CCFA Voices Winter 2019 Mighty Sound of the South

The Magazine of the College of Communication and Fine Arts at the University of Memphis WINTER 2019

MIGHTY SOUND OF THE SOUTH

DEAN Dr. Anne Hogan EXECUTIVE EDITOR Kimberly Rogers CONTRIBUTING WRITER Carol Morse PHOTOGRAPHY Trey Clark ADVISORY BOARD Ward Archer, Rikki Boyce, Dean Deyo, Art Gilliam, Herman Markell, Dana McKelvy, Charlotte Neal, Michael Osborn, Steve Pacheco, Mike Palazola, Chris Peck, Knox Philips, David Porter, Frank Ricks, Mickey Robinson, Rudi E. Scheidt, Linn Sitler, Jack Soden, Jimmy Tashie, Ron Walter, Judy McCown (Emeritae), Dr. Anne Hogan PUBLISHED BY University of Memphis College of Communication and Fine Arts 232 CFA Building Memphis, TN 38152 901.678.2350 memphis.edu/ccfa To submit story ideas, alumni updates or other CCFA-related inquiries, please contact CCFA at ccfa@memphis.edu.

The University of Memphis does not discriminate against students, employees or applicants for admission or employment on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, disability, age, status as a protected veteran, genetic information or any other legally protected class with respect to all employment, programs and activities sponsored by the University of Memphis. For inquiries regarding nondiscrimination policies, please contact the Director for Institutional Equity, kpndrsn1@memphis.edu, 156 Administration Building, 901.678.2713.

The University of Memphis policy on nondiscrimination can be found at policies.memphis.edu/UM1381.htm.

UOM532-FY1819/1M7C50 Paulsen.

contents

VOICES

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2

Dean’s Message

4

Mighty Sound of the South

10

Faculty and Students Provide Projection for Opera Festival

14

Earnestine Jenkins

20

Theatre Students Intern with Broadway Legend

24 The Sound of Love 26

Goodbye to Retirees

28

CCFA Career Specialists

30

Kevin Brooks

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Advisor Works to Ensure Success of Students

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33 Decorated Journalist Joins University 34

Architecture Students' Project for Carpenter Art Garden

36 In the Community Off-campus involvement of students, faculty and staff 38

News & Notes Brief updates from students, faculty, staff and alumni

44

In Memoriam

45

Donor Thanks

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D E A N ’ S M E S S AG E

W WHEN COLLEAGUES and friends ask me (as they do) what I view as the greatest strengths of CCFA, my immediate thought is, “How much time do you have?”

In a nutshell, however, I would say that CCFA’s diverse range of disciplines, coupled with its collective commitment to excellence, makes it a uniquely impactful educational community, and I hope that you enjoy reading about the accomplishments of some of our students, staff, faculty and supporters in this fall issue of Voices.

initiative is a semester-long program during which a student will spend several months as a full-time member of the Romeo and Juliet Project. This nationally acclaimed residency uses “Romeo and Juliet,” its characters and its many pivotal decision moments as tools for high school freshman students to imagine and rehearse lifesaving choices in the face of armed violence, peer pressure, prejudice and inadequate guidance. This invaluable opportunity will allow our students to get intensive experience in sitespecific performance and classroom teaching while receiving college credit.

Certainly, our extensive network of partnerships is a crucial aspect of CCFA’s singularity, and I wanted to kickoff this issue with an update about some of our collaborative endeavors.

Meanwhile, the School of Music’s partnership with the Memphis Symphony continues to evolve fruitfully. Its recently initiated concert series, “Classic Accents,” featured the MSO Chamber Orchestra in three concerts, each one performed in Harris Concert Hall. The spring event featured School of Music faculty members Dr. Artina McCain and Dr. Cathal Breslin as soloists in “Francis Poulenc’s Concerto in D minor for Two Pianos and Orchestra”. Two Bosendorfer concert grand pianos, recently gifted to the School of Music by Charlotte and Fred Hodges, made their inaugural appearance at this concert. These stunning pianos have been lovingly named — you guessed it — Charlotte and Fred (see article on page 24). We are all thrilled that the successful Classic Accents series will continue this year.

The Department of Theatre & Dance, for instance, has an exciting new partnership with the Orpheum Theatre Group, in which a graduate student in Theatre fulfills his/her assistantship working in various capacities with the organization, gaining professional experience in educational outreach, marketing and arts administration. Our inaugural year (2017–18) was an immense success as our graduate student’s contributions to the educational mission of the theatre helped him secure an impressive summer opportunity.

Theatre & Dance also continues to nurture its longstanding affiliation with the Tennessee Shakespeare Company. Since 2013, our shared aim has been to provide extraordinary professional training and performance experiences to undergraduate theatre students. The newest

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From Oct. 21 through Dec. 31, the Art Museum of the University of Memphis (AMUM) is collaborating with Latino Memphis and other social justice organizations in “Barrier Free”, “For Freedom: A 50 State Initiative.” The Memphis Brooks Museum of Art, Clough-Hanson Gallery at Rhodes and Memphis College of Art are fellow participants in the initiative.

While Barrier Free has been shown

for brief periods around the city, the current goal is to develop a palette of art programs engaging with socially and/or politically marginalized or threatened people in the United States.

The Department of Architecture and the Carpenter Art Garden have been collaborating for four productive years through the American Institute of Architecture Students (AIAS) Design+Build Studio (see article on page 34).

The students have forged relationships with the American Heart Association, International Paper, the FedEx Institute of Technology and the Crews Center for Entrepreneurship to provide media services and campaigns.

CCFA’s Center for Health Literacy and Health Communication, which is housed within the Department of Communication & Film, maintains a broad network of community associates, including a yearlong partnership with Caregiver’s Respite to share resources, tools, plain language materials and support for communication in the health care setting. The Center has also forged a new partnership with Friends for Life on peer-to-peer communication interventions to prevent the spread of HIV in Memphis, while maintaining ongoing partnerships with Methodist University Hospital, Regional One and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital on a series of initiatives including teen contraception, sickle cell quality of care and organizational health literacy.

A two-week Summer Art Camp, the fruit of a four-year-long partnership between the Department of Art and the Dixon Gallery and Gardens, gives local youth the opportunity to work with arts professionals in Memphis for free. The 2018 camp concluded colorfully with an exhibition and a wearable art parade.

The Department of Art has also been collaborating with the Memphis Public Library to offer free after-school art classes for young people from all over Memphis. The after-school art academy is overseen by Dr. Bryna Bobick (associate professor of art), and the classes are taught by our art education students.

Both Master of Architecture as well as Bachelor of Fine Arts in Architecture students have benefited from their involvement in the project. Last spring, another notable partnership between the Department of Architecture, Clean Memphis, the Memphis Business Academy and FedEx allowed first year undergraduate students in the Fundamentals of Design Studio to complete a project focused on the design of sustainable modular systems. The department will maintain its commendable policy of having at least one community project in each design studio each semester.

Partnerships with local for-profit and nonprofit organizations are a key aspect of Meeman 901 Strategies — the Department of Journalism and Strategic Media’s student-run strategic communications firm.

I am proud of these and so many other CCFA partnerships. They help us to achieve our goal of forging meaningful connections with the wider community, while at the same time providing enriching experiences for our students, faculty, staff and stakeholders.

I wish you a healthy and enjoyable winter season. I am, as ever, sincerely grateful for your support of our wonderful college.

MIGHTY SOUND OF THE SOUTH Gets New Equipment This fall has been an exciting marching season for the Mighty Sound of the South — with new shows, special performances and new uniforms generously provided by an anonymous donor. One of the new looks debuted during the Tigers’ football game against the University of Central Florida for a special Blues Brothers themed halftime show.

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THE MIGHT Y SOU THE MARCHING BAND of the University of Memphis has proudly represented the University since the organization of the “Tiger Band� in 1940. Whether performing on campus, in the 61,000-seat Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium or locations far away, the Mighty Sound of the South always brings spirit and energy that enhances the experience for everyone in attendance.

With band members representing virtually every academic major in the University, the Mighty Sound of the South is proud to be one of the largest and most diverse organizations on campus.

1979

1982

1975

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1979

1975

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ND OF THE SOUTH Students in the Mighty Sound of the South gain access to scholarships and out-of-state tuition waivers, travel to exciting locations in support of our athletic teams, are part of a rich University and band tradition, engage in meaningful music-making and regularly perform for audiences in the tens of thousands — all of this, while forging relationships that will last a lifetime. This timeline depicts how much the uniforms have changed over the years.

2018

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2005

2018

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THE UNIFORMS AND performance were inspired by the 1980 movie “The Blues Brothers.” University of Memphis football fans were entertained by songs from artists connected to Memphis, including “Think”

by Aretha Franklin, “Jailhouse Rock” by Elvis Presley, “Memphis Blues” by W. C. Handy and “I Can’t Turn You Loose” by Otis Redding.

“It was a Blues Brothers show with a Memphis twist. The uniforms are a nod to the rich musical history in Memphis. Although it looks like the Blues Brothers outfit worn in the movie, the uniform itself is really a nod to the blues man. It’s a very Memphis thing. In the past, you could have seen people walking Beale Street wearing an outfit like this,” said Director of Athletic Bands, Will Plenk.

In addition to the special attire, the Mighty Sound of the South will soon have a new standard look that they will wear regularly. The students heard about the new uniforms in the spring and have been looking forward to the update.

“They are really excited, and I’m obviously very excited about it, too,” Plenk said.

To create the design for the new uniforms, Plenk, Associate Director of Bands Armand Hall and Director of Bands Albert Nguyen drew upon past uniforms for inspiration.

“I wanted a more traditional look. It is one that is very different from what other college bands wear,” Plenk said.

“It will be very unique to the UofM.” “Branding for the uniforms was important,” continued Plenk. “We needed to find a way to get everything on it that identifies us as the UofM — the colors, logo and the city.

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“The new design is classic, which is preferable because it becomes less dated than modern ones.”

Components of the design for the new uniforms were borrowed from previous ones. The back is reminiscent of the design two jackets ago, and the front is a throwback to a more classic look.

“The new design creates a very strong look. The shoulders are wide. You will see some elements from traditional show band uniforms,” Plenk said.

Show bands are traditional marching bands primarily for crowd entertainment and football field performances. There are a lot of show bands in Memphis, said Plenk, so he wanted to incorporate some of those elements into the design.

A rendering of the formal uniforms for the Mighty Sound of the South.

well off the field and give the band a more expansive look. The back is blue, which will provide contrast that can be utilized during the halftime performances.

“We don’t want to just choose a uniform because it looks pretty. It has to be functional,” Plenk said.

The number of members of the Mighty Sound of the South is typically between 220 and 240 people. Plenk said they are outfitting for a slightly larger band to account for growth.

Each fall, they perform for all home games and two away games. To be a member, a student does not have to be a music major, but must audition. Students must also attend band camp, which is usually held the two weeks before classes begin in the fall.

The specialty uniform is an ode to the blues history of Memphis.

“We want people coming from both corps style and show style to look at the uniforms and identify with them. We want our band to represent the City of Memphis, not just the University,” he said. Corps style bands use a style based on modern drum and bugle corps of Drum Corps International, their governing body.

Even the color placement was important. The front of the jacket is white, which reflects

The marching band performs three different halftime shows each fall, plus the traditional pregame show. In addition to football games, the Mighty Sound of the South participates in special recruiting events held at the Liberty Bowl during the fall. A great attraction, the Liberty Bowl offers stateof-the-art artificial turf and 360-degree seating with sightlines from the stands that puts attention directly on the field.

For more information about the Mighty Sound of the South, please visit mightysound.memphis.edu.

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Kayfabe: A Wrasslin’ Opera by Sam Shoup

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FACULTY AND STUDENTS PROVIDE VIDEO PROJECTION FOR OPERA FESTIVAL MEMBERS OF THE well-respected Graphic Design program designed video projection sets for the Midtown Opera Festival at Playhouse on the Square in April.

Assistant Professor Gary Golightly and students Cassie Farrier, Parks Purdue and Chad Malone (MFA candidate) designed the sets, and Assistant Professors K. Brandon Bell and Golightly programmed them using an application called Qlab. The production team was able to run the video projections based on lighting cues to ensure the projections matched the flow of the show.

“Gary and the students did a wonderful job realizing the visuals for the shows they each did — especially since it was a first time for all of them,” Bell said. “On my end, the biggest challenge was programming the entire thing since the software was totally new to me.

Luckily, the principles are all the same.”

General Director of Opera Memphis Ned Canty said the annual chamber opera festival featured multiple shows and performances on the same basic set, inspired by Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre. In order to give each show a unique visual identity, virtual scenery was projected onto three large screens arranged onstage.

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H

E SAID THE students were tasked with creating impactful visuals for six operas — one full length and five short pieces set in Memphis. They worked with the stage directors to source images that would both create the right ambience and help tell the story.

“It was fantastic. Their imagination and visual flair elevated the pieces immeasurably. Each of them felt distinct and special, despite the use of the same basic set,” said Canty who, along with Becky Caspersen, worked directly with the faculty and student video projection team.

This was the sixth annual festival presented by Opera Memphis, featuring two weeks of opera, parties, panel discussions, family events and more in the heart of the city. This year’s festival featured Scarlatti’s “The Triumph of Honor,” set in a mashup of the 1690s and the 1990s. It also boasted the world premiere of the Opera901 Showcase, a series of five original operas commissioned by Opera Memphis, all set in Memphis. The Showcase included “Formidable” (Kamala Sankram), “Kayfabe: A Wrasslin’ Opera” (Sam Shoup), “Movin’ Up In The World” (Zack Redler), “A Pretty Little Room” (Robert G. Patterson) and “Welcome to Grc Lnd 2030: The Demo” (Marco Pavé).

“Formidable” by Kamala Sankram

“It was a very fast turnaround — I believe it was under two weeks,”

THIS EXPERIENCE WAS REALLY GREAT BECAUSE IT COMBINED MY LOVE OF THEATER AND PERFORMANCE WITH MY LOVE OF GRAPHIC DESIGN 12 VOICES | UNIVERSITY OF MEMPHIS

Bell said. “The experience was frantic, but truly enjoyable.”

Farrier, who will graduate in December, agreed.

“This experience was really great because it combined my love of theater and performance with my love of graphic design. I really enjoy my classes, so working with professors Bell and Golightly was a fun experience,” she said.

Farrier said her part in the project was to create a David Hockney-style collage of well-known buildings and scenery of

“A Pretty Little Room” by Robert G. Patterson

the downtown Memphis area to set the scene of a 15-minute short called “Formidable.” She also helped create a time lapse of photos from 1696–1996, which transported the audience through time during the opera “Triumph of Honor.”

She is not sure what direction she wants to go in her career yet, but the possibilities are endless.

“Graphic design can be applied to so many facets of the world, so sometimes I feel like my goals change from month to month. I ultimately want to stay in Memphis because the city is in a bit of a renaissance right now, and I am excited to be a part of that. I love learning as much as possible about all the ways graphic design can be used, so I would like to consider myself a jack of all trades eventually. Never stop learning!”

Bell said that his professional experience is something he wanted to share with his students in some capacity, and this opportunity with Opera Memphis was a welcome surprise.

graphics every spring, where students learn to use Adobe After Effects to create video animations,” he said.

“The traditional path here for graphic designers is to do things like animate typography and logos. But there’s so much more that can be done with it, like creating virtual sets and environmental graphics. It’s so much fun to find new ways of using common industry tools.”

Canty said this is a working relationship he would like to continue to develop in the future.

“We hope that this will be an annual collaboration.

Projections have been a part of hi-tech Broadway shows for years, but as the prices of the technology come within reach of medium-sized companies like ours, we are able to incorporate projections into our shows more and more. Not only do we give our audiences a better show, we are able to provide a valuable professional experience for the students in a field that they may not have realized has multiple job opportunities,” Canty said.

“The Triumph of Honor” by Alessandro Scarlatti

“Because of my experience in live stage screen content and digital sets for the Tony Awards and TED Talks, I’ve been looking for a way to connect students in our program with live event graphics. I teach a Special Studies course on motion

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ARNESTINE JENKINS

Professor Earnestine Jenkins, recipient of the 2018 Benjamin W. Rawlins, Jr. Meritorious Professorship and Department of Art professor, not only teaches history, she lives it. She is a walking, talking history book waiting to be opened by anyone with the time and inclination to ask.

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“Race, Representation & Photography in 19th-Century Memphis: From Slavery to Jim Crow” presents a rich interpretation of African American visual culture.

Using Victorian era photographs, engravings and pictorial illustrations from local and national archives, this unique study examines intersections of race and image within the context of early African American communities.

Art is not just about pretty pictures.

It’s about history. Cultural expression has always been about the human experience.

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In 1893, she earned her medical degree from Meharry Medical Department of Central Tennessee College before going on to serve as a missionary in Liberia until 1895. She had a private practice in Memphis from 1895 until her death in 1900.

She is buried in Zion Christian Cemetery, the oldest African American cemetery in the city.

BORN IN HERNANDO, Mississippi, her father, Earnest Jenkins, was a paratrooper in World War II, serving in the South Pacific front with the 101st Airborne. He was a nurse’s aide and a farmer who worked at the Kennedy Veterans Hospital on Getwell Road and the Veterans Affairs Medical Center, which was the new name after Kennedy moved to Jefferson Avenue. The property on Getwell became the Park Avenue campus for the University of Memphis. Some of the original buildings remain in use today.

Lutie Lytle was the first black woman to pass the bar in Tennessee and the third black woman to be licensed to practice law in the country. After passing her oral exam, she worked in the criminal court system in Memphis.

Later, she returned to teach at Central Tennessee University, where she had studied, making her one of the few female law instructors in the world at the time.

“He would help transport mentally ill patients to Bolivar, Tenn., where the mental hospital is located,” she said of her father, who passed away in 1983 at the age of 90.

He was the youngest of 10 children.

“Black women … their role is unique in history,” Jenkins said. “History shows that black women can take a leading role — It’s our time.”

Her paternal great grandparents, Sam Mineral Jenkins and Ella Jones Jenkins, were born slaves in DeSoto County, Mississippi. Sam became a school teacher licensed to teach in Mississippi, which was listed on the 1880 census. After the death of his wife, Sam moved to South Memphis where he taught math at LeMoyne Normal Institute.

He and another gentleman were the first black faculty at LeMoyne during a time when the faculty at American Missionary Association schools were primarily white teachers from the north.

Emulating this statement, Jenkins is involved in several historical projects around the city.

“Protecting the Legacy: African American Women in Tennessee Before 1930” is a project that asks the public to help uncover local stories about the political history of African American women in Tennessee. The purpose is to “expand the narrative of suffrage, voting and political activity and to preserve the contributions and experiences of African American women during this time period.”

Earnestine Jenkins’ pride in her past is evident and seems to bleed into her obvious love and appreciation for local African American history. This summer, she worked on her latest project which focused on female black activists including Ida B. Wells, Julia Britton Hooks, Dr. Georgia Patton-Washington and Lutie Lytle.

“Everyone knows Ida B. Wells, but there are others who came before her. You would think she hatched from an egg and became who she was,” Jenkins said. “There were black women activists before her who influenced her — women such as Julia Hooks, who was her mentor.”

Known as the “Angel of Beale Street,” Hooks was considered the first black social worker in Memphis. The grandmother of Benjamin Hooks, she opened her home to young black juveniles in Memphis, continuing this work even after her husband was killed by one of the young men. A musical child prodigy, Hooks, along with good friend Anna Wright Church, opened the Old Colored Folks and Orphans Home, which she paid for with money she earned from her music. She founded the musical group Liszt Mullard Club, performing classical music concerts throughout the 1880s.

Dr. Patton-Washington was the first black woman to receive a license to practice medicine in the state of Tennessee as a physician and surgeon.

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Dr. Georgia PattonWashington was the first black woman licensed surgeon in Tennessee and the first African American woman physician in Memphis.

Jenkins is working on the state-wide project with Chick History, an organization that is dedicated to rebuilding history by focusing on the stories of women. She has written three essays on the topic that can be found at protect.chickhistory.org.

This summer, Jenkins held an event at Orange Mound Community Center to show people how to look through their family and community memorabilia for historical records like photographs, letters and scrapbooks. She was looking for materials related to suffrage, voting, politics, community work, club and church meeting notices, nurses, teachers and racial uplift. During the project, which is expected to end in 2020, original work will be scanned and digital archives will be housed at Tennessee State University in Nashville.

Jenkins is also working on a book, “Early African American Photography: Representing ‘The New Negro’ Movement in the Urban South.” She is researching the early 20th century history of African American photographers in Memphis and their visual documentation of social, cultural and political life in the city. Covering the New Negro Movement, the photographers included James P. Newton, Robert and Henry Hooks, Early Lewis and Ronald Coleman.

From 2016–17, Jenkins worked with the Benjamin L. Hooks Institute for Social Change on a project called “Sharp as a Steel Trap,” a documentary about Ida B. Wells and the city of Memphis. She served as producer, historical consultant, researcher and visual culture studies expert, particularly in the research and identification of historical photographs and images of the late 19th century in Memphis. The film screened earlier this year.

“This was the first time her experience in Memphis has been documented,” Jenkins said. “Wells used lynching photographs in her activist role.

She took them with her to Europe for lectures so people could see them and be educated on what was really going on in the American South.”

Jenkins has been engaged in a variety of other community projects. “As a scholar with expertise in 19th century American history, including slavery, I contribute to the development of scripts for exhibits, tours and related interpretive materials,” Jenkins said. “My research is focused on the history of the enslaved African Americans owned by the Davies family up until after the Civil War.” She worked with Urban Arts on a project for Jesse Turner Park, the first park designated for African Americans in Memphis during segregation. The artwork features the stories of figures from this historic community in the center of South Memphis at the corner of Bellevue and South Parkway.

Garvin Fouse Senior (1896–1983) fought in World War I. This picture is from 1919.

“The Arts of Race & Violence Project,” a multidisciplinary project organized by Jenkins and Department of Art chair Richard Lou in collaboration with Crosstown Arts, was designed to promote understanding of racial oppression and violence in the South by memorializing lynching sites. Together with Celeste Bernier, 2014–15 Dorothy Kayser Hohenberg Chair of Excellence in Art History and George Lipsitz from the University of California, she provided scholarly information through lectures and a panel on the 1892 lynchings. The City of Memphis is an important site in this era because of the murder of three young African American businessmen in 1892 and the lynching of Ell Persons in 1917.

Jenkins was on the Memphis Heritage Trails Research-History Committee, where she formed a group made up of faculty scholars from the University of Memphis and LeMoyne Owen College and two graduate students from UofM Department of Anthropology. The group researched and wrote didactic information to be used for exhibits, historical markers and artwork displayed along the trail, on the website and in a brochure that illustrates the African American history and community that created the Beale Street historic district.

“What’s important to me is when I can bring in black students to work on projects dealing with their own history,” Jenkins said.

The project was run by Self+Tucker Architects, a firm whose managing principal is Jimmie Tucker, adjunct faculty member in the Department of Architecture. Also part of the Memphis Heritage Trail project is the MLGW Downtown Community Office building mural that shows the history of civil rights in Memphis. The mural’s content was based on historical information provided by Jenkins.

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Dr. Earnestine Jenkins curated the African Exhibit at the Art Museum of the University of Memphis.

Because of her desire to give back to the community in which she grew up, Jenkins has been involved in a variety of projects in Whitehaven. She provided historical information about the importance of David Carnes Park to the community for the Blue Cross Healthy Place project, a revitalization effort made possible by a $5.4 million grant from Blue Cross Blue Shield of Tennessee Health Foundation. The project will help remind people of the importance of the community to African American history.

“They are going to build a blacksmith shop and family area to educate the community,” Jenkins said.

“Black people have always been part of Whitehaven. The area was predominantly rural up until the 1920s. The original plantation owners here were a relatively small group of people, but they were self-sufficient, growing and making most of what they needed dependent upon slave labor.”

Carnes, for whom the park was named, operated a blacksmith shop on the site that is Southland Mall. He was one of the first African Americans to buy property in the neighborhood, which makes his story even more personal to Jenkins. She was raised in that neighborhood, in the same house on Whitehaven Lane that her sister Sandra lives in today. Her parents purchased land in 1963 from Lettie Dixon Carnes, the widow of David who had passed in 1953, and built their home next door to another family 18 VOICES | UNIVERSITY OF MEMPHIS

in the neighborhood, the Sinclairs.

“The white families around us threatened us, broke out our front windows and threw dead animals in our yard. But we stayed,” she said.

“In 1964, three more black families built their homes next to ours. All of the women were school teachers, along with my mother. The fathers had all been in World War II and had government jobs at the VA Hospital and the Army Depot. All of these homes are still standing and were built by a black contractor.”

The children living on this street integrated the elementary and high schools; in fact, the Jenkins sisters were the first black children at Whitehaven Elementary. Jenkins said when she was growing up, her street was one of the most beautiful streets in their subdivision, which was founded between 1908 and 1912.

“Today, only three of the founding black families on Whitehaven Lane remain, the Sinclairs, the Reeds and the Jenkins,” she said. “Those left have worked hard to try and keep this neighborhood up and maintain what our parents built.

The neighborhood suffered during the recession and too many homes are rented out, but I always believed it would come back. I believe this initiative is the beginning.”

According to Jenkins, the project will not just honor Carnes and his blacksmith work, but it will also

honor the teachers that lived on the street and educated them, as well as the farmers, like her father.

“I can see beautiful flower gardens somewhere. This is who we were, and that was how our community sustained itself,” she said.

Though her father’s cousin was Elvis Presley’s cook, she stated, “there is more to Whitehaven history than being the place where Elvis lived. I’m working to help preserve and share that history.”

Another of her community activities included sitting on the selection committee for the I Am a Man Plaza that was erected next to Clayborn Temple, headquarters of the strike, in downtown Memphis. She was historical consultant for the text written on the $1.5 million project, providing historical passages, timelines and quotes from those in the movement. Her name, along with the two others on the writing committee, appears on the monument.

Although local artists were upset that someone from California was selected to create the monument, Jenkins said that this led to important discussions.

“Discussions about art and equity in Memphis came out of it. That was important. It is important to understand what is needed to get local artists to the level to compete with international artists,” Jenkins said.

She said it is important for Memphis, a city that wants to be seen as having a viable art scene, to have the level of education needed to get there.

Jenkins has a BFA in painting from Spelman College in Atlanta, an MA in art history from the UofM and a PhD in History from Michigan State University with a focus on Northeast-Horn of Africa and secondary areas in West African History, African American History, Comparative Black/African Diaspora Studies and Gender Studies. Because of her education and knowledge, she understands the importance of PhD programs to the reputation of the university and the city when trying to compete in the art world. She hopes to one day

and do. I use programs like “Queen Sugar” and “Underground” as well as movies like “Black Panther,” she said.

Jenkins’s dedication to her scholarly and historical preservation efforts have now been rewarded with the Benjamin W. Rawlins, Jr. Meritorious Professorship, one of the highest distinctions given to a faculty member in the College of Communication and Fine Arts.

“It means a great deal, particularly for a scholar to be recognized in that area,” Dr. Jenkins said. “Things happen when they are supposed to. It’s something that my mother told me that I always remember.

Keep working … things happen when they’re supposed to.”

And this does not include all of the book reviews, peer reviewed articles, invitations to lecture at prestigious conferences in her field of study, presentations, panel discussions, chairing sessions at national conferences … the list goes on.”

“Having the awards and recognition coming when they are coming … it is really important for people of color who are interested in arts,” Jenkins said.

Earnestine Jenkins (third from left) was instrumental in the development of the David Carnes Park to the community for the BlueCross Healthy Place project.

see the UofM in that conversation with other top art programs.

“Art is not just about pretty pictures. It’s about history. Cultural expression has always been about the human experience,” she said.

“Art history is interdisciplinary — we study the arts, history, intellectual property, psychology and more.”

Jenkins attempts to engage her students, keeping art history relevant to them through the use of pop culture and political events. She watches many movies and television shows so she can find entertaining and educational ways to inform her students. “It is part of my work and what I study

The purpose of the professorship is to provide a unique and invaluable opportunity to award outstanding faculty within CCFA and help support faculty efforts to bring national and international recognition to the college, university and the community. Dr. Jenkins’ other recent awards include the 2018 Alumni Association Award for Distinguished Achievement in the Creative Arts and the 2017 Dean’s Award for Outstanding Research.

Department chair Lou said, “In the last seven years, Dr. Jenkins has published two books and has contract in hand on a third. That is approximately a book published every two years or so.

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THEATRE STUDENTS INTERN WITH

BROADWAY

LEGEND Justin Braun, University of Memphis Department of Theatre & Dance

MFA in Directing candidate, received the thrill of a lifetime last summer when he interned with famed Broadway director and producer Harold Prince on the musical “Prince of Broadway.” The retrospective musical chronicles the work of the legendary Broadway icon.

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P

RINCE HAS directed and/or produced many memorable Broadway shows, including “West Side Story,” “Damn Yankees,” “Cabaret,” “Sweeney Todd,” “Evita” and “The Phantom of the Opera.” He is one of the most prolific directors/ producers Broadway has ever seen and has won more Tony Awards than anyone in the business.

The new musical was directed by Prince, along with co-director and choreographer Susan Stroman.

Stroman has choreographed and directed a number of well-known shows, including “The Music Man (Revival),” “The Producers,” “Young Frankenstein,” “Big Fish” and “Bullets Over Broadway.”

“My official title was creative team intern, which put me in the room with Prince, Stroman, David Thompson (book writer) and their two associates throughout the entire rehearsal process, preview performances and opening night on Broadway,” said Braun.

In addition, he helped out wherever needed during rehearsals — whether it was moving set pieces, standing in for actors or running errands.

He said he also did typical intern things like getting lunch and coffee for the crew.

Braun gained some valuable new skills during the internship.

When they moved to the theatre during technical rehearsals, he assisted James Gray when pieces of the set and lighting elements were added to the stage.

“He taught me how to use an iPad program called Stage Write to record all of the actors’ movements onstage. He put me in charge of tracking all of the movement onstage, including the set pieces that moved in and out,” Braun said.

When the preview performances began, he sat in the balcony and used the iPad to make sure all the stage movement was correct. He also helped with weekly understudy rehearsals to make sure they knew all of the blocking for their tracks or knew where they should go onstage.

His experiences will benefit him as an MFA directing student and in his future career as a director.

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“AT THE END of the day, a director is really just a professional multitasker,” Braun said jokingly.

Braun said he has always wanted to be in theatre. He acted in school plays and “fell in love with the magic of the theatre.” He got his undergraduate degree in musical theatre performance in 2016, but it was not until his mid20s that he found his true calling.

“That’s when I realized directing was more fulfilling and exciting for me than acting.”

Originally from Los Angeles, Braun grew up in south Florida. He was an only child with a normal suburban childhood. His father was a music publisher, and his mother was a school teacher. Unfortunately, his father passed away when he was 19.

“I think a lot of my theatricality and love for theatre came from him. I don’t really remember a time when theatre wasn’t my passion. I sort of naturally gravitated toward the stage.”

He said his mother has been a great support system for him, always urging him to pursue what makes him happy. “I’m extremely lucky that I was born to two amazing people.”

It is the support of family and UofM faculty and staff that made his oncein-a-lifetime internship opportunity possible. When asked to share the most memorable part of the internship, it was a difficult task. He remembered seeing Jason Robert Brown, composer for “Songs for a New World,” “Parade” and “The Last Five Years.” Brown did orchestrations and an original closing number for the show, so he was always coming to rehearsals.

“Getting to watch him work with the actors was fascinating. He is truly a musical genius. He wrote a couple of different songs until they settled on the one that made it into the show, “Do the Work.” Getting to see him refine the song was such a cool experience,” said Braun.

Another interesting moment involved Broadway composer Stephen Sondheim (“Sweeney Todd,” “Into the Woods” and “Company”). One day after the show had begun preview performances, the associate director came up to him and said Sondheim was coming that night and it was a secret. He was to hand deliver Sondheim’s tickets at the stage door right before the performance.

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Justin Braun and Hal Prince in New York

“THAT NIGHT I waited, slightly terrified, at the stage door for Sondheim. About two minutes before curtain, Sondheim walked in and announced, ‘I hear you have some tickets for me!’ I rushed up to him and responded with ‘Yes, Mr. Sondheim, here you go.’ He took the tickets, thanked me, gave me a big smile and a wink and walked into the theatre,” Braun said.

Meeting the two Broadway staples was an incredible experience for him, but there were so many more moments that he could not name a favorite.

“Honestly, every day a million cool things happened getting to watch two Broadway legends direct a new musical. It’s hard for me to choose just one,” he said.

Braun said he had two big takeaways from this experience.

The first was to “do the work,” which was the main theme of the “Prince of Broadway.” Prince has been successful in his career because of his persistence, even though he had many commercial failures throughout his career.

“I am constantly reminded of these lyrics from the closing number of the show: ‘Do the work, do it now, if there is something to say then say it. Find your team, find your voice, put it out there in the world.’

It’s such a simple message, but I think it is incredibly empowering.”

His second takeaway is the importance of specificity in his work. This was emphasized by both Prince and Stroman. Stroman made sure every beat in the music was a moment to tell the story. Prince made sure he relayed information to his actors about character and relationship. He also knew exactly what he wanted from his designers down to the individual lighting cues and the timing of set pieces.

“Nothing was ever glossed over in this production, and that is something that I plan to bring to my work moving forward in my career.”

Braun was able to put his takeaways to work this summer when he directed four shows at an all-girls arts camp called Belvoir Terrace at the Berkshires in Massachusetts. This spring, he will direct “Be More Chill,” a musical written by Joe Tracz with music and lyrics by Joe Iconis. It is adapted from a young adult novel of the same name by Ned Vizzini.

The musical is about a kid named Jeremy who is trying to survive high school until he discovers the SQUIP, a supercomputer that implants itself in Jeremy’s brain and tells him how to be cool. The audience watches his transformation from awkward nerd to most popular kid in school, while trying to win the

affections of Christine, a nerdy drama student.

Braun plans to graduate in spring 2019, and he will apply for directing fellowships around the country to get more professional experience as an assistant director, then move to New York City.

“I want to direct professionally,” he said. “After getting the chance to work on Broadway, I hope to be able to get back there again one day.”

He is grateful to the people who made his internship possible: faculty and staff — former Associate Dean Moira Logan, department chair Holly Lau, Director of Publicity and Promotions Alice Berry — have provided invaluable support to help him pursue his dreams. In addition, the Jeniam Foundation provided a grant to help with expenses. Without them, he would not have been able to take advantage of the opportunity created for him by Nicki Hunter of the Manhattan Theatre Club.

“I also want to thank my advisor Sarah Brown (associate professor and coordinator of graduate studies in Theatre & Dance) for being my biggest supporter, my 1920s manager (inside joke) and for setting this whole thing up. Without her, none of this would have been possible.”

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T H E

Sound Love O F

N

O ONE KNEW WHEN CHARLOTTE and Fred Hodges met at the University of Memphis more than 60 years ago that their love story would become an instrumental part of the Rudi E. Scheidt School of Music.

Fred has often expressed that, had it not been for a football scholarship, he would never have had the opportunity to attend the UofM and meet his soulmate Charlotte.

Years later, the couple’s love for the UofM, music and each other led them to make an extraordinary gift to the University.

When Charlotte and Fred arrived for a piano recital in Harris Concert Hall this past spring, they knew they wanted to purchase one of the loaned Bösendorfer grand pianos on behalf of the School of Music. The moving performance by faculty Cathal Breslin and Artina McCain helped the couple realize they wanted to do more.

The pianists’ performance of the Concerto for Two Pianos and Orchestra

by Francis Poulenc with the Memphis Symphony Chamber Orchestra made the Hodges reminisce about their own love story. Together they decided, much like themselves, they did not want the pianos to be separated. By the end of the evening, the couple offered to purchase both pianos

and requested they be named “Charlotte” and “Fred” in honor of their love for one another.

“The University has done so much for Charlotte and me and for this city. If it weren’t for the football scholarship that brought me to Memphis, I wouldn’t have met Charlotte and would have had a completely different life. When we heard that they were going to lose the second piano, I just said to Charlotte, ‘Let’s do both,’” Hodges said.

Ranked among the world’s oldest and most prestigious piano manufacturers, Bösendorfer is famous for intricate hand-craftsmanship, high quality instruments and unmistakably inspiring sound. The Bösendorfer pianos will bring distinction to the School of Music and enhance the educational experience of our students.

“The new pianos provide an incredible opportunity for our students and faculty to practice and perform on such renowned instruments,” said John Chiego, director of the School of Music.

Known for their richer, more full-bodied sound, Bösendorfer pianos have been preferred by artists from classical to rock including Franz Liszt, Wilhelm Backhaus, Leonard Bernstein, Nina Simone and Stephen Schwartz.

The Hodges are long-term supporters of the University of Memphis. The couple recently made a gift to the new Scheidt Family Music Center, which will be the new home of the pianos.

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CCFA ROBERT HETHERINGTON

Department of Theatre & Dance Professor ROBERT HETHERINGTON, Directing and Theatre History, retired after 21 years of service to the UofM. Hetherington came to the department as chair in 1997, a position he held until 2012. He served as the inaugural provost fellow and completed a year as special assistant to the president for strategic planning.

In 2004, Hetherington received the Dean’s Creative Achievement Award, and in 2007, he received the UofM Alumni Association Distinguished Research Award for Distinguished Achievement in the Creative Arts.

Other honors include two Tyrone Guthrie Awards for artistic work at Canada’s Stratford Festival. In 2012, Hetherington was instrumental in staging one of the Mid-South’s first college productions of “Phantom of the Opera” on campus, which was part of the UofM’s centennial celebration. The production was a collaboration between the Department of Theatre & Dance and the Rudi E. Scheidt School of Music, setting new standards for musical theatre at the university.

Rudi E. Scheidt School of Music Assistant Professor ALLEN RIPPE, Saxophone, retired after 40 years of service to the UofM. Rippe began his musical training at the Interlochen Arts Academy, continuing at the Hartt School of Music at the University of Hartford.

He received his Master of Music degree from the University of Michigan. Early in his tenure, he spent a year in Israel, performing with the Israel Philharmonic and the Jerusalem Symphony and teaching for the Municipal Youth Band of Acre.

He was awarded a National Endowment for the Arts grant in 1987 to commission William Russo — American composer, conductor, arranger and jazz musician from Chicago — to write “Memphis: A Ballet for Alto Saxophone and Ten Instruments,” which premiered at the University of Memphis New Music Festival. In 2010, he was a soloist at the XV World Saxophone Congress in Bangkok, Thailand.

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ALLEN RIPPE

S AY S

GOODBYE TO RETIREES

Niles Wallace with Tennessee First Lady Crissy Haslam.

Department of Art Professor NILES WALLACE, Ceramics, retired after 48 years of service to the University of Memphis. While at the UofM, he received a variety of honors and awards including the Tennessee Arts Commission Individual Artist Grant, the Edinboro State University Distinguished Alumni Award and the Individual Craftsman Fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts. His work has been exhibited nationally and is included in many private and corporate collections. One of Wallace’s recent highlights was being invited by Governor Bill Haslam and First Lady Crissy Haslam to participate in Tennessee’s Home for the Holidays. The open house featured the work of artists from across the state who used a variety of mediums. Wallace was one of four artists invited from the city of Memphis.

NILES WALLACE

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Career Specialists PROVIDE SUPPORT TO CCFA STUDENTS

U

NIVERSITY OF Memphis students and alumni now have help transitioning from college to career through Career Services, a new offering that began as a pilot program with Kemmons Wilson School of Hospitality & Resort Management. The new department provides services to help students develop professionally and be successful after graduation.

Two career specialists have been assigned to the College of Communication and Fine Arts.

Marta Lopez-Flohr is responsible for the Departments of Architecture, Art, Theatre & Dance and the Rudi E. Scheidt School of Music, and Jamel Major for Communication & Film and Journalism & Strategic Media. In addition to their assigned departments within the College, Lopez-Flohr works with Kemmons Wilson and Major works with the humanities.

“Career Services seeks to complement the academic mission of the University by educating and empowering students to take ownership of their professional development as lifelong learners and to function successfully in a global society,” Major said.

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Major and Lopez-Flohr work two days a week specifically with CCFA. This targeted focus on departments within their assigned areas, instead of working with the entire University community, allows them to form key partnerships by working with instructors and department leaders to tie career development into the curriculum and student experience.

In the community, Career Services provides a key connection between students and employers. They conduct employer engagement and campus recruitment activities with targeted organizations and industries to raise the number and quality of job opportunities for students.

As qualified career specialists, they provide a variety of helpful programs

and events, including resumé and cover letter writing assistance, interview preparation tips, career fairs, professional development workshops and online job and internship listings through TigerLink. They also provide special services, such as Memphis Career Preparation Academy (MCPA), the Suit Yourself Program and Focus 2.

MCPA helps UofM freshmen and transfer students become “Tiger Talent Ready” and get the most out of their college experience by teaching them how to gain the skills and experiences employers are seeking. In partnership with JCPenney, Suit Yourself provides students appropriate professional attire for career fairs, interviews and other professional events. Focus 2 helps students determine majors and careers that best fit them through a

variety of career planning tools including free online career assessments that focus on academic strengths, work and leisure interests, personality, values and skills.

Marta Lopez-Flohr works with a student at a career fair.

Before becoming a career specialist, Lopez-Flohr graduated with a bachelor’s degree in urban studies/political science from Columbia University in New York. As an undergraduate, she worked in the admissions office in the School of the Arts, while volunteering with youth in Washington Heights.

Lopez-Flohr witnessed firsthand how student involvement can help carve a career path.

After graduation, she joined Teach for America and taught elementary and middle

school in South Bronx and then studied at The Institute of Culinary Education.

Lopez-Flohr then served as an adjunct instructor in Drexel University’s Culinary Arts and Food Science program. After relocating to Memphis, she joined the UofM to pilot the new career services model with Kemmons Wilson School of Hospitality & Resort Management.

Major came to the role of career specialist for the Departments of Communication & Film and Journalism and Strategic Media with a large amount of journalistic and communication experience. He joined the University of Memphis in 2015 as director of media and public relations for Marketing and Communication.

Prior to that, he was a marketingmedia coordinator for Forrest General Hospital in Hattiesburg, Mississippi.

As a reporter, he worked at WMC TV 5 in Memphis. His other broadcast television roles included bureau chief for WVTM, NBC 13 in Birmingham, Alabama; investigative reporter and anchor for WDAM TV in Hattiesburg; and producer for News 14 Carolina in Raleigh, North Carolina. Major is currently pursuing a Doctor of Education at the UofM. Both Lopez-Flohr and Major are dedicated to helping students explore opportunities during and after college so they can learn how to make themselves marketable to employers. By offering guidance and career advice, they hope to impact the community as a whole by leading students to a successful and happy future.

“Student success leads to departmental success and overall greater university success. Career Services helps the University of Memphis make a more pronounced and indelible pawprint on the City of Memphis. Employers are more likely to support our school if they are confident in our product. This leads to a cyclical effect of having more support for our students on campus,” Lopez-Flohr said.

For more information about CCFA career services, contact Lopez-Flohr, mlpzflhr@memphis.edu, or Jamel Major, cjmajor@memphis.edu. Both can be reached at 901.678.3428. For more information about student career resources, go to memphis.edu/careerservices.

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Kevin Brooks Named 2018 DAA Outstanding Young Alumnus

Scene from Kevin Brooks' most recent film “Last Day.”

KEVIN BROOKS (BA ’16), a Film and Video Production graduate of the Department of Communication & Film, received the Outstanding Young Alumnus Award from the University of Memphis Alumni Association this summer.

“Kevin has created an impressive body of work over the last year, in which he has been writer, director, cinematographer and editor. He has been a great ambassador for the department and the college in the Memphis film community,” said David Appleby, film and video production professor. “He has excelled in and outside of the classroom, and his creative talent has already been recognized not only locally but throughout the country.”

As a student, Brooks received the College of Communication and Fine Arts Dean’s

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Creative Achievement Award. He was selected for the Sundance Ignite Program, designed to introduce top upcoming filmmakers worldwide to the Hollywood elite. For two consecutive years, he was chosen to attend the National Film Festival for Talented Youth (NFFTY) that includes the work of exceptional filmmakers ages 18–24.

Brooks won the UofM’s GoPro HighTech FilmFest last year for “Skate is Life,” a film in which he starred that was chosen for screening at Indie Memphis, and he has been a semifinalist for the Warner Brothers Director’s Workshop for emerging filmmakers. The Memphis and Shelby County Film and Television Commission Board selected him as a board member, making him the youngest person to ever hold the position. He is currently part of the Indie Memphis Youth Initiative Program, with a focus on mentoring Memphis-area youth in filmmaking.

Earlier this year at Crosstown Arts, Brooks screened “Bonfire,” a film in which he starred. The film was his meditative piece on the nature of love and heartbreak. Other directorial film credits for Brooks include “Myles,” starring Department of Art alum Lawrence Matthews (BFA ’14), “Grace,” “Keep Pushing,” “Queendom Come” and “Marcus.”

“Through the films I have already made and the work that I want to produce in the future, my goal is to create content that is going to speak on the human condition in a very engaging way. It is my responsibility to create films that will push society forward.

I think those are the films that are going to stand the test of time because they do something that is greater than just popcorn entertainment — they speak on larger volumes about the human experience,” Brooks said.

See some of Brooks’ work on Vimeo at vimeo.com/user33834142.

“Through the films I have already made and the work that I want to produce in the future, my goal is to create content that is going to speak on the human condition in a very engaging way.”

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ADVISOR WORKS TO ENSURE

SUCCESS OF STUDENTS

A

N ALUMNA OF THE University of Memphis’ Department of Art, Rebekah Kohli is uniquely positioned to be successful in her role as academic success advisor for the College of Communication and Fine Arts. She believes that every student should have access to the resources they need to ensure a successful college career, and she is dedicated to working with students who struggle to complete their degrees. She works with a range of students, including those who receive alerts in their classes and students who are on academic warning, probation or returning from suspension.

“I can identify with students in this situation. When I first attended college, I struggled with being successful as a student,” Kohli said. “Students face a variety of challenges, and college is not a smooth experience for everyone.

It is my job to be that coach and mentor who will help them to successfully navigate through their collegiate experience.”

Kohli graduated from the UofM in 2000 with a bachelor’s degree in Art History. She later attended Northern Illinois University (NIU) where she

received a master’s degree in Art History and a graduate certificate in Women and Gender Studies in 2003.

Kohli employs a variety of methods to work with students. In addition to regular face-to-face meetings with students, she conducts phone and video conferences to discuss issues that are affecting them, including time management and study skills. Also, she connects her students to appropriate resources on campus, such as tutoring centers, writing assistance, counseling and emergency funds.

She said treating students as individuals is a very important approach. When she first meets with a student, she works to establish a level of trust quickly to help make the most of their time together.

She wants them to know that they are in a safe and non-judgmental place. She is a support system for students, helping them access the tools and develop the skills necessary to make improvements.

Even the walls of her office are filled with positive messages to encourage students toward their future.

Even though she’s only been in the position since 2017, Kohli’s methods have proven successful. Many of the

students with whom she has worked have improved their grades and study habits thanks to her advising.

In response to a survey, one student called her office a “comfort zone” on campus while another called her their “accountability coach.”

She said to achieve more progress in the future, she would like to work more closely with faculty to help them understand the benefits of the university’s early alert system and how to use her as a resource.

In part, Kohli credits the mentors, tutors and coaches at the UofM who helped her through her initial struggle with college for preparing her to work with this population of students. She has also completed training related to tutoring, mental health, first aid and working with students from diverse backgrounds.

Her experience with college level teaching, academic advising and being faculty advisor for an active student organization at NIU helped her adjust to this role as well.

“I believe this program is very beneficial,” Kohli said, “and I look forward to continuing to work with CCFA students to help them achieve their goal of completing their degrees.”

Students face a variety of challenges, and college is not a smooth experience for everyone. It is my job to be that coach and mentor who will help them to successfully navigate through their collegiate experience.

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Our goal is to produce robust, reliable in-depth journalism that Memphians can depend on.

DECORATED JOURNALIST JOINS

UNIVERSITY TO HEAD UP NEW REPORTING INSTITUTE B y TO M H R AC H

VETERAN MEMPHIS JOURNALIST MARC PERRUSQUIA HAS BEEN NAMED THE FIRST DISTINGUISHED JOURNALIST IN RESIDENCE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MEMPHIS, A POSITION CREATED AS PART OF A NEW INSTITUTE AT THE DEPARTMENT OF JOURNALISM AND STRATEGIC MEDIA.

managing editor and current journalism faculty member.

On July 16, the University announced the creation of the Institute of Public Service Reporting. The Institute was established to produce independent investigative and enterprise reporting for the Memphis community.

It also will provide hands-on training to journalism students.

“We need better, more high-quality local news reporting in Memphis.

The Daily Memphian will provide that,” said Eric Barnes, president of the Daily Memphian during the announcement at the FedEx Forum. “And one of the things we are most pleased about is the partnerships that we are forming with some of our local educational institutions.”

Perrusquia, 59, worked for more than 29 years at The Commercial Appeal where he won numerous state and national awards for his work. He is also the author of the 2018 book,“A Spy in Canaan,” which is about civil rights photographer Ernest Withers.

“This is a very exciting and novel opportunity,” Perrusquia said.

Perrusquia said the goal is to start small with just one person, but eventually create a professional newsroom staff of four to five journalists specializing in investigative and enterprise reporting. He will work with graduate assistants who will serve as interns helping in the newsgathering, data collection and writing process.

“Our goal is to produce robust, reliable, indepth journalism that Memphians can depend on,” Perrusquia said.

The new institute will be advised by Memphis journalists including Louis Graham, former executive editor of The Commercial Appeal and Otis Sanford, the paper’s former

The institute already has an agreement with the Daily Memphian, a nonprofit news organization that launched this fall, to publish its work.

The first partnership for The Daily Memphian is with the UofM and the new institute.

The institute fits with the University’s mission to serve the community, said UofM President Dr. M. David Rudd in a statement announcing the initiative.

“The institute of Public Service Reporting at the UofM will allow our students to gain valuable experience working under the direction of some of the most respected journalists in Memphis,” Rudd said.

“We are fortunate to have Marc Perrusquia with his expertise start our program along with Louis Graham and Otis Sanford. It is another wonderful association between the UofM and a nonprofit to make a positive impact on our city.”

The eventual goal for the institute is to forge partnerships with news organizations in television, radio and digital media.

Though the institute is housed in the Meeman journalism building, it is an independent center where students from many disciplines will be able to gain writing and research experience.

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Architecture students

PARTICIPATE IN A PROJECT for CARPENTER ART GARDEN

THE PROJECT INVOLVED THE DESIGN and construction of three outdoor “rooms” with planting areas and general site improvements.

The rooms are independent, but they are connected to the adjacent house, which is known as the Turquoise House or Miss Lou’s House, by an elevated walkway. The Turquoise House is a multipurpose indoor space for community activities, including art lessons, tutoring and other educational activities.

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According to chair and faculty of record Michael Hagge, the rooms provide space for teaching and learning during tutoring, book reading and the other educational activities provided at CAG. The students have space to display their creative work. The rooms’ structural systems contain planting areas for flowing plants including gardenias, the favorite flower of one of the major donors.

This was the third year that the American Institute of Architecture Students (AIAS) Design+Build Studio has worked with the CAG. From May to August, the team worked Friday and Saturday from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. to complete the project. Faculty and team leaders also worked during the week to set up work for students to complete on the weekend.

Said Hagge, “Our AIAS chapter began working with the Carpenter Art Garden as a community service project four years ago. After seeing the success of the master planning process completed by the students, Sherry Bryan (director of Architecture and Graduate Studies in Architecture) and I decided to offer a special summer section of the Design+Build Studio for the purposes of working with Carpenter Art Garden.”

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THIS SUMMER STUDENTS FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF ARCHITECTURE PARTICIPATED IN THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF ARCHITECTURE STUDENTS (AIAS) DESIGN+BUILD STUDIO AS PART OF A PROJECT FOR THE CARPENTER ART GARDEN (CAG) IN BINGHAMPTON.

2018 Carpenter Art Garden PR OJ ECT TE AM Michael Hagge

Department Chair and Course Faculty of Record

Sherry Bryan

Director of Architecture + Graduate Studies in Architecture

Oscar Andrade

M.Arch ’16, BFA-ARCH ’01, BSET-ARCH ’00 Team Leader

Martin Pantik

M.Arch ’18, BFA-ARCH ’16 Team Leader

Isaac Akers

Second Year M.Arch

Andrea Jimenez Second Year M.Arch

Kate Whitaker

Dakota Wyatt First Year M.Arch

Claire Eason

Third Year BFA-Architecture Interior Architecture

Lucy Hoard

Third Year BFA-Architecture Interior Architecture

Megan Hoover

M.Arch ’15, BFA-ARCH/IDES ’13 Special Alumni Volunteer

Barry Allmon

M.Arch ’16, BSET-ARCH ’92 Special Alumni Volunteer

Priya Kharel

M.Arch ’18 Special Alumni Volunteer

Sonia Raheel

Second Year M.Arch

M.Arch ’18, BFA-ARCH/IDES ’16 Special Alumni Volunteer

Mario Oliver

Rafael Rico

First Year M.Arch

Emon Safdari

BFA Arch ’18 Special Alumni Volunteer

First Year M.Arch

All participants are members of AIAS and/or American Institute of Architects (AIA).

HE FIRST TWO years were such a success that it was natural to continue into the third year. CAG has been involved in other Department of Architecture courses, including the Introduction to Architecture + Design course taught by Hagge, Bryan and Jennifer Barker, first year Architecture coordinator and M.Arch thesis coordinator.

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“The University of Memphis Architecture family is a true gift to Carpenter Art Garden and the Binghampton community,” said Erin Harris, founder and executive director of Carpenter Art Garden. “I call them family because that is what this group of

amazing people is to us. The time, talent and love they have shared is unmatched. They have formed meaningful relationships with CAG. Relationships are key to sustainable change. The faculty, Michael and Sherry, serve as outstanding leaders — leaders who truly understand the nature of community. The alumni who return each year demonstrate commitment that is inspiring, and each year the students bring such enthusiasm. The projects reflect careful consideration of the integrity of the neighborhood and the people who will be using the structures. Truly, the beauty and functionality of this work is beyond measure, and we are grateful.

It will continue to impact the neighborhood for years to come.”

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IN THE COMMUNITY

School of Music HELD SUMMER PROGRAMS HIS SUMMER, the Rudi E. Scheidt School of Music brought students and educators to campus through a variety of musical programs designed to improve skills. The programs were two summer staples — the Orff Summer Institute and the Summer Music Camp, which has traditionally hosted middle school and high school orchestra and band students. This year, a choir option for middle and high school students was added to the summer camp.

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The Orff Summer Institute is a yearly program for music educators seeking Orff-Schulwerk Certification. Orff Schulwerk is a dynamic and active approach to music and movement education created by Carl Orff and Gunild Keetman. It builds on children’s innate musical abilities through the things they do naturally — sing, speak, move and play. The University of Memphis program, coordinated

by Assistant Professor of Music Education Dr. Heather Klossner, is approved by the American Orff Schulwerk Association.

“This is the first time an Orff Masterclass has been held in several years. The University of Memphis Summer Orff Institute is now the oldest Orff Schulwerk Teacher Education Course in the United States with this marking our 48th year,” Klossner said.

The Summer Music Camp, which featured band/orchestra and choral options, gave young musicians the opportunity to learn from world-class musicians and take part in exciting performances.

For the band and orchestra camp, Pam Wilensky, string specialist with Shelby County Schools, coordinated string recruitment and helped with the administration of the camp. Kyle Hayes, horn player for Murfreesboro Symphony Orchestra and assistant director of the camp,

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VOICES

JRSM hosts

FIRST ACCELERATED MEDIA PROJECT

headed the counselor/student staff and coordinated evening activities.

Angela Woo, from John Adams Middle School in Santa Monica, California, led the Chamber and Full Orchestra. Sam Shoup, assistant professor of Music at the School of Music, directed the Jazz Band.

Armand Hall, associate director of Bands and Albert Nguyen, director of Bands, conducted the concert Band. Kaitlyn Smith (BM ’17) and Kevin Carpenter (BM ’18) conducted the Movie Band. “All of the camp performances were outstanding!” said Nguyen, who was summer camp director.

More than 150 middle and high school students participated in the Summer Music Camp.

“The launch of our Choir Camp was very exciting and could not have been done without Jeffery Murdock, Ryan Fisher, Emily Frizzell and Nick Wammack,” Nguyen said.

All of the participants performed in the mixed choir, a cappella choir and gospel choir. They also participated in master classes given by School of Music faculty and had an opportunity to visit with two professional music organizations — ICEBERG New Music, a collective of ten New York based composers and June, a professional a cappella group.

“Camp was a blast. Our goal was to create an environment for students to have fun while learning about various styles of choral music and performance. We definitely achieved that goal!” said Emily Frizzell, visiting assistant professor of Music Education, who worked closely with Nguyen for the choral camp.

In addition to rehearsals and performances, campers were exposed to various workshops with professionals. At the end of each day, they had the opportunity to participate in other camp activities, such as a talent show, skit night and game night.

THE DEPARTMENT OF JOURNALISM and Strategic Media held its first Accelerated Media Project for highachieving high school students.

The three-day summer workshop was directed by Assistant Professor Dr. Robby Byrd, with the help of graduate students Dana Coper and Addie James.

Through a rage of sessions, eight students from Whitehaven High School, Bartlett High School, White Station High School and Hollis F. Price Middle College High were introduced to the worlds of journalism, public relations, advertising and creative mass media.

Faculty and graduate students led the sessions, giving high schoolers the opportunity to meet recent graduates, experience university life and learn what to expect after earning their degree.

The department plans to host the workshop each year, filling a gap left by the cessation of “The Teen Appeal”, the citywide high school paper.

“We were blown away by the achievement level these students showcased during the week. I can’t wait to see what the years to come hold for AMP and the department. If this year was any indication, we are in for big things,” said Dr. Byrd.

For more information, contact Dr. Byrd at rdbyrd@memphis.edu or 901.678.2404.

Health Communication Course Focuses on Sickle Cell Disease SPECIALLY DESIGNED Department of Communication & Film course gave University of Memphis graduate students the opportunity to participate in citywide MLK50 events.

Created by Mandy Young, associate professor of Communication, the health communication seminar focused on social justice issues surrounding sickle cell disease (SCD).

A

SCD is a serious, inherited condition that affects red blood cells, causing episodes of pain and other symptoms.

It is most common in people of African descent, including African Americans where 1 in 12 carry the sickle cell gene and in Hispanic-Americans from Central and South America. It is also common in people of Middle Eastern, Asian, Indian and Mediterranean descent. In order for a child to get SCD, both parents must carry the sickle cell gene.

Shanna Cameron (MA in English), Breanna Hall (MA in English), Sara Daniels (MA) and Jhona Gipson (MA).

The idea for the class was sparked after Young met Pastor Juveiane Richards at his church in Michigan City, Mississippi. Pastor Richards was diagnosed at birth with sickle cell.

Since 1980, doctors have commonly tested for sickle cell. He went on to say that it is important to get tested for the trait. A child who has two parents with the trait has a 25 percent chance of having sickle cell. When one parent has the trait, a child has a 25 percent chance of having the trait themselves.

“Dr. Young came to my church to do a discussion on health disparities with minorities. She found out that I have sickle cell and invited me to campus for the MLK50 symposium,” Pastor Richards said.

patients and health care providers.

“Each presentation was followed by a lengthy and vibrant discussion.

We have created lasting friendships and have several follow-up projects already planned. The patients were overwhelmed that we wanted to hear their stories. It was a way to get their voice heard,” Young said.

As a result of the excitement generated by the sickle cell related activities, Young and the Center for Health Literacy and Health Communication (CHLHC) established a Sickle Cell Awareness Day on campus, participated in several volunteer projects at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and research studies at St. Jude and Methodist Healthcare. A consortium of researchers, providers and community members — the CHLHC is committed to exploring, identifying and improving

In between episodes, people live relatively well. With good treatment, long-term complications can often be prevented.

Therefore, early diagnosis and treatment by a specialist is advised.

During the semester, students in the seminar interacted weekly with people from the sickle cell community, including physicians, patients, the director of the Sickle Cell Foundation, an education specialist and a former member of the Black Panthers who served Memphis neighborhoods by setting up sickle cell clinics in the 1960s.

“My students and I learned an immense amount. Through our interactions with this community, we were able to get a better understanding of what living with sickle cell means and its tremendous impact on the lives of patients and their families. The students were profoundly affected by the experience,” Young said.

The students involved in the seminar were Andrea Jacobo (MPH), Kiersten Brockman (PhD), Makaila Mabry (MA),

During the King, Communication and the Legacy of Civil Rights Symposium hosted on campus by the Department of Communication & Film, he sat on the panel for the roundtable “Sickle Cell Disease in Context: Political, Social, Cultural and Medical Factors.” He was also asked to present in the classroom on what it is like to live with a chronic illness and work in the ministry.

“I really just did a conversation with them, encouraging them to continue to move forward by meeting and talking to people with sickle cell and other chronic conditions,” Pastor Richards said.

health inequities. The center will continue to seek opportunities to develop and pilot interdisciplinary communication interventions and disseminate communication approaches, tools and research outcomes associated with health literacy and health communication.

Along with Young, Communication & Film professors Dr. Joy Goldsmith and Sachiko Terui are part of CHLHC. For more information, go online to memphis.edu/chlhc or call the department at 901.678.2565.

At the end of the course, each member of the class wrote and presented at the Sickle Cell Foundation what they had learned to an audience of

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VOICES

NEWS & NOTES

A RC H IT E CT U R E STU D E N TS

As part of their fundamentals studio, first year students worked with high school students from Memphis Business Academy (MBA) to find ways to reduce waste through the use of recycled materials. The “Tectonic Architecture” project created robotic walls that react to sunlight using recycled cardboard from the FedEx Packaging Lab. The project was part of the Sustainable Schools Challenge, a Clean Memphis program promoting sustainable practice in schools.

Utilizing discarded cardboard from the FedEx Packaging Lab and scavenged, discarded or recycled plastic, first year students constructed operable modular systems exploring ideas of how sunlight control can influence the human experience. The semester-

by AIA Memphis, AIAS and the Department of Architecture.

JAEMI GUIEB (fourth year BFA in

Architecture + Interior Architecture) and BROCK TERWILLEGER (third year BFA in Architecture + Interior Architecture) each received a scholarship from the AUID (Association of University Interior Designers). The AUID offers three scholarships each year nationally.

CLAIRE EASON (third year BFA in Architecture + Interior Architecture) had her article “Millennial Modern” published in CRIT, the national magazine of the American Institute of Architecture Students (AIAS).

Second year Master of Architecture students MARTIN PANTIK and NESTOR LOBOS recently completed a Design+Build project, which converted two unused faculty offices

MARIO WALKER

following students were initiated at the department’s awards gala in May: PRIYA KHAREL (second year M.Arch); MARIO OLIVER and EMON SAFDARI (fourth year BFA-ARCH majors); CHRISTEN AYOUB , JAEMI GUIEB and CHRIS KNAUF (third year BFA-ARCH/ BFA-IDES majors). Professors MICHAEL HAGGE and JENNIFER BARKER serve as TSD faculty advisors. Only architecture schools fully accredited by the National Architectural Accrediting Board are eligible to have a chapter of TSD.

A LUMNI

ANTONIO TIRADO (M.Arch ’18, BFA Architecture + Interior Design ’16) received the Jonathan King Medal from the Architectural Research Centers Consortium (ARCC) for outstanding research on his Master of Architecture thesis “Empathic Design: Using Kinesthetic Architecture to Empower Children with Autism.”

Tirado presented his work with his M.Arch thesis major Professor Jennifer Barker at EDRA49, the international conference of the Environmental Design Research Association (EDRA) in Oklahoma City.

SONIA RAHEEL (M.Arch ’18, BFA Architecture + Interior Design ’16) received the Henry Adams Medal and Certificate from the American Institute of Architects. The medal was given in recognition of her outstanding academics, leadership and service to the profession.

long project began with an individual exploration of a sustainable modular wall. The MBA STEM Robotics Team, in their second year of partnership, evaluated the student modular walls.

The project also opened up a new relationship with FedEx. As part of their participation, they included the project on their blog website and created a video documenting the process from inception to the final presentation.

into a new computer lab for the M.Arch studios. Working under the supervision of Professors Sherry Bryan and Michael Hagge, the students designed and constructed the space using nonconventional materials and techniques. The eight station lab includes state-of-the-art computers purchased through a grant from the Tennessee Board of Architectural and Engineering Examiners.

CHRISTEN AYOUB (fourth year BFA in

Six students were recently selected for membership in Tau Sigma Delta, the national architecture honor society. To be eligible, students must have completed five semesters in the undergraduate program, one year in the M.Arch program and be in the top 10 percent of their studio class. The

Architecture + Interior Architecture) and BROCK TERWILLEGER (third year BFA in Architecture + Interior Architecture) attended Grassroots, the national leadership conference of the American Institute of Architecture Students (AIAS). They were sponsored

38 VOICES | UNIVERSITY OF MEMPHIS

MARIO WALKER (M.Arch ’12, BFA Architecture ’07) and LINDA ŠUHAJDOVÁ (M.Arch ’14, BFA Architecture ’07) were members of the Master Planning Team for two projects completed in April for the MLK 50 Commemoration: the “Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Reflection Park” and the “I AM A MAN Plaza” in association with Self+Tucker Architects.

FAC ULTY

Professors JENNIFER BARKER, JENNA THOMPSON and PAM HURLEY presented

“Designing a Studio Project to Foster Social and Environmental Awareness” at the 2018 Environmental Design Research Association Conference on Social Equity in Oklahoma City. At the same conference, Professor Barker also presented “Inspiring Community: Engaged Design for Social Change” with community partner Kristin FoxTrautman and co-presented “Empathic Design for Autism” with Antonio Tirado.

ELLEN DEMPSEY

MICHAEL HAGGE , professor and

chair, received the Silver Medal for his contributions to architectural education from Tau Sigma Delta, the national honor society for architecture.

KATE HAYWOOD (BFA ’12), adjunct

professor of Architecture since 2015, joined the brg3s architects ownership group in the spring 2018. She was also a part of the design team that received the AIA Memphis Honor Award of Excellence in April 2018 for the UTHSC Center for Healthcare Improvement and Patient Simulation.

ANDY KITSINGER , director of the

UofM Design Collaborative and adjunct professor of Architecture, served on the panel of the BLDG Memphis forum on “Adaptive Reuse of Vacant Spaces for A Vibrant Memphis.”

JIMMIE TUCKER , adjunct professor of

Architecture, presented “Memphis Heritage Trail: Utilizing Cultural Assets in Redeveloping Neighborhoods” at the May 2018 national Neighborhoods USA (NUSA) conference in Birmingham, Ala. This spring, a new professional development program was implemented for students.

Organized by Professor SHERRY BRYAN with Adjunct Professors ANDREW PARKS and JACOB DAVIS , both of Archimania,

the one-hour Friday afternoon sessions were taught by faculty members and featured topics such as Community Engagement Overviews; Study Models; Final Presentation Models; Architectural Diagramming; Hybrid Sketching; Architecture and Writing; Design Competitions; Photographing Your Work; Daylighting and Sustainable Design; and a series on Lighting (Process and Perception, Lighting and Health and Lighting Brightness and Color).

photography study abroad program to England this summer. Hosted by the University of Kent in Chatham, they studied 19th century British landscape and portrait photography.

They visited the Tate Modern, The Victoria and Albert Museum, the British Museum and Lacock Abbey, home of W.H. Fox Talbot, one of the inventors of photography.

ART

of 17 students nationally to receive the 2018 Outstanding Student Achievement in Contemporary Sculpture Award given by the International Sculpture Center. She earned an honorable mention last year.

Animation Career Review ranked the Graphic Design program the best program in Tennessee. The ranking is based on academic reputation, admission selectivity, depth and breadth of the program, value relating to tuition, indebtedness and geographic location.

STUDENTS

Eight CCFA students — CYERRA SMITH , Photography minor, KAYLA OWENS , Photography, AYANNA HILL , Photography minor, GABRIELLA WILLIAMS , Journalism and Strategic Media, KATHLEEN BLACKWELL , Photography, BREANNA PARKER , Graphic Design, LAUREN MCFERRIN , Graphic Design and CHARIS BARNES ,

Photography — participated in a

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ELLEN DEMPSEY (MFA ’18) was one

TERRY LYNN (BFA ’01) worked with

youth juvenile court detainees to create a mural at the detention center on Adams. Crosstown Arts and the Shelby County Sherriff’s Office partnered to make the mural possible.

FAC ULTY

BRYNA BOBICK , associate professor

in Art Education, presented research at the 21st Annual Mediterranean Studies Association International Congress in Sorrento, Italy. Her topic was “A Global Approach to ServiceLearning: A Snapshot Involving Higher Education in the Mediterranean

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NEWS & NOTES

VOICES

PROFESSOR STEVE ROSS AND ASSISTANT PROFESSOR DAVID GOODMAN ARE WORKING ON A DOCUMENTARY SPOTLIGHTING BALLET MEMPHIS

and North America.” Her art was also selected for the Tennessee Art Education Association (TAEA) juried art exhibition held at Belmont University in Nashville.

Faculty, students and alumni participated in the 2018 American Research Center in Egypt conference in Tucson, Ariz. Professors LORELEI CORCORAN and JOSH ROBERSON presented papers, as did current University of Memphis PhD candidates ERIKA FELEG and LIZ WARKENTIN, while PhD candidates DANIEL SMITH and REBEKAH VOGEL presented posters.

Alumni PATRICK SALLAND (PhD, NYU), SARAH SCHELLINGER (PhD, Toronto) and AMY CALVERT (PhD, NYU) also presented papers. Alumnus AMR SHAHAT (PhD cand., UCLA) was awarded first place for his poster presentation.

Professor LORELEI H. CORCORAN, director of the Institute of Egyptian Art & Archaeology, pursued her research interests in the study of portrait mummies from Roman Egypt during her fall 2017 Professional Development Assignment. She was invited to lecture at Northwestern University on a small portrait mummy that she had discussed a publication in 1985. The mummy became the focal point of an exhibit at Northwestern’s Block Museum and will be the subject of a monograph to be published by the Block Museum that will include three chapters by Dr. Corcoran.

She also collaborated with Renee Stein, chief conservator at the Michael C. Carlos Museum, Emory University, in the study of a mummy portrait in the Carlos collection. The results of their investigation were presented by Dr. Corcoran in a co-authored paper at the 68th annual conference at the American Research Center in Egypt and in a co-authored paper and poster 40 VOICES | UNIVERSITY OF MEMPHIS

presented by Renee Stein at the Ancient Panel Paintings: Examination, Analysis and Research (APPEAR) conference.

COMMUNICATION & FILM STUDENTS

JONATHAN SMITH was accepted to

the 2018 National Communication Association Doctoral Honors Seminar.

This is a highly competitive award which includes travel and all accommodations for the two-day seminar in late July.

He joined about 30 doctoral students from around the country to work with top scholars in the field to discuss current topics in communication.

ALUMNI

KEVIN BROOKS (BA ’16) was the

recipient of the 2018 Outstanding Young Alumnus Award given by the University of Memphis Alumni Association. The award honors alumni who are 40 or younger for outstanding personal and career achievements and contributions to society that are a credit to the university. Brooks is a past recipient of the Dean’s Creative Achievement Award given by CCFA.

CHARLOTTE NAU (MA ’11) and DR. CRAIG O. STEWART, interim chair,

co-wrote the article “Effects of Gender and Verbal Aggression on Perceptions of U.S. Political Speakers” that was published in the “Journal of Language Aggression and Conflict.”

FACULTY

Famed director Martin Scorsese selected At the Rivier I Stand, a film by DAVID APPLEBY, STEVE ROSS and ALLISON GRAHAM, for inclusion in his new film curriculum “Portraits of America:

Democracy on Film.” The curriculum consists of eight modules, of which this film is part of the second one, titled “The American Laborer.” The documentary is included among some of the most important American films ever made.

Professor STEVE ROSS and Assistant Professor DAVID GOODMAN (MA ’13) have started production on an ambitious hour-long documentary on Ballet Memphis. It will be a story about the number of people with diverse skills and talents who are needed to make their unique vision become not only a reality, but something meaningful to the community. According to Ross, “it will be a documentary about human interaction, hard work and perseverance, as well as the fundraising, marketing, building maintenance, running a Pilates studio, children’s dance classes … everything that makes up the mission and daily reality of Ballet Memphis.” Filming will continue throughout the 2018–19 season.

DR. ANDRE JOHNSON recently published one edited volume and two journal articles. The edited volume is titled “An African American Pastor Before and After the American Civil War: The Literary Archive of Henry McNeal Turner, Vol. 6, 1883–1900.” The two articles are titled “Dislocations and Shutdowns: MLK, BLM and the Rhetoric of Confrontation” in the Journal of Contemporary Rhetoric and “The Most Dangerous Negro in America: Rhetoric, Race and the Prophetic Pessimism of Martin Luther King Jr.” in the Journal of Communication and Religion (with Anthony J. Stone, Jr.). He was also the keynote speaker at the Communication and Ethics Conference at Duquesne University. The title of his talk was “We Will Demand to Be Heard: Martin

Luther King Jr., #BlackLivesMatter and the Rhetorical Vision of a Social Movement.” Finally, he guest edited two articles in journal special issues — “From the Mountain Top and Beyond: Contemporary Meanings and Understandings of the Rhetoric of Martin Luther King Jr., 50 Years Later” in the Journal of Contemporary Rhetoric and “Communication, Religion, and Race in America: Where Do We Go from Here, 50 Years Later?” in the Journal of Communication and Religion (with Christopher A. House).

DR. KATHERINE GRACE HENDRIX, professor, was guest campus colloquium speaker at Missouri State University, speaking on “Interrogating the Hypervisibility and Credibility of GTAs and Faculty of Color.” She published the article “Intercultural Communication in the Classroom,” for the International Encyclopedia of Intercultural Communication. She also gave three conference presentations at the National Communication Association convention in Dallas — “Scholar’s Office Hours,” “Panel Discussion on Everyday Wear and Tear: Academia on the Body and Soul in Marginalized Communities” and “Panel discussion on The Time is Right, The Time is Now: New Book Series on Social Justice Communication ActivismUniversity of California Press.”

DR. SACHIKO TERUI and DR. JOY GOLDSMITH were awarded a $10,000

grant from the Waterhouse Family Institute for the Study of Communication and Society for their research project “Promoting Transformative Community Change for Equitable Health: Peer Training and Intervention for Pre-exposure HIV Prohylaxis.” The award is given to “help support the kinds of communication-focused research needed to engage the complexities of social change and social justice.”

programs such as Harvard University and the University of Missouri.

STUDENTS

ALLY GOINS won first place in a

national competition to create the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication 2019 Toronto Conference logo design.

FACULTY

MELISSA JANOSKE, assistant professor of Public Relations, has been named the inaugural winner of the Steve and Linda Simon Family Fellowship. The fellowship honors the late SSPR Public Relations Agency founder Steve Simon and is awarded to an outstanding early career public relations faculty member in the Department of Journalism & Strategic Media. Janoske heads the public relations major and serves as assistant director of the department’s graduate program.

The Journalism and Strategic Media faculty members distinguished themselves at the national conference of Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication meeting in early August in Chicago.

Advertising Professor SANDY UTT was named the 2017 recipient of the Dorothy Bowles Public Service Award. The Bowles Award recognizes an AEJMC member who has a sustained and significant public service record. Assistant Professors MELISSA JANOSKE, ROBERT BYRD and STEPHANIE MADDEN received Top Poster Award for the presentation of their research paper, “One Liners and Catch Hashtags: Building a Graduate Student Community through Twitter Chats.” Drs. Janoske and Madden, in authorship with West Virginia’s Geah Pressgrove, presented the research paper “Changing the Story: Implications of Narrative on

Teacher Identity.” Assistant Professor

ROXANE COCHE, with co-author North

Carolina’s C.A. Tuggle, presented the research paper “From 1996 to 2017, Two Decades of NBC’s Primetime Olympic Coverage.” Assistant Professor MATT HAUGHT and co-author Erin Willis (Colorado) presented their research paper, “Blinded by the Blu Light: Consumer Perceptions and Electronic Cigarette Advertising Strategies.”

DR. TOM HRACH was selected in July 2017 by the American Journalism Historians Association to receive its 2017 Book of the Year Award for “The Riot Report and the News: How the Kerner Commission Changed Media Coverage of Black America,” Boston University Press. The award recognizes the best book in journalism history or mass media history published during 2016.

RUOXU WANG published “Communicating

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) on Social Media: How Do Message Source and Types of CSR Messages Influence Stakeholders’ Perceptions?” online in the latest issue of Corporate Communications: An International Journal at emeraldinsight.co.

MUSIC STUDENTS

Soprano JAZMIN SNOWDEN, senior BM in Vocal Performance major, participated in the American Institute for Musical Studies (AIMS) program in Graz, Austria, for six weeks this summer.

Tenor PHILIP HIMEBOOK, MM Vocal Performance major, was an Arkansas District Award winner in the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions and is performing Ralph Rakestraw in “HMS Pinafore” with Opera Memphis this upcoming season.

DR. SACHIKO TERUI, DR. JOY V. GOLDSMITH, SHUKURA UMI (Health Communication PhD student), LISA DALE, R.N. (Health

Communication PhD student) and Jiangang Huang (PhD student at the University of Mississippi) submitted a paper, “Creating a Health Communication Training Workshop for Patients and Caregivers Based on COMFORT,” to the National Communication Association, which was awarded Top Paper Panel for the Training and Development Division.

JOURNALISM & STRATEGIC MEDIA thebestschools.org named the online Masters in Journalism Program one of the top five in the country.

It was in a league with esteemed

PHILIP HIMEBOOK

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VOICES

NEWS & NOTES

Mezzo soprano NIKOLA PRINTZ , Artist Diploma candidate, won 1st place in the Shreveport Opera Singer of the Year Competition. She performed “Carmen” with the West Bay Opera in Palo Alto, California, in May and June.

Soprano ABIGAIL POWERS , senior BM in Vocal Performance, performed Najade in Richard Strauss’s Ariadne auf Naxos with the Miami Music Festival as an apprentice artist.

A LUMNI

BRENNAN VILLINES (BM ’11) was

recently featured on FOX Network’s “The Four: Battle for Stardom. His new solo EP is entitled “Free.”

Graduate student group the Crosstown Winds took third place at the Coltman Chamber Music Competition in

CAROLE CHOATE BLANKENSHIP , MM

’88, DMA ’03, is an associate professor of Music and Elizabeth G. Daughdrill chair in the Fine Arts at Rhodes College. Blankenship has recently been elected president elect, 2018–20, of the National Association of Teachers of Singing. In that position she will serve as the liaison to the NATS Foundation and will be installed as president of the association in 2020.

MARISSA HOWARD , first year MM Voice Performance major, sang the roles of Mabel in “Pirates of Penzance” and Mrs. Hannigan in “Annie” with Cedar Summerstock Theatre Company in Iowa.

SHANNON LOWE , first year MM

Voice Performance major, sang the role of La Bourgeoise in Lully’s “La Chûte de Phaëton” at the Aquilon Music Festival in Oregon.

NANCY CAREY , second year DMA Voice Performance major, received a teaching fellowship at the International Performing Arts Institute in Germany.

EMMA HALPIN , sophomore Choral

Music Education major, was a choral apprentice at the Berkshire Choral International program and also a choral scholar at the Portland Choral Institute for a month in France.

SARAH HARPER , DMA candidate, CHRISTOPHER CHANDLER, MM ’18, JORDAN WELLS , MM student, TIMOTHY POPE , senior BM student and NATHANIEL HICKS, MM student, participated

in SongFest in Los Angeles with

DR. KYLE FERRILL . SongFest is the

United States’ premier art song festival and training program held each year in the summer at the Colburn School.

ANDREW CARROLL , PhD in Musicology

candidate, worked as an intern at WKNO-FM last year. As such, he learned about broadcasting and replaced broadcasters on air, when needed.

DMA candidates MARIA FASCIANO , Soprano, and VERNON DI CARLO , Tenor, were once again engaged with Opera Memphis in May. This time their student outreach program performed in the children’s opera “The Ugly Duckling” by Andrew Duncan.

Visiting 14 local elementary schools in the Memphis area, they presented the 40-minute opera and held a Q&A afterward with the children.

42 VOICES | UNIVERSITY OF MEMPHIS

JARED LOGAN

Austin, Texas. Members are KELLY HERRMANN (MM ’18, Flute), GARRETT NICHOLS (MM ’18, Clarinet) and LEAH CRIPPS (MM ’18, Bassoon).

JONATHAN KIRKSCEY , former student, composed the score to the Fred Rogers documentary “Won’t You Be My Neighbor?”

Alumnus DR. KEVIN F. E. SÜTTERLIN , director of Orchestral Activities at Concordia College, won an Emmy award together with his colleagues for the Concordia Christmas Concerts television production last December.

Sütterlin also conducted the North Dakota All-State Orchestra Festival (2017) and the All-West Tennessee Symphony Orchestra in February.

MATTHEW PALAZZOLO (BM ’17), Cello, won

a position with Orchestra Iowa.

FAC ULTY

DR. LENNY SCHRANZE , professor of Viola and Chamber Music; DR. KYLE FERRILL , professor and area coordinator of Voice; and Professors of Violin DR. MARCIN ARENDT and TIM SHIU taught at the summer camp at Interlochen Center for the Arts in Michigan. The program provides instruction in music, theatre, visual arts, creative writing, motion picture arts and dance to about 2,500 students from all over the world.

DR. RYAN A. FISHER , associate professor

of Music Education and associate dean of the CCFA, co-authored the article, “A Comparison of Collegiate Ensemble Members’ Preferences of Teacher Interpersonal Behaviors” with Natalie Royston (Iowa State University) in Contributions to Music Education. He also co-presented two research studies, “Impacts of Conducting Experiences and Training on Undergraduate Music Majors’ Conducting Self-efficacy” and

for her “The Secret in the Wings” design during the Southeastern Theatre Conference, Inc.

“Student Musicians’ Perceived Reasons for Participating in a Youth Symphony Program” with music education PhD candidate Jonathan H. Schallert at the 2018 National Association for Music Education Music Research and Teacher Education National Conference in Atlanta, Ga. Fisher was also named artistic director of Memphis ChoralArts and guest conducted the Mississippi District II High School Honor Choir and the Katy (Texas) Independent School District Elementary Honor Choir.

JARED LOGAN (BFA ’02) is currently

an internationally known stand-up comedian who writes for “The Late, Late Show with James Corden.” He joined us Oct. 26 to talk to our students and perform for the community.

Faculty JOHN CHIEGO, chair and Bass, ELSIE BLANCHARD , Flute, ROBYN JONES , Clarinet and BILL SHALTIS , Percussion, performed at the Nanjing Forest Music Festival in China, leading to a teaching experience at the Shanghai Conservatory and Middle School.

SUSAN OWEN-LEINART presented

three lectures in German during her four-day lecture tour in Berlin. She lectured at the former Mendelssohn family home that is now a museum, the Hochschule für Musik Hanns Eisler (one of the largest and most prestigious conservatories in Germany) and the Berlin Museum of Musical Instruments.

DR. MATHIAS ELMER been named as the recipient of the Arts Award 2018 in his home canton Glarus, Switzerland.

DR. RANDAL RUSHING recently performed as tenor soloist in Handel’s “Messiah” with the National Chorus of Korea at the Seoul Arts Center and in Gwangju, South Korea, broadcast on ARTE European Television. He also conducted a series of master classes at Seoul National University, Ewha Women’s University and Yosei University.

DR. KYLE FERRILL has joined the

faculty of SongFest, a prestigious summer program for singers. It takes place in May and June at the Colburn School in Los Angeles.

DR. WILLIAM SHALTIS was invited to present a clinic at the National Association for Music Education (NAfME) National Teacher In-Service in Dallas. He was also invited to present a clinic on snare drum sound production strategies at the Indiana Music Education Association conference in Fort Wayne, Ind. DR. KIMBERLY PATTERSON and DR. MARCIN ARENDT directed the

inaugural Honor String Orchestra conducted by maestro Robert Moody.

The festival hosted 60 string students from Tennessee high schools for a threeday festival which included rehearsals, masterclasses, sectionals,

DR. LENNY SCHRANZE

a wellness clinic and concerts. In addition, Patterson recently performed recitals throughout Vietnam and China.

She also performed as a soloist with the Manila Symphony in the Philippines.

T HEAT RE & DANC E OnStage Blog named the undergraduate theatre program the best in the state of Tennessee. Programs were judged based on tuition costs, facilities, academics, performing opportunities, career support and location.

The UofM Department of Theatre & Dance held its first annual New York Theatre & Dance Alumni Reunion in May in conjunction with the senior showcase. It was a huge success with 26 people in attendance.

A LUMNI

“Taking Up Serpents,” a new opera

by JERRY DYE (BFA ’94), will open in January at the Kennedy Center.

It is an hour-long work exploring the controversial world of religious snake-handling. His opera “The Falling and the Rising” opened this year at Texas Christian University’s School of Music. The performance was a partnership with several opera companies and the U.S. Army.

JO SANBURG (MFA ’18) has accepted the position of instructor of Lighting and Sound at Kansas State University in Manhattan, Kansas. She also received the 2018 John Spiegel Theatrical Artist Award and first place in Sound Design

The department is a supportive partner of FEMMEmphis, a new and important company started by sisters Jamie and Rae Boller. Its mission is to champion all women by empowering and promoting the female, female-presenting and genderqueer artistic voices in the Memphis community. Current students and alums participated in the collective’s summer productions “Desdemona, A Play About a Handkerchief” and “Pretty.” “Desdemona”, written by Paula Vogel and directed by Aliza Moran, is a contemporary comedy featuring female characters from William Shakespeare’s “Othello.”

Exploring the concept of beauty, “Pretty” is an ensemble devised piece written by Chris Davis and directed

by LESLIE BARKER (MFA ’09).

FAC ULTY

Chair of Theatre & Dance HOLLY LAU was selected to serve as a mentor for emerging theatre administrators as part of the American Theatre in Higher Education (ATHE) Leadership Institute in August 2018.

Professor ANITA JO LENHART worked as an actor and director at the Thingamajig Theatre in Pagosa Springs, Colo. She also performed in “Thoroughly Modern Millie.”

JACOB ALLEN, head of the Musical

Theatre program, spent his fall 2017 professional development leave creating a new translation of Jaques Offenbach’s “La Pericole.” His translation was performed at The Ohio Light Opera Company (OLO) and The College Light Opera Company (CLOC).

He directed the production at CLOC.

Costume Shop supervisor DEANNA ROWE designed two fall productions for the Tennessee Shakespeare Company — “Macbeth” and “As You Like It.” JEN GILLETTE , who joined our faculty

in fall 2018 as our new costume design professor, spent the summer designing “Digging Up Dessa” for The Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.

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IN MEMORIAM

VOICES

In honor of McRae, the Rudi E. Scheidt School of Music has created an endowed scholarship in her name to benefit students at the School of Music who are preparing for a career in music education.

To make a gift, contact Ryan Fisher at 901.678.3196 or go to supportum.memphis.edu/swmcrae.

BOB WILLIS , former business and advertising manager

of The Daily Helmsman, passed away in January from lung complications. Willis had been on the staff of the University of Memphis’ journalism department for 21 years, joining the university in 1996. He is survived by his wife Candy Justice, who is the general manager of The Helmsman, two children and three grandchildren.

News of Willis’ death was met with sadness from friends, family and current and former students.

When news of his unexpected death hit social media, he was often described with these words: always smiling, kind, great mentor, wonderful man, sincere, caring, generous, integrity, champion, always there to talk to, SHIRLEY WILKES MCRAE , professor emerita of Music at

always encouraging and “I loved learning about life and

the University of Memphis, passed away in May 2018.

journalism from him.” Reaction to his death was most

Shirley taught at the UofM for 25 years and served as

often described as “devastating” and “heartbreaking.”

coordinator of music education for seven years. She was a widely known specialist in Orff Schulwerk, an

Bob loved many things: his savior Jesus Christ, his wife and

innovative approach to teaching music to children. She

his whole family, his students, his friends, tennis, their

presented numerous in-service workshops throughout

Central Gardens home, his 1973 yellow VW bug and music.

United States and Canada, and presented sessions at national conferences of the American Orff-Schulwerk

Donations can be made in memory of Bob Willis to the

Association and at state and regional MENC (now the

University of Memphis. Please designate your gift to

National Association for Music Education) meetings.

the Fund for The Daily Helmsman. Make an online gift at supportum.memphis.edu. For help making online

She was active in adult and children’s choirs, serving as

donations, please contact Wesley LaRue at 901.678.3468.

children’s choir director at Evergreen Presbyterian Church in Memphis from 1988–93, and was an active clinician in

HAYDEN B. FRASER (BM ’07, MM ’09), passed away June

choir festivals and regional summer seminars. As a writer,

2018. Hayden was an accomplished jazz drummer.

she published extensively, with articles in church and music

He loved teaching as well as playing. He played

education journals. Also a composer and arranger, she

with Lord T. and Eloise on two occasions and played

published nine books of folk and original songs arranged

for an extended stint with Charlie Wood at King’s

for treble voices and Orff instruments. McRae had many

Palace on Beale Street. He also regularly played at

secular and sacred mixed choral works published and

Handy Park, the old Precious Cargo and Newby’s.

was awarded numerous prizes for her compositions.

44 VOICES | UNIVERSITY OF MEMPHIS

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