ARTS

ACHIEVEMENT

AWARDS

 

Reception and Program
Friday, April 13, 2012
4:00-6:00 p.m.
Alumni House
441 Ferry Mall
Detroit, Michigan

 

 

The College of Fine, Performing and Communication Arts
acknowledged alumni achievements and honored

Linda Downs ‘68
Executive Director, College Art Association

Linda Downs ‘68 is executive director of the College Art Association. She was curator of education at the Detroit Institute of Arts; head of education at the National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.; and director of the Figge Art Museum, Davenport, Iowa. Downs published articles on art museum education and has been an educational consultant to public school projects in Detroit, the District of Columbia and Davenport, Iowa. She also served on the Getty Education Center’s Discipline-Based Art Education Project. Linda is the author of a monograph on Diego Rivera’s Detroit Industry murals and many catalogue essays, articles and research papers on modern Mexican art, and has organized exhibitions including a major retrospective of Rivera’s work. Linda has served on many national nonprofit boards and acted as a consultant to art museums throughout the United States, and in Mexico, Australia, Lithuania, Estonia and St. Petersburg.

Magenta Giraffe Theatre Company
Dean's Award for Arts Entrepreneurship

Wayne State Theatre Alums Frannie Shepherd-Bates ‘09, Kevin Beltz ‘07 and LoriGoe Nowak ‘06 founded Magenta Giraffe Theatre Company in Detroit in 2008 with a focus on not only the art of theatre itself but also the impact theatre can have on the community. Magenta Giraffe Theatre Company defines theatre as a catalyst for social and economic change. It acts to eliminate apathy, violence, prejudice and barriers to education through theatre productions, projects and programs; and further acts to reestablish and expand Detroit’s theatre district. The company’s vision is one of a thriving theatrical district that reaches new audiences to make the community at large one of unity and peace; that fosters empathy and enlightenment; and that provides accessibility to education.

Kendall Smith '82
Lighting Designer, Michigan Opera Theatre

Kendall Smith ‘82 has been working professionally for the past 27 years both as a designer for the stage and as a consultant for numerous theatre projects. He has designed lighting for more than 60 productions with the Michigan Opera Theatre, making his debut with 1988-89’s The Ballad of Baby Doe, and recently designed lighting for the company’s fall 2011 production of Marriage of Figaro. Smith’s work has been featured in numerous productions by respected opera companies, theaters and festivals, including Florida Grand Opera, the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Indianapolis Opera, the Weston Playhouse, Geva Theatre and Boston Lyric Opera.

Sonya Tayeh '02
Founder, Sonya Tayeh Dance Company
Choreographer and Judge, FOX's So You Think You Can Dance

Sonya Tayeh ‘02 teaches dance at the Tayeh Dance Company in Los Angeles and on the Dance Studios Tour, specializing in contemporary funk and progressive contact. Tayeh has instructed dance as well at L.A.’s Edge Performing Arts Center and Hollywood’s Millennium Dance Complex. She appeared in several episodes over four seasons of the FOX primetime show So You Think You Can Dance, directing jazz and contemporary dance pieces. Her own style is selfdescribed as “combat jazz” and she cites the influence of Detroit culture, the home of Motown, Techno and other forms of inventive dance, as a foundation for her art.

Lisa Vallee-Smith '84
Founder and CEO, Airfoil Public Relations

Lisa Vallee-Smith ‘84 is founder and CEO of Airfoil Public Relations in Detroit where she is responsible for the agency’s reputation/market position, strategic planning and sales. A public relations consultant with 25 years of experience, Lisa has worked with industry segments that include consumer packaged goods, automotive manufacturing and aftermarket, automotive supply chain, information technology, retail and professional services. Her expertise includes marketing communications, corporate communications, strategic media relations, research and issues management. Vallee-Smith is an accredited member (APR) of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA). She is past president of PRSA-Detroit, and takes an active role in the southeast Michigan community, where she serves on numerous boards, including the St. John Hospital Foundation and The Henry Ford Cottage Hospital Board of Advisors.

 

 

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CFPCA Alumni Association's Board of Directors seeks member nominations

The Board of Directors of the WSU CFPCA Alumni Association asks your help in surfacing great candidates for anticipated openings on the Board for 2012-2013.

We seek a diverse pool of new graduates, mid-career supporters, and other seasoned alumni who still have a soft-spot for Wayne State and are interested in giving back to the college and the university.

Interested individuals should send a resume or letter of interest to 2donhab@earthlink.net by Tues., Apr. 17.

The CFPCA Alumni Association Board is an active group dedicated to engaging alumni and growing support for the college in the community. Our activities have included volunteer effort, financial underwriting and direct participation. And, as always, we support the strategic goals and initiatives of the college’s faculty and staff.

Thank you.

Sincerely,

Don Haberek
Nominating Committee Chair
WSU CFPCA Alumni Association Board of Directors

CFPCA Alumni Association Board of Directors, 2011-12:

		Rana Elmir, President American Civil Liberties Union				Marcia Freedman Painter/Instructor
		James Melton, Vice President Inforum Michigan				Don Haberek Haberek Associates LLC
		Alexandra Stewart, Secretary and Student Rep. Graduate Student, WSU Theatre				Vencent Kirkwood MRA Marketing Tours & Equip.
		Denise Asker Auburn Hills Chamber of Commerce				Kalimah Lane Detroit Public Library
		James Canning Canning Communications				Joan Smykowski Retired non-profit director
		Donna Carroll WSU College of Education				Christine Welch Artist
		John Chamberlain, Treasurer The AutoClub Group				Shaun Wilson PNC Bank
		Carmen Garcia, AR Liaison				Nicole Johnson, CFPCA Liaison

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Expressions is CFPCA's annual alumni newsletter.

View selected past issues in PDF format:

Fall 2011          Spring 2010          Summer 2009          Fall 2008

With more than 15,000 graduates, the College of Fine, Performing and Communication Arts has a vast alumni base. Many of our alumni have gone on to extraordinary achievements within their chosen fields. Some of our recognizable alums and former students are actors Jeffrey Tambor (The Larry Sanders Show, Arrested Development), S. Epatha Merkerson (Law & Order), Ruben Santiago-Hudson (Tony award for Seven Guitars, TV's Castle) and Lily Tomlin (The West Wing, Murphy Brown). Other alumni include radio host Casey Kasem, Pulitzer Prize winning reporter Mark Fritz, Emmy Award-winning composer Joseph LoDuca, opera singer George Shirley, jazz guitarist Kenny Burrell, choreographer Garth Fagan (Tony Award for The Lion King), master ceramist John Glick, illustrator and cartoonist David Small and sculptors David Barr and Sergio DeGiusti.

Please take a moment to complete CFPCA's quick, one page, Alumni Opinions Survey. You might be interested to check out the CFPCA alumni group on LinkedIn. And please support us as we aspire to new heights in our teaching, learning, research and creative endeavors!