SCHOOL OF THE ARTS

from Aspire 2020

Thank you Brianna & Tally

There are three pivotal years in my life where art made me realize that I was going to be an educator. The first was in 1967, as high school junior, I saw the movie To Sir with Love. I just wanted to be like Sidney Poitier at the end of the film and tear up that contract.

The time has come for closing books

And long last looks must end

And as I leave I know

That I am laving my best friend

A friend who taught me right from wrong And weak from strong That's a lot to learn, what What can I give you in return?

If you wanted the moon I would try to make a start But I, would rather you let me give my heart To Sir, with love The second was 1969, the second semester of my freshman year in college, when I saw the movie Goodbye Mr. Chips with Peter O’Toole and Petula Clark. The words of the school song have stuck in my mind ever since.

In the morning of my life I will look to the sunrise At a moment in my life when the world is new And the blessing I shall ask only God can grant me To be brave and strong and true And to fill the world with love my whole life through

The third year was 1970 when I heard Diana Ross sing Reach Out and Touch Somebody’s Hand. I was firmly hooked that being an educator was my destiny.

If you see an old man on the street Remember your shoes could fit his feet Try a little kindness and suddenly it seems naturally We can change things if we start giving Why don't you reach out and touch somebody's hand Make this world a better place if you can

In 2008, I stepped into the doorway of the Ernestine M. Raclin School of the Arts. Many changes have occurred these past twelve years. Many of you have followed our journey starting with Aspire magazine growing from 28 pages to 88 pages in three years and still the only magazine published at IU South Bend to win a CASE Circle of Excellence award. It succeeded because of the leadership of Michele Morgan-DuFour and assistance from Tiffany Goehring, Katie Wilborn, and Ken Baierl. Our students have so many accomplishments, and that is due to the dedicated faculty and staff that care about them and their success.

One last word from Dean Curtis

By Marvin Curtis

The beautiful Louise E. Addicott and Yatish J. Joshi Performance Hall came to be because of the vision Lousie E. Addicott had for her community, the philanthropy of her husband Yatish Joshi, and the help of Vice President Morrison of IU, Chancellor Terry Allison of IU South Bend, The St Joseph Community Foundation, and so many others.

I am grateful to the IU South Bend Foundation Board for their support of the Summer Travel Grant program that has allowed many students to extend their educational endeavors to places around the world. I am also thankful for hosting the Governor's Arts Awards, the development of art education and the master's in communication studies programs, producing Swan Lake, becoming an All-Steinway School, taking students to Carnegie Hall, the large graduating classes, and the list continues.

My 12 years as dean have been aided by one of the greatest staffs a dean could ever have. Tamea Rector and Phyllis Mason were present when I began and continue to be the backbone of the school. I want to thank Blanqui Martini, Moira Dyczko, Trisha Miller, Jeremy Williams, Neil King, and Susanna Schroeder for starting with me.

I am indebted to Pam Mendenhall, whose constant support was most welcomed and provided the staff with loving advice. My continued appreciation to Alex Blatt, Sarah Brubaker, Demaree DuFour Noneman, Cory Iwaszewski, Brianna Liras, Ryan Schisler, and our incomparable assistant dean Tami Martinez for their leadership and passion for the arts and the students. Now I come to the end of my 12 years of leading a School of the Arts. It is also a time of one of the great challenges we are facing. Covid-19 has changed the landscape that we have known. Now we must develop even more creative skills to bring art to a world that has been hit by this pandemic. We will have to develop different criteria as we go forward as to how we travel, concertize, display our art, produce theater, and produce our art. The challenge is before us, but we are creative thinkers and creative problem solvers and we can help find the solutions.

Music has been and continues to be my life. The songs I reference helped to start my career. Music opened the doors for me and provided me with opportunities that I would have never thought possible. As a composer, conductor, and educator music has remained my constant source of comfort and strength. I look forward to the new challenges ahead of me and thank all of you for your good wishes. I end my letter with a musical quote from the movie The Sound of Music

INSIDE

// COMMUNICATION STUDIES

11 Finally home 19 Communicating the benefits of an IU South Bend education

34 From a temporary option to a proud alumna 77 Once a Titan, always a Titan: Featuring faculty member Ryan Lohman 79 Wishing Kevin Gillen the best

83 Heath Hicks: MA project gets the green light

// FINE ARTS

6 Breaking a world record for a great cause 16 Kolton Sizer, painting a successful life after graduation 30 Long-term body on display for a limited time

42 Spring BFA Exhibition goes online. 54 The Agony & Ecstasy: (Mis)Adventures in Arts-Based Research 62 Printmaking: an impactful medium

78 Fictional Space has a place of its own

84 Thank you Brianna & Tally

// MUSIC

12 Bringing classical music to unexpected places 15 Never stop dreaming: the journey of

Juan-Carlos Alarcon

18 Creative Restless Spirit

20 Music alumna ready for first album

32 A life changing performance 64 Two centuries of Beethoven, two decades of the Euclid Quartet 67 Ryan Olivier’s Electronic Labyrinth

// NEW MEDIA

14 A long road

22 Leather Phase: when music and visuals combine

25 Integrated New Media student pushed the start of the Investment Club

72 A poet and a professor

82 Inaugural Arts Video Intern Brandon Galvan

// THEATRE & DANCE

26 A journey to find success

28 The Many Faces of Patrick Watterson 36 Tap and Kick Line graduates dance their way to the top! 39 Theatre & Dance graduates take the center stage 50 A cult classic musical makes it in time for Halloween

60 Michele’s Little Hearts Theatre

69 Lion King: Behind the seams 74 Tim Hanson creates model of Drottningholm Slottsteaterl