College Begins 40th Anniversary Year
2008 marks the 40th year for the College of Fine Arts and Communication. To kick off the celebration year, the College hosted an anniversary dinner and program on Friday, April 11, 2008. The evening provided an opportunity to celebrate Forrest Suycott, the first Dean of the College, and to award the inaugural Outstanding Alumni award and Distinguished Friend of the College award. Bill Paulding received the Outstanding Alumni award and was celebrated in absentia as he was unable to attend due to the recent birth of his second child. John Gay, however, was on hand to receive the first Distinguished Friend of the College Award. Gay said he was humbled by the award and gave an enthusiastic “thumbs up” to the Fine Arts.
The evening included the announcement of the Forrest Suycott Scholarship. The annual scholarship will be awarded to a fulltime student majoring in a music degree program or to an accepted freshman or transfer student intending on majoring in music. Applicants who are current students must have a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.0 (on a 4.0 equals "A" scale). Participation in one ensemble is a minimum requirement. Because Dean Suycott's main concern is that the School of Music is able to attract the most talented students possible, he specified that the scholarship be awarded to the most gifted student regardless of whether the student was an instrumentalist or a vocalist. Dean Suycott is a talented trumpet player who still "gigs" with local bands.
Paul Kreider, dean of the College of Fine Arts and Communication and professor of music at Western Illinois University, was recently elected to the board of directors for two fine arts councils: the Illinois Arts Alliance (IAA) and the International Council of Fine Arts Deans (ICFAD). READ MORE
During the Fall 2007 semester, the Western Illinois University College of Fine Arts and Communication (COFAC) hosted and awards luncheon to recognize the 2007 outstanding faculty members and to welcome new faculty as well as to acknowledge promotions and tenure. Faculty awards for 2007 were presented to the following: Christine Lapka, School of Music, Outstanding Teacher Award; Samuel Edsall, broadcasting, Scholarly Activity Award; William Howard, art, Creative Activity Award; and W. "Buzz" Hoon, broadcasting, Multicultural Teaching Award. READ MORE
The Western Illinois University Foundation and the Office of Sponsored Projects awarded nine summer stipends in the amount of $3,000 each for faculty projects during Summer 2008. The grants provide opportunities for faculty to engage in projects that will enhance the faculty member and the University in the areas of teaching, research and creative activity. All faculty members are expected to actively pursue such activities; however, the summer stipend is intended to allow faculty to engage in projects well beyond those that can normally be accomplished during the academic year. Proposals are encouraged in a wide range of categories including, but not limited to: research leading to publication; development of a significant curriculum proposal; creation of work leading to a performance or exhibition; mastery of a new instructional technique; and research required in preparing an application to an external granting agency. (from University Relations) Among the recipients of the 2008 summer stipends are the following college faculty:
Brett Eberhardt, assistant professor of art, "Bulgarian Influence: A series of paintings and drawings that deal with the personal and societal history imbedded in everyday spaces in post-communist Sofia, Bulgaria;"
Nathan Miczo, associate professor of communication, "An Examination of Conversational Humor."