NEWS: SSUU ARTS STUDENTS TO CONTINUE THEIR STUDIES IN SCOTLAND

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 06/23/11
Michael French
Public Information Coordinator
College of Performing and Visual Arts
Southern Utah University
Office: 435-865-8667
michaelfrench@suu.edu

Photos:
Debra Johnson: Debra Johnson works on the annual Art Auction 2011. Photo: Asher Swan
Steven Grawrock in Love's Labour's Lost, SUU 2010. Photo: Karl Hugh


SUU ARTS STUDENTS TO CONTINUE THEIR STUDIES IN SCOTLAND

Southern Utah University, Cedar City, UT: Shauna Mendini, Dean of SUU’s College of Performing and Visual Arts, is pleased to announce that two recent graduates of the College, Debra Johnson and Steven Grawrock, will be heading to Glasgow, Scotland, this coming fall for two diverse fields of study.

Debra Johnson, a graduate of SUU’s Department of Art and Design, will be attending the Glasgow School of Art, where she will be a masters candidate in Academic and Creative Practices. This is an international program that studies how many human cultures integrate the creative process of art. This year-long program could lead to a PhD in this particular field. On the prospect of studying abroad, Debra said, “I am super excited/super scared too! I’ll miss my red rock and blue sky.” While earning her two degrees at SUU, bachelors in History and Art History, Johnson worked in the Braithwaite Fine Arts Gallery and created the education and outreach component of Winslow Homer in America exhibition. Tying into the exhibition, this hands-on art project served over 2600 area students.

Steven Grawrock, a graduate of SUU’s Department of Theatre Arts and Dance, will become a masters candidate at the Royal Academy of Music and Drama in Glasgow. He will be working towards receiving his degree in Classic and Contemporary Text (Acting). It is a one-year program which includes studying for one month at The Globe Theatre in London. The masters candidates’ final project includes working with professional playwrights to create an original play. Looking to study at the Royal Academy of Music and Drama, Steven remarked, “the program has some amazing alumni…who are making a difference now.” On the SUU stage, Grawrock appeared in Love’s Labour’s Lost and A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum.

Commenting from Wuhan, China, where she is co-directing The Dream of Helen at the Hubei Opera and Dance Drama Theatre, Dean Shauna Mendini said, “I am so proud that both Debra and Steven have decided to continue their studies in such a remarkable location as Glasgow, Scotland. Their acceptance at these two acclaimed arts institutions demonstrates not to only Scotland but the international arts scene, the amazing caliber of talent among the students in SUU’s CPVA.”

ABOUT THE COLLEGE
The Southern Utah University College of Performing and Visual Arts is comprised of nationally accredited departments of Art and Design, Music, Theatre Arts and Dance, as well as a graduate program in Arts Administration. The College offers 16 different degree areas, including liberal arts Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science degrees; professional Bachelor of Music and Bachelor of Fine Arts in art and theatre degrees; and a Master of Fine Arts in Arts Administration degree. More than 60 full- and part-time faculty and staff are engaged in teaching and mentoring over 550 majors in the College. Over 1100 students enroll each year in over 195 arts classes on the SUU campus. The College presents 100 performances, lectures, presentations, and exhibitions each year. The College’s affiliate organizations include the Braithwaite Fine Arts Gallery, American Folk Ballet, Utah Shakespeare Festival, the performance group Acclamation, and the SUU Ballroom Dance Company. For more information about the College of Performing and Visual Arts, contact the Office of the Dean (435) 865-8561, or by e-mail at cpvamktg@suu.edu.