Announcements
Professional development is a cornerstone of the Department of Design’s mission, and a graduating senior had the opportunity this fall to engage directly with the global design industry. Samuel Wumbee, BFA Graphic Design senior, attended Adobe MAX 2025 in Los Angeles — one of the world’s premier creative conferences — where over 10,000 designers, technologists, and industry leaders convened.
“Attending Adobe MAX 2025 was truly transformative as a graduating senior in the TCU Design Program,” Wumbee said. “Exploring Adobe’s newest creative tools and seeing how they’re integrating AI into design gave me a deeper understanding of where the industry is heading. I attended hands-on sessions led by top Adobe evangelists, received valuable portfolio feedback, and connected with creatives from around the world — including designers like Chris Do, Michaela Mucha, and Mohamed Abdulle. The experience strengthened my technical skills, expanded my professional network, and reaffirmed my excitement to enter the design field with confidence and curiosity for what’s next.”
This opportunity exemplifies how the department supports students in pursuing high-impact professional experiences that complement their academic training and prepare them for successful entry into the design profession.
The Department of Design continued a longstanding tradition that merges creative practice with cultural and civic engagement through the 14th Annual Banned Book Jacket Design Competition. Since 2011, Senior Instructor Jan Ballard, in partnership with the TCU Library, has led this annual competition, which invites graphic design students to reimagine book jackets for frequently challenged or banned texts.
The competition encourages students to engage critically with themes of censorship, intellectual freedom, and the power of visual communication. This year’s award recipients include:
- 1st Place: Olivia Potvin — Stranger in a Strange Land by Robert A. Heinlein
- 2nd Place: Avery Gilman — A Handful of Dust by Evelyn Waugh
- 3rd Place(tie): Sydney Snyder — The Stranger by Albert Camus and Claire Kyzar — Darkness at Noon by Arthur Koestler
All submissions were exhibited in the Mary Couts Burnett Library during Banned Books Week, reinforcing the role of design as both a creative and communicative force within the university community. The competition remains a hallmark of the program, blending design excellence with advocacy and public scholarship.
The TCU Department of Design was represented on a national stage at ISAM 2025, hosted by the University of California, Berkeley, where Instructor Timothy Neill presented an innovative curriculum that integrates digital fabrication into first-year design foundations. His presentation highlighted the Flat-Packed Furniture Project, an assignment that challenges students to translate 2D vector-based designs into full-scale 3D prototypes while addressing ergonomics, material strategy, joinery and structural integrity within industry-relevant constraints.
The project exemplifies a scalable pedagogical model that can be adapted across institutions with varying levels of access to makerspaces and fabrication tools. Since the conference, the curriculum has been downloaded by peer institutions nationwide, contributing to a broader dialogue around the role of academic makerspaces in design education.
This initiative reflects strong cross-departmental collaboration with professors Jennifer Cadieux Kimbrel, Amy Roehl and Ellis Heitzke Kirkdorffer and showcases exemplary student work by Gabe Franco and Nolan McDonald. Together, the presentation underscores TCU's leadership in hands-on, process-driven design education that bridges conceptual thinking with real-world making.
Shiu Chung (Alex) Wong, a first-year doctoral student in the TCU School of Music,
was recently awarded a Graduate Student Travel Grant funded by the Graduate Student
Senate and Graduate Studies. This grant enabled him to travel to Prince George, British
Columbia, for a solo piano recital sponsored by the Prince George Conservatory of
Music.
Alex donated all proceeds from the recital to the Conservatory’s Bursary and Scholarship Fund. With the support of the local community, the concert raised $760 to benefit students. The January recital at Trinity United Church featured Debussy’s complete Préludes, Book II, and Brahms’s Piano Sonata No. 1 in C Major, Op. 1.
A recipient of the STARS award, Alex is a full-scholarship doctoral student and a graduate assistant at TCU.
Irene Nacif ’25 was recently featured in Trendsetter magazine, featuring her work with major New York brands at the age of 22. Nacif graduated
with two degrees, one in design studies from the College of Fine Arts and the other
in marketing from TCU Neeley.
To an international audience, Nacif said that completing two degrees simultaneously taught her discipline, organization and resilience, and that she was able to merge what’s behind her two degrees – strategy/communication and creative direction/design – to form her career.
We are proud to share that Master of Music student Qiaotong Liu has earned first prize
in the Music Teachers National Association (MTNA) Young Artist Piano Competition for
the state of Texas. This highly competitive event features top pianists from seven
leading Texas university music programs, making her achievement especially distinguished.
Qiaotong will now advance to the MTNA Southwest Division round, submitting a recorded performance to compete against first-place winners from across the region. Winners from this round will move on to the National Finals in Chicago this March.
We are thrilled to share exciting news from the PianoTexas International Festival & Academy, presented by the School of Music. At the 2025 Chopin Competition in Warsaw, one of the most prestigious events in the global music scene, four of the 11 finalists were PianoTexas alumni:
- Eric Lu (2015) – First Prize
- Zitong Wang (2016) – Third Prize
- Piotr Alexewicz (2024) – Fifth Prize
- William Yang (2019) – Sixth Prize
Congratulations to Professor Tamás Ungár, founder and artistic director of PianoTexas, and Melody Ouyang, festival manager, for their continued leadership in establishing PianoTexas as one of the premier summer piano festivals.
With performances at only two other iconic venues, the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. and Carnegie Hall in New York City, Fort Worth is set to welcome internationally acclaimed tenor Jonathan Tetelman.
Tetelman will take the stage at the Van Cliburn Concert Hall at TCU for a one-night-only performance that marks the opening concert of Fort Worth Opera’s 80th anniversary season on Friday, Oct. 10.
A Deutsche Grammophon recording artist and one of opera’s most sought-after stars, Tetelman has captivated audiences with his powerful voice and magnetic stage presence, performing from Lisbon to Prague, and Istanbul to Taipei.
Joining him is acclaimed conductor and pianist Michael Recchiuti, who has shared the stage with opera legends like Renée Fleming and icons like Vanessa Williams. Together, they promise an evening of extraordinary artistry, right here on the TCU campus.
Assistant Professor of Art History Wendy Sepponen, Ph.D. ,
has been awarded the prestigious I Tatti/Museo Nacional del Prado Joint Fellowship, a highly competitive award offered annually by the Harvard University Center for
Italian Renaissance Studies and the Museo Nacional del Prado.
During the next academic year, Sepponen will complete her book manuscript while conducting research at I Tatti in Florence and the Prado in Madrid. The fellowship supports advanced projects that explore connections between Italy and Spain during the Renaissance, including transnational dialogues with Latin America.
From left, James D. Rodriguez, Gwendolyn Alfred, Cecilia Lo-Chien Kao and Eric Laine.
Four School of Music faculty members will present at the International Congress of Voice Teachers (ICVT) in Toronto this August. Held every four years, ICVT is a premier global conference of voice teachers, featuring master classes and scholarly sessions selected through a highly competitive review process. This year, over 350 proposals were submitted from around the world.
Gwendolyn Alfred, D.M.A., assistant professor of voice, and Cecilia Lo-Chien Kao, D.M.A., associate professor of professional practice in piano, will present “Unspoken Voices: Living Black Women Composers and Their Settings of Black Women Poets,” one of only four evening recitals selected to be featured at the University of Toronto.
James D. Rodriguez, D.M.A., associate professor of voice and voice pedagogy, and Eric Laine, D.M.A., assistant professor of voice, will present a poster session titled “Diversifying Studio Repertoire Assignments,” aimed at expanding inclusive pedagogical practices in the voice studio.
Alfred and Rodriguez are recipients of the College of Fine Arts Dean’s Exceptional Travel Grant and the Dean’s Professional Development Grant, respectively.
Photo: Taystan Photography
Professor Krista Scott, M.F.A. , will perform “ Wilde Women ,” a solo performance piece, in the Hays Theatre at the TCU Walsh Center for Performing Arts , June 20-22. Originally written during her 2016 sabbatical, Scott has spent the past semester preparing the piece for its upcoming run at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe this August. The TCU performances will serve as a preview, giving audiences an early look and a chance to provide feedback before the international debut. Directed by Department of Theatre Chair and Professor Jennifer Engler.
We’re excited to share two leadership updates in the College of Fine Arts!
Martin Blessinger, D.M. , professor of theory and composition in the School of Music , has been appointed Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs and Graduate Programs. He will oversee faculty promotion and development, graduate curricula and community engagement initiatives.
Charles Freeman, Ph.D., chair of the Department of Fashion Merchandising , will take on the additional role of Director of Research and Creative Scholarship Initiatives. He will support faculty with internal and external grant efforts, collaborate with the Office of Research and work alongside Blessinger to support and track research and creative activity across current and new graduate programs.
Suki John , professor in the School for Classical & Contemporary Dance , has won the prestigious Chita Rivera Award for Outstanding Choreography in a Feature Film for “ Sh’ma: A Story of Survival .”
Over the last 30 years, John has developed “ The Sh’ma Project: Move Against Hate ,” a multidisciplinary body of work centered on education, empathy and resilience.
Central to the project is “ Sh’ma: A Story of Survival ,” a choreodrama documenting her family’s traumatic experience and survival of the
Holocaust.
“I’m extremely honored and surprised to be nominated for this award alongside feature films like Emilia Perez and Wicked,” said John. “I’m very grateful to TCU for its support.”
Of all the nominations, John’s film is the only one told entirely through dance, conveying the full story without dialogue.
“Choreodrama is a genre I’ve worked with for some time, though it’s not very common in the United States,” explained John. “I see it as a way to communicate with a non-dance audience by creating dances where they can recognize the characters and themes, and where the music is transporting.”
Enrico Elisi, D.M.A., Harold D. and Imogen Herndon Professor of Music, recently performed as a featured soloist in Francis Poulenc’s “Concerto for Two Pianos and Orchestra” at the China Conservatory of Music in Beijing. Sharing the stage with Mengyang Pan, a professor at the Royal College of Music in London, the performance brought together distinguished artists from three continents in a celebration of musical dialogue across cultures.
Held in the renowned Guoyintang Concert Hall, the event featured the China Conservatory Symphony Orchestra under the direction of acclaimed German conductor Manuel Nawri of the Eisler Academy in Berlin. The performance served as a powerful example of international collaboration, highlighting music’s role as a bridge between traditions, perspectives and nations.
“This was an extraordinary professional opportunity and one of the most prestigious invitations I’ve received in recent years,” Elisi said.
Part of the conservatory’s annual concert series, the event is a highlight of the region’s cultural calendar, drawing large audiences and showcasing internationally acclaimed artists. During his visit, Elisi also led masterclasses for 80 students, fostering meaningful engagement with students and faculty alike.
The concert program, “Retrospect: The French Chapter of Turn of the Century Music,” included:
- Darius Milhaud – Sérénade, Op. 62
- Francis Poulenc – Concerto for Two Pianos, FP 61
- Vincent d’Indy – Diptyque méditerranéen, Op. 87
- Claude Debussy – Iberia, Images pour orchestre
Dean Amy Hardison Tully will serve as the moderator for the “Education in Cultural Institutions” session
at the Arts Foward Summit , the inaugural city-wide event happening this weekend. The summit will welcome over
200 guests, including local artists, community members, thought leaders and creatives,
for an inspiring day of learning and connection.
The session will explore how to create programming and outreach efforts that educate our communities and make the arts accessible to all audiences.
Featured panelists include:
- Alli Rogers Andreen, Manager of Family and Accessibility Programs, Amon Carter Museum of American Art
- William Giron, Executive Director of Artes de la Rosa Cultural Center for the Arts at the Rose Marine Theater
- Connie Hachette Bargainer, Head of Education, Kimbell Art Museum
Photo credit: Parker Quartet
Fresh off their acclaimed performance at Carnegie Hall, the Parker Quartet will bring the same world-class program to The Van Cliburn Concert Hall at TCU on Monday, March 24.
In addition to the concert, the quartet will lead a masterclass for School of Music students, providing a rare opportunity to learn from some of the finest musicians in the industry.
“It is a privilege and a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for our students to receive guidance from the Parker Quartet,” said Liz Lee, assistant professor of violin. “They will witness firsthand how world-class musicians interpret and express music, and then experience their artistry live in our own hall. This is a truly special opportunity for our TCU students and community.”
Tickets are not required for this event. Free general admission.
Does Saturday Night Live (SNL) still matter to young comedians?
Department of Theatre alumna Jess Elgene ’17 recently answered this in an Esquire interview, reflecting on SNL’s 50th anniversary. Spoiler: It still means a lot to her!
For Elgene, her SNL screen test wasn’t just an audition—it was the realization of a lifelong dream. “SNL is shrouded in so much excitement and energy that even the audition itself is iconic,” she says. Standing before the show’s producers felt like joining a legacy of talent that launched the careers of her comedy heroes.
Lucia Simek ’14 has been appointed executive director of Dallas Contemporary, one of the city’s leading contemporary art institutions.
Simek, a writer, artist, curator and programmer, has been a key figure in the Dallas art scene for over two decades. She previously served as interim executive director before being selected for the role after a national search.
Simek earned her Master of Fine Arts in sculpture from the School of Art.
Congratulations to our Department of Theatre students, faculty and alumni nominated for the 2025 Irma P. Hall Black Theater Awards, presented by the DFW Black Arts Council.
Student Nominees:
- Peter Radzikevich – Featured Actor in a Musical
- Maria Shorunke – Lead Actress in a Musical & Featured Actress in a Musical
Faculty Nominee:
- Ayvaunn Penn – Best Limited Run Production
Alumni Nominee:
- Cap Milbourn – Best Director / Best Choreographer / Best Play
School of Music Artist Diploma candidate David Mejía ’26 recently performed in the New York premiere of Schiele in Prison, an opera by American composer Jared Schwartz.
The 100-minute performance, featuring 11 singers, a string quartet and piano, tells the story of Egon Schiele, the only artist in over 1,000 years of Austrian history to be imprisoned for his art. The opera explores Schiele’s teenage years and his experience in prison.
School of Music Professor Germán Gutiérrez recently had the honor of conducting the National Symphony of Azerbaijan at the 29th United Nations Climate Change Conference. Following the performance, he explored the rich history of Saudi Arabia and Egypt, visiting iconic sites such as El Cairo, Luxor, and Alexandria. “It was an incredible experience,” said Dr. Gutiérrez.