition Shorts program
CVPA 2021–2022 ANNUAL REPORT 21
MOHAMMED SAFFOURI, FILM AND VIDEO STUDIES
ADELINA MITCHELL, THEATER
Photos provided by subjects
At Arts Emerging, In-Person Arts Performances Return to Mason
A welcome return to live, in-person arts performances and exhibitions was celebrated on September 25, 2021, at George Mason University’s Center for the Arts. Arts Emerging: A Celebration of Renewal brought more than 300 people to the Fairfax Campus on a Saturday evening for a festive event that pulsed with artistic energy and the spirit of community. Combining outdoor and indoor performances by students, faculty, and alumni including art exhibits, film screenings, hands-on activities, and more, Arts Emerging launched the 2021–22 Center for the Arts season, while also marking the 20th anniversary of the university’s College of Visual and Performing Arts. Arts Emerging raised more than $155,000 with proceeds supporting CVPA student scholarships, Mason Community Arts Academy, Green Machine Ensembles, and the Great Performances at Mason season at the Center for the Arts.
The LIVE Center Mentoring Series Brings Big Dance Names to Mason
The LIVE Center Mentoring Series, a new initiative from the Center for Live Interactive Virtual Education (the LIVE Center) within George Mason University’s College of Visual and Performing Arts, connects some of the biggest names in the performance world to students around the country. The first event of the series featured Tony Award-winning choreographer, director, filmmaker, and dancer Justin Peck on April 25, 2022. The event was produced and streamed live using the LIVE Center’s Window Wall projection technology and Zoom from the National Dance Institute Center for Learning & the Arts (New York City, New York) to participating students at Mason’s School of Dance (Fairfax, Virginia) and the Baltimore School for the Arts (Baltimore, Maryland). The class was moderated by Mason Heritage Professor of Dance and founder of The LIVE Center Christopher d’Amboise. Funded in part by a $10,000 Grants for Arts Projects award from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), this was the first of three events planned for this series in 2022.
Top two photos by Sierra Guard; Bottom photo by Evan Cantwell
22 C VPA 2021–2022 ANNUAL REPORT CVPA Stories
Pictured from top to bottom: Dean Rick Davis at Arts Emerging; Dewberry School of Music students perform at Arts Emerging; The LIVE Center class
The Guiding Light and Legacy of the Dewberry Family Shines On
Sid Dewberry, whose advocacy and generosity impacted countless students and helped transform the entire Mason community, died on July 16, 2022. He was 94. The commitments from Dewberry and Reva, his wife of 72 years who died June 14, 2022, created avenues for expanded student experiences and allowed the university to grow its impact and reputation on several fronts, particularly in the areas of engineering and music. Hallmarks of the Dewberry legacy can be seen throughout the university. Dewberry Hall in the Johnson Center on the Fairfax Campus is named for the family, as is the Sid and Reva Dewberry Civil, Environmental, and Infrastructure Engineering Department and the Reva and Sid Dewberry Family School of Music.
Their philanthropy has inspired a new transformative gift from son Barry Dewberry and his wife Arlene Evans’s, which will set the stage for an upcoming capital initiative to reimagine the Center for the Arts for generations to come. This lead gift ensures that the arts at Mason will continue to connect the campus and community with new voices, honored traditions, and lasting memories.
Full details about the Center for the Arts capital initiative to reimagine the venue, as well as Barry Dewberry and Arlene Evans’ leading gift, will be announced at a future date.
Director of Diversity Joins the College’s Leadership Team
Supporting Mason’s continued commitment to creating an environment that fosters, expands, and celebrates anti-racism and inclusive excellence, Director of Diversity Shá Norman (they/she) joined the college in February 2022, bringing with them more than ten years of experience in program administration in education non-profits and higher education institutions. While teaching students performing arts and creative writing across the Chicago metropolitan area, they became deeply aware of the inequities students with marginalized backgrounds faced in education systems. This led to their passion for not only the work of advocacy for equity in education but also administering the programs and support that insulate marginalized students and educational opportunities that support the professional development of administrators, faculty, staff, and program instructors.
Photos provided by subjects
CVPA 2021–2022 ANNUAL REPORT 23
Pictured from top to bottom: Reva and Sid Dewberry; Shá Norman, director of diversity, CVPA
The Artist-in-Residence Program Returns in Person
During the 2021–22 season, the Center for the Arts and the Hylton Performing Arts Center hosted six Mason Artists-in-Residence for a variety of research and engagement activities around the artists’ performances, both on and off all three of Mason’s Virginia campuses. Kaneza Schaal, Sphinx Virtuosi, Camille A. Brown and Dancers, SW!NG OUT, Ballet Hispánico, and Maria Schneider all took part in events welcoming and working with community members, Mason students and alumni, staff, faculty, and students from local elementary and high schools. Aligning with the university’s commitment to expand diversity, equity, and inclusion, many of these artists showcased diverse perspectives and performers, including Sphinx Virtuosi, the dynamic self-conducting chamber orchestra of top Black and Latinx musicians, and Ballet Hispánico, now the largest Latinx cultural organization in the United States.
Harris Theatre Resumes its Rightful Place at the Heart of Arts at Mason
After 18 months of renovations, Harris Theatre reopened for performances. The proscenium theater seats 460 and is one of the most used spaces on campus. The renovation features an expanded lobby, an updated ticket office, designated restrooms for patrons and for performers, a new entrance near the walking meditation garden, and a marquee to announce upcoming performances. “It is CVPA’s busiest venue for student performances, in addition to hosting visiting lectures, panel discussions, and screenings,” said Julie Thompson, executive director for Mason’s Center for the Arts. “The theater’s location on Wilkins Plaza and next to Horizon Hall is a newly prominent spot on campus.” The new garden and the labyrinth found between Horizon Hall and the renovated Harris Theatre, adjacent to the new mini amphitheater that sits on the former site of Robinson Hall, are visual artifacts signaling Mason’s commitment to the well-being of its community.
Pictured from top to bottom: School of Dance students pose with company members from Camille A. Brown and Dancers after a masterclass; meditation garden construction; remodeled Harris Theatre
Top photo by Elissa Loch; Middle photo by Shelby Burgess; Bottom photo by Emily Schneider
24 C VPA 2021–2022 ANNUAL REPORT CVPA Stories
Graduation and Enrollment CVPA 2021–2022 ANNUAL REPORT 25 362 Students Majoring in CVPA Programs Art Arts Management Dance Film and Video Studies Game Design Music Theater Other Total1,7651,729 499 70 75 174 374 350 162 61 532 63 75 170 385 311 148 45 Fall ’20Fall ’21 Enrollment Two School of Art graduates from the Class of 2022 pose in front of a fellow student’s chalk drawing. Photo by Elizabeth Kartchner and Sierra Guard Degrees awarded in 2021–22 (Undergraduate, Masters, Doctoral)
26 C VPA 2021–2022 ANNUAL REPORT Tuition 47% State Appropriation 21% Student Fees 16% Gifts/Grants 9% Tickets/Rentals 7% Academic Programs 67% Center for the Arts 14% Hylton Performing Arts Center 10% Mason Community Arts Academy 4% Green Machine 2% Virginia Serious Game Institute 2% Mason Game and Technology Academy 1% CVPA Operating Revenue by Source FY21–22 CVPA Operating Revenue by Area FY21–22 Financials Total $47.2M Total $47.2M
CVPA ALUMNI ENDOWMENT FUNDS RAISED Total Donations: MASON ALUMNIDONORS 824731,739 $12,038,434 $354,883 College of Visual and Performing Ar ts CVPA 2021–2022 ANNUAL REPORT 27 Giving Making a difference in the lives of Mason students and faculty, as well as arts lovers of all ages in the region
Legacy Giving
The College of Visual and Performing Arts acknowledges the forward-looking generosity of the following individuals who have established legacy gifts to support the future of the Arts at Mason.
Mr. Ronald A. Boykin
• Thomas Michael Brawley
Agnes M. Brown Mr. & Mrs. Sidney O. Dewberry
Ruth A. Eaves • Stevie and Gardner Gillespie Linda E. Gramlich • Lee-Ann Heflin • Charles and Shirley Joyce Jerry Long, in Memory of Pat Long • Carol Mattusch • Mark D. Monson in honor of Nancy G. Monson • Mary Ballard Postma and Hans Postma • Ms. Elizabeth C. Price and Mr. Mike Brown • Shirley B. Rice • Jeffrey and Shawn Robertson Dr. Victoria N. Salmon and Mr. John J. Salmon • Darlene M. Scott Inge Wekerle Steiner • Leo and Linda Stoltz • Mildred E. Tasker • Violette Thouvenin Daniel Tucciarone and Thomas Sabal • Captain Robert Warakomsky, USCG (Ret.) and Patricia Warakomsky • James L. and Barbara W. White
Scholarships and Programming Endowments
The College of Visual and Performing Arts acknowledges the forward-looking generosity of the following individuals and organizations that have established scholarship and programming endowments in the college.
Grace Aitel Award Endowment (Strings)
Ms. Susan Aitel and Mr. Jonathan Goldman, 2020
The Beck Foundation Scholarship for Computer Game Design
The Beck Foundation, 2018 Dr. Barry and Velma Berkey Music Scholarship Endowment Dr. Barry Berkey and Mrs. Velma Berkey, 2004
John S. and Judith T. Bland Memorial Scholarship Endowment (Vocal Studies)
Mrs. Robyn David and multiple donors, 1989 Dr. Sam di Bonaventura Memorial Scholarship Endowment (Strings)
Ms. Darlene M. Scott, 1999 Jean Carrington Cook Piano Scholarship Endowment (Piano) C. Barrie Cook, M.D., 1995 Lucy C. Church Scholarship Endowment (Vocal Studies)
Mr. and Mrs. Randolph W. Church, 2003 de Laski Scholarship Endowment (Music, Dance, Theater) de Laski Family Foundation, 2001
The Paul and Jenny Ebert Horn Studies Scholarship Endowment
Paul and Jenny Ebert, 2019 Emerging Artists Scholarship Endowment Linda E. Gramlich, 2019
Fairfax Spotlight on the Arts—Spotlight Scholarship for the Arts, 2005
Fairfax Spotlight on the Arts—Ruth Haycock Endowed Scholarship in Piano
The Honorable Jane Woods and Fairfax Spotlight on the Arts and multiple donors, 2006 Fairfax Spotlight on the Arts Scholarship in Music for the Mason Community Arts Academy, 2004
Fairfax Spotlight on the Arts—The Thomas Galen Scott Memorial in Music Education, 2015 Gillespie Scholarship Endowment
Gardner and Stevie Gillespie, 2019 Heritage Chair in Arts and Cultural Criticism Endowment
Multiple Arts Gala Committee Donors, 1986 Heritage Chair in Music Endowment
Multiple Arts Gala Committee Donors, 1992 Hylton Performing Arts Center Endowment
Multiple donors, 2006 George W. Johnson Endowment and Joanne Ferris Johnson Scholarship Dr. and Mrs. George W. Johnson, 1996 Joanne Johnson Dance Scholarship Endowment Dr. and Mrs. George W. Johnson, 2005 Joseph M. Kanyan Music Scholarship Endowment
Multiple Donors, 2002 Kidd/Stearns Dance Talent Scholarship Endowment Ms. Donna L. Kidd and Dr. Peter N. Stearns, 2018 Howard Vincent Kurtz Theater Scholarship Endowment
Professor Howard Vincent Kurtz and friends, 2008 Kathleen A. Lieder and Lloyd C. Fell Student Scholarship Endowment in Music Performance/ Vocal Studies
Dr. and Mrs. Alan G. Merten, 2006
The Patricia A. Long Scholarship Endowment (Jazz Studies)
Jerry Long, in Memory of Pat Long, 2018 Anthony J. Maiello Music Endowed Scholarship Fund Anthony J. Maiello and multiple donors, 2016
Linda Garner Miller Scholarship Endowment (Dance)
Ms. Elizabeth Price and Mr. J. Michael Brown, 2002 Mack and Paulette Miller Theater Scholarship Endowment Mack and Paulette Miller, 2019
Dr. Linda Apple Monson Music Endowment Fund Multiple Donors, 2011
Dr. Linda Apple Monson Scholars Endowed Fund
Mr. and Mrs. Sidney O. Dewberry, and multiple donors, 2018
Nancy G. Monson Scholarship Endowment for the Visual Arts
Mr. Mark D. Monson, 2013
Joey Noufal Endowed Scholarship (Art)
Vicky Noufal, Martha Engle and Reid Herlihy, and friends and family, 2017
Mildred Elaine Tetsell Parker Scholarship Endowment (Vocal Studies), 2004
Peterson Family Foundation Scholarship Endowment (Music)
Carolyn and Milt Peterson, 2000
Peterson Excellence Endowed Fund for the Arts
Peterson Family Foundation, 2015
Peterson Family Endowed Scholarship in the Vocal Arts
Peterson Family Foundation, 2015
Elizabeth “Buffy” Price Dance Scholarship Endowment
Ms. Elizabeth C. Price and Mr. Mike Brown, 2020
Robert K. Purks Faculty Enrichment Endowment
Robert K. Purks, 2017
Carol M. Robinson and Peter R. Barcher, Ph.D. Scholarship Endowment (Vocal Studies)
Peter R. Barcher, Ph.D. and multiple donors, 2015
Pamela A. Roe Music Scholarship Endowment (Athletic Bands)
David and Pamela Roe, 2008
Noah J. Seidenberg Scholarship Endowment (Art)
Mr. and Mrs. Gordon Seidenberg, 2006
Joseph D. Shirk Memorial Music Scholarship Endowment
Mrs. Jean E. Shirk and multiple donors, 2000
Brower “BC” Spransy Memorial Scholarship Endowment (Theater)
Martha Engle and Samantha W. Engle Price, 2019
Shirley Udelson Memorial Scholarship Endowment (Music Composition)
Mr. Michael E. Udelson, 1997
The Captain Robert Warakomsky, USCG (Ret.) and Patricia Warakomsky Music Scholarship Fund
Robert and Patricia Warakomsky, 2018 Wells Fargo Arts Endowment Wachovia Foundation, 1993
Endowments
•
•
28 C VPA 2021–2022 ANNUAL REPORT
A student from CVPA’s class of 2022 shows off their cap while waiting in line. Photo by Evan Cantwell
The College of Visual and Performing Arts expresses its sincerest gratitude to the following donors who made generous gifts in support of our programs and students from July 1, 2021, to June 30, 2022.
$1,000,000+
Barry Dewberry and Arlene Evans
The Cecil and Irene Hylton Foundation
The Jacquemin Family Foundation
$100,000+ Shirley B. Rice
$25,000-$99,999
Susan J. Aitel and Jonathan Goldman Amazon Web Services
Agnes M. Brown Revocable Trust Lucy Church
Compton and Duling, L.C.
F.H. Furr Plumbing, Heating, Air Conditioning, and Electrical Evelyn M. Kiley
Mrs. Jacqueline B. Mars Carol Merchant Kirby and Peter Kirby National Endowment for the Arts Jon and Anne Peterson Peterson Family Foundation Sandy Spring Bank Seeley Foundation
Dr. Peter N. Stearns and Ms. Donna L. Kidd Bob and Pat Warakomsky
$10,000-$24,999
The Albertsons Companies Foundation Anonymous (2)
Penny M. Barrows, in memory of John Barrows Michael Brown and Elizabeth Price City of Manassas Consortium of Universities of the Washington Metro Area and Andrew and Jennifer Flagel Dominion Energy Employment Enterprises, Inc.
George Mason University Office of Research, Innovation and Economic Impact Mark and Sharon Gottlieb Insight Wealth Management, Inc. ManTech International Corporation
The Mather McAleese & Associates, P.C. McNichols Family Foundation Micron Technology, Inc.
Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation Miller Toyota of Manassas
NDIA
Lola Reinsch
Savant Wealth Management
Sumeet and Joya Shrivastava Stanley Martin Homes Buck and Julie Waters
Inge Wekerle Steiner Living Trust
$5,000-$9,999
Bill and Helen Ackerman Anonymous Sharon and Joseph Apricena
Mrs. Lillian B. Ballard
Dr. and Mrs. Barry Berkey Bowen McCauley Dance Carney Foundation
The Christopher Companies Donald Coulter and Rosemary Enright Didlake, Inc.
Dr. Kimberly K. Eby and Dr. José M. Cortina
Randall and Anna Edwards Fairfax Spotlight on the Arts, Inc. Kilburn and Carol Fulton John H. Foote and Rosamond Tompkins Joyce Goche-Grimes Holladay Properties Brian Jones Clara and John Kelly Limelight Insights by Shugoll Claire Machosky-Ullman and Al Ullman McCarthy Family Charitable Foundation Eric and Kristin Merten Linda and Phillip Miller Mack and Paulette Miller N.V.P. Inc.
NOVEC
Odin, Feldman and Pittleman, PC Don and Sonja Palomaki
The Hon. J. Chapman Petersen and Mrs. Sharon K. Petersen Mr. and Mrs. William Reeder Richard W. Averill Foundation James B. Skaggs Glenn E. Smith
Truist
Daniel Tucciarone and Thomas Sabal United Bank, Inc.
UVA Prince William Medical Center Viventum, Inc.
Wall Foundation Walsh Colucci Lubeley Walsh PC Sherry Watkins
$2,500-$4,999
Anonymous Jerry Archer and KT Archer J. Barrows LLC
Dr. Robert and Mrs. Sheryl Bass Dianne and Gerard Blais Blankingship & Keith, PC Joanna and Richard Boales Anne and John Bolger Anne Caputo Lavern Chatman
Mr. William E. Clayton Joseph and Margaret Contrucci Dr. Rick Davis and Ms. Julie Thompson Mr. J. Matthew Dawson Peter Dickinson and Katie Largent Russell Gestl Stevie and Gardner Gillespie Mr. Steven Golsch and Mr. Jim Nedohon Guitar & Accessories Marketing Association
Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Hamerschlag Thomas and Lovey Hammel, Employment Enterprises, Inc. Linda and Harlan Harber Hardy Insurance Agency, Inc.
Jason Hickman and Sarah Pitkin
Dr. Joy R. Hughes and Mr. Kenneth Lee Shirley Joyce Joseph and Virginia Kanyan Dr. Dennis Layendecker and Mrs. Myriam Layendecker Linda and Buford Lewis Thomas and Pamela Maskey Dr. Carol C. Mattusch and Dr. Richard S. Mason Kathleen McKay
Mr. Val S. McWhorter
Meridian Financial Partners Sarah L. Merten Amy and Robert Moore
Julia Morelli and Dan Rainey Susan and Michael Murphy New England Foundation for the Arts James Noel OBXtek Mr. and Mrs. Rexford G. Parr William and Sandra Pate
Lawrence and Rachel Payne Bruni Peters
Kathryn Pile
Robert and Ida Portland Edward and Marilyn Pratt
The Presser Foundation Norma Jean Reck
Aaron Rodriguez
Steven and Dru Ann Rolander
Dr. Victoria N. Salmon and Mr. John J. Salmon
Diane and Gary Schnurrpusch
Sheron and Richard Seraydarian Marcia and Robert Settle
Mary J. Sherman
Soil Consultants Inc.
Eloise C. Stinger
Leo and Linda Stoltz
Annabelle and David Stone
Luke Torian
Ednamae and John Trevey
Van Metre Companies Foundation, Inc.
Vanderpool, Frostick & Nishanian
Verizon Foundation
Michael and Janice Ward
Gregory and Nicole Washington John and Ann Wheeler
Douglas Whipple and Gabriella Kardos
$1,000-$2,499
Mary Aldacushion
Bob Allen
Jan and Peter Alten American Battlefield Trust
Mr. Robert Anderson III Anonymous (3) Brad Antle
Debra Atkinson Linda Beckman
Jim and Sally Bennett Nadine Bishop Nicole and Kenneth Bland Bert S. Boyd
Leah and Bill Brogdon Buchanan Partners, LLC Zofia Burr
Cameron McEvoy PLLC
Prof. Mark Camphouse and Ms. Elizabeth Curtis Pat and Pat Carroll
City of Fairfax Foundation for the Arts Paula B. Compton Anne C. Cook
Crepe Amour Linda A. Crites
Sandra Cummins-Haid and Allen Haid Jane Daly Gabbay
Steven and Kate Danziger
Louis Delair, Jr. Michael and Alison Dixon
AJ and Joan Driscoll
Brian and Bebe Drummond Marla and Dennis DuBois
Jan Duga
Ms. Debra Duncan
Peter and Lenore Farrell
Robert and Elizabeth Fini Mr. and Mrs. Ronald D. Fleming
Suzanne and Edward Gaffney
Linda and Shelly Gersten MaryAnn Ghadban
Kay and John Gilbert
Bernard and Cynthia Giles-Parker
Glory Days Grill
William H. Gordon
Benjamin and Kristiane Graham William and Jacqueline A. Gravell
Susan Graziano
W. James and Gayle E. Green Sandra and Derrick Grimes
Molly Grimsley
CVPA 2021–2022 ANNUAL REPORT 29
Donors
John and Tammy Hanks
Mr. Ronald A. Harris
Kathleen and Michael Havey James W. and Sarah D. Hazel
Robert Hedrick
Alan and Mary Beth Hemer
Alice Darling Heyer
Sam and Lillian Hill
Kathie and Tom Hoerner
Barbara Jacksier and Everett Chasen
Deb Jewell and Greg Hair
Harry and Zoe Poole Foundation
Elijah Johnson
Maryam and Hamid Kasmai
Eileen E. Kennedy
Carol and Bruce Kissal
Ronald Knecht
Komara Financial Concepts
JeanMarie Komyathy
Brian Kreischer and Sarah Maxwell
John and Dona Kreischer
Mr. Kevin M. Lastorino and Ms. Denise Kitay
Mr. Samuel H. Laudenslager
Law Office Of Krista L. Newton PLLC
Dr. and Mrs. Christopher Leet
B. Timothy and Barbara Leeth
Leidos
Mr. John T. Lewis
Literary Managers & Dramaturgs of the Americas Lockton Companies
Jerry Long
Sandra and John Long Jim and Betty Mast Susan and Glen McCarthy Denise and Juan McPhail
Donald Metz
MGN Family Foundation
Ms. Patricia A. Miller
Vince and Carolyn Modugno
Drs. Keith and Linda Apple Monson
Matthew Morris and Shelby Olson
Sang U. Nam
Douglas and Laura Newton
Dr. Michael W. Nickens
Martin and Kristina Nohe Jay and Sally O’Brien
Christine M. O’Hare
Vincent J. Oppido
David Petersen
William and Judy Porter
Mary Ballard Postma
Judith Potock
Prince William NAACP Quantum Search Partners
Red Zeppelin Productions
Sue Reid
Dr. Elaine Rendler-McQueeney
Edward and Nancy Rice Charles and Eileen Ricks Curtis and Lynn Robb
Robert W. Baird and Company Mark and Dawn Roddy Kay and Ray Rongley
Roberta Roumel
Melanie Sams and Thomas Sulek Ken and Joanne Schoonover
William and Pamela Sebesky
Dr. Carol S. Shapiro and Lt. Col. Donald E. Morgan Mark and Andrea Silverman
Mindy K. Sims
Virginia Singh
Judith and Donald Smith
Ms. Marilyn T. Smith
Rosemary and Hugh Smith Walter and Janice Smith
SPARK - PWC Public Schools Education Foundation
David and Kate Strand Frank and Pat Sturgeon Martha R. Sullivan Patricia Swart Jean and Kosmo Tatalias Leslie Thornton Steve Tipton Charlie and Mary Tompkey Mrs. Nina Swan Toups Richard and Wenda Travers Dr. James Trefil and Dr. Wanda O’Brien-Trefil Rhonda and Michael Troutman Eric and Karen Ullman
Kathryn J. Van Der Kamp Alivette and Brinell Vigo Katherine and James Villani Roy and Margaret Wagner Ernie and Diane Wakeham Sally and Ken Wall Ken and Tobi Walsh Maura and Ed Weiner Durie and Donald White Joan R. White Rachel and Jonathan Wist Nancy and Thomas Zacharczyk
$500-$999
The 123 Club
Alan Abramson and Alexander Wilson John and Toni Acton Mr. and Mrs. Gary Allen Anonymous (3) James and Heather Aram Leigh and Michael Baca Susan M. Bardenhagen Bob and Terry Barnes Deborah Beals
Katherine Beyda and Michael Amundson Bennett, Atkinson & Associates, P.C. Dr. Lisa A. Billingham and Mr. James Schober Dr. Reinhardt H. Bodenbender and Sharon L. Wagnitz, RN Patricia Bray and Marshall Groom Melissa and David Broeckelman-Post Drew Brown
Jeanne Broyhill and Joseph Ventrone Mr. Constantine Bugg Joan Bullmer Janet C. Burchard Jean E. Callahan Craig and Kris Campesi Judy Canyock Charles and Annetta Cheek Louis and Gail Chmura Colleen Clokus
Joseph and Jocelyn Colao Donald and Joyce Connery Louis and Patricia D’Alessandro Donna and Jeffrey Davis Patti DeBuck
Peter and Sally DiGiovanni Diane Dubois David and Karen Duncan Mary and Michael Dvoroznak Ronald and Shirley Edwards David E. Feldman, Esq. Mary and Patrick Finnigan Sandy Fletcher
Mr. William J. Forster Alan J. Friedman Ms. Virginia McGehee Friend Carol and Kilburn Fulton Jeanne and Dale Gaddy Robin and Michael Garcia Brian Gilligan and Emily Marciniak Richard and Lynn Greene Steven and Kelly Harms
George and K. Lenore Hart
Mr. Nicholas M. Horner
Amy and David Houser
Selena Hutchinson and Marcus Livingston Mel and Carla Jaranson
Jule Jewell
JL Tree Service
Ms. Kristin Johnsen-Neshati and Mr. Amin Neshati
William Johnson
Christopher and Toni Jones
Mr. Edward Jones
Ms. Joan Kasprowicz Kathleen and John Kehoe
Robert Kelberg and Gertrude Sherman
Mrs. Phyllis Krochmal
Connie and Paul Kyle
Edward Lanpher and June Kronholz Bill and Barbara Lidell
Kelly Loughran
Joseph Magalski, Leanna Giancarlo, and Nadia Alice and Matt Magelssen-Green
Jim Perry and Ann Mason
Matz, Blancato and Associates
Mr. David McCormack and Lisa McLeod
Erin Mclaughlin and Stuart Rosenberg
Alice K. Mergler
Mr. Charles E. Meyer
Mark D. Monson
Joe Morra
Morrissette Family Foundation NVM Contractors, Inc. Cass and Lisa Panciocco
Leonard Pennisi
Mrs. Mary S. Petersen
Sean Porter Ed and Susan Powell
Elaine Pulakos
Stephen Race
Paul and Margaret Reagan
Karen Reedy Regency Ladies Golf Association Joan and Patrick Reilly Eileen and Kara Roberts
Jenn W. Robinson
Carl Rowan, Jr.
Mr. and Mrs. Gordon Seidenberg Erik and Anne Shannon Kathleen and George Shultz Charles and Moo-Lan Silver Patrick and Nancy Snellings
Sylvia Spengler
John Stirrup
Bobby Surface Rachel Swartz Sydrus Aerospace Tai Chi Manassas Troy and Amy Tanner
John Theon Tracie D. Thomas
Armstrong and Krista Tran Catherine and Phil Turcotte
Sally Turner University Mall Theatres, Inc. Mr. Marion M. Wall
Ed and Maria Ward George and Marty Whipple William D. Wides
John and Laurene Wilkin Verbena Williams
Diane Wilson
Adam J. Winsler, Ph.D. and Kathy Preisinger Debra Wisniewski
Janice Sutera Wolfe and James Wolfe Denise and Brian Womble Daniel and Margaret Wotring Philip and Helen Zubaly
Donors 30 C VPA 2021–2022 ANNUAL REPORT
Arts at Mason Board
Victoria Salmon, Chair Steven Golsch, Vice Chair
Anne Caputo, Treasurer Joe Catalano, Immediate Past Chair
Annie Bolger
J. Michael Brown
Paul Burke
Lavern Chatman
Ex-Officio Members
Jenna Day
Mason Community Arts Advisory Board
Jennifer Disano Osher Lifelong Learning Institute
Jonathan Goldman Faculty Arts Club
Gardner Gillespie Sharon Gottlieb
Ronald J. Hubbard Jolanda N. Janszewski So Lim
John Mason Tim McEvoy Val McWhorter
Molly Grimsley
CVPA Alumni Chapter
Linda Harber President, Friends of Music
Mack Miller President Emeritus, Friends of Theater
CVPA Faculty/Staff Board Members
Djola Branner
Director, School of Theater
Elizabeth (Libby) Curtis Director, Mason Community Arts Academy
Rick Davis Dean, CVPA Executive Director, Hylton Performing Arts Center
Niyati Dhokai Director, Veterans and the Arts Initiative
Hasan Elahi Director, School of Art
Cynthia Fuchs Director, Film and Video Studies
Adrienne Bryant Godwin Director of Programming
Appointed by the Dean (2021)
Susan Graziano Director, CVPA Development
Lisa Kahn Associate Dean, Academic Affairs
Dennis Layendecker Heritage Chair Professor, School of Music Mary Lechter Associate Director, Mason Community Arts Hyla London Director of Marketing and Communications
Scott Martin Director, Virginia Serious Game Institute
Linda Monson Director, School of Music
Paulette Miller Ida Portland Robert K. Purks
Mark Shugoll
Jay Speer
Matthew Tait Edward Weiner
Eloise Stinger
President, Friends of the Center for the Arts
Sang Nam
Director, Computer Game Design Program
William Reeder Director, Arts Management Program Heritage Chair for Arts and Cultural Criticism
Karen Reedy Director, School of Dance
Don Starr Associate Director, School of Art
Julie Thompson Executive Director, Center for the Arts
John Wilkin Chief Financial Officer, CVPA Robert Yi Associate Director, School of Art
Hylton Performing Arts Center Executive Board
Jason Hickman, Chair
Sheyna Burt, Vice Chair
Rick Davis, Secretary Jatin Ambegaonkar
Heather S. Aram Sheryl Bass
Phillip Bongiorno Ron Carmichael
Joyce Connery Dawn Davis
Seth Hendler-Voss Denise (Deb) Jewell Denise McPhail
Krista Newton Kris Nohe Pat Pate
Rene Stewart O’Neal
Amy Tanner Ann B. Wheeler
Randall Edwards, Emeritus
Carol Merchant Kirby, Emeritus
CVPA 2021–2022 ANNUAL REPORT 31
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