CAL Currents : The Newsletter of the College of Arts and Letters
Volume 01 Issue 02 | April 2018
Message from the Dean
It has been a busy, productive and creative year in the College of Arts and Letters. This year we launched our new “Arts and Ideas” season guide to introduce the wider Tampa Bay area to the talent of the College, reconstituted our Advisory Council involving cultural and philanthropic leaders from the area, held our first ever all-CAL showcase bringing together all eight academic departments in the College for one dynamic afternoon of scholarship and performances, started a new faculty mentoring program, drafted a new mission statement and goals for the College, launched new degree programs in the Film, Animation and New Media department and the Department of Art + Design (where both of these departments are also hard at work on important national accreditation projects as well!), and, of course, our students and faculty continued to excel in their scholarship and creative work. You can’t help but to be excited anytime you catch a student screening, hear a music recital, attend a student reading or stop by the art gallery. Great things are happening all over CAL.

This year we also launched this newsletter to better connect with our alumni/ae and friends across the region and, indeed, across the world. Recently I had the chance to travel to Los Angeles, New York, and Chicago to meet with College of Arts and Letters alumni/ae and share with them the really awesome things that are happening on campus and in the College. It was so gratifying to hear how their education in the arts and humanities have taken them into a variety of professions where creativity, innovation and strong communication skills matter. This is why the faculty, staff and supporters of the College do what we do – we want to help our students get ahead and make a difference in their own lives and in the world where they live.

Enjoy the summer!
David Gudelunas, Ph.D.
Dean and Professor
Welcome CAL Advisory Board
The new College of Arts and Letters Advisory Board met on March 28th to begin strategizing about how to best advocate for the tremendous work being done in all corners of the College of Arts and Letters. The board was treated to a lunch on the stage of the historic Falk Theatre and a special preview performance from OPUS, the musical theatre vocal ensemble group (pictured, right). Chaired by arts advocate and philanthropist Mrs. Charlene Gordon, the board is already at work planning a classroom to career event that will help students in the arts and humanities imagine their lives after college and how their talents will best translate to professional opportunities. Mike Murphy, of the Murphy Automotive Group, energized by the positivity of the group, jumped in to offer advice and financial support to better promote the spring musical "Stardust." Through its advocacy of the College mission, the Advisory Council aims to make connections between the College and the greater Tampa Bay area and support the professional and artistic development of College students and faculty.
CAL Scholarship and Creative Work Showcase
The first annual CAL Scholarship and Creative Work Showcase was held on April 18th in Fletcher Lounge. This inaugural event allowed each of CAL’s eight departments, as well as a number its affiliated Centers and Programs to showcase the scholarly efforts and incredible creativity of their faculty. It was an opportunity to see the wealth of achievement in the College of Arts and Letters from manuscripts, articles, and books, to documentation of exhibits, screenings and a variety of performance events. It was also an opportunity to see the vast array of collaborative faculty/student research in our college in just this past year. The showcase was intended to allow everyone to discover the creative work and scholarship being done by the College of Arts and Letters in its totality, and to discover the depth and breadth of research activity in our departments and disciplines. Plans are already underway for next year's event.

Faculty Achievements
A hearty congratulations to our colleagues on their recent successes.
Dr. Marcus Arvan, Associate Professor of Philosophy organized and hosted The University of Tampa’s Seventh Annual Human Rights Conference on February 10, 2018. The keynote speakers for this year’s event were Bawa Jain, Secretary General for the World Council of Religious Leaders; Michael Rannenberger, the former US Ambassador, and Senior US State Department Foreign Policy Advisor.
Dr. Sarah Lauro of the Department of English and Writing was recently featured on NPR News discussing her research on zombie culture. You can listen to the story here .
In February 2018, Dr. James Aubry Associate Professor of Languages (French) and Linguistics attended the North East Conference on the Teaching of Foreign Languages in New York City to present his paper, “Strategies to Enhance Motivation in the World Language Classroom.” 
Dr. Sarah Iker, Assistant Professor of Music presented a paper entitled “Using Text-Mining of Historical Experience to Inform Analysis” at the March 2018 meeting of Music Theory Southeast. Dr. Iker presented research on using digital humanities techniques to reanimate historical experiences and suggested ways that music theorists and analysts might use these techniques to encourage alternative music-analytical approaches.
Prof. Bandar Albuliwi, Assistant Professor of Film, New Media and Animation , recently completed work on his film Azadeh. The film received several screenings this spring, and has been submitted to a number of international film festivals. Set during the 2010 Iranian Green Movement, it is the true story of a forbidden friendship and of a young girl who is forced to make the ultimate sacrifice after her best friend gets trapped in a land-mine field. 
Spanish Major Mackenzie Harrington discusses her research at Eastern Florida State College.
Dr. Andrew DeMil, Associate Professor of Languages (Spanish) and Linguistics has been working on a project with Mackenzie Harrington, Junior, Spanish Major and Applied Linguistics Minor, on measuring gender differences in Spanish Speaking in learners of Spanish as a Second Language. They have presented their work at the Florida Undergraduate Research Conference at Eastern Florida State College and at the March Board of Trustees meeting. 
Although on sabbatical this semester, Dr. Ryan Hebert, Associate Professor of Music and Director of Choral Studies , has been busy with a number of recitals and performances. He recently played a recital at the Washington National Cathedral on their weekly organ recital series as well as a performance at Hesson College in central Kansas.  
Prof. Gregg Perkins, chair of the Department of Film, Animation and New Media has an exhibit, "Sunshine City," at the St. Petersburg Museum of Fine Arts through the end of May. Through photography and moving images, Perkins examines a changing city skyline as well as changing technologies.
Dr. Chris Gurrie, Associate Professor of Speech and Coordinator of the Speech Program for the Department of Speech, Theatre and Dance organized and hosted a Speech faculty retreat at the very start of the spring semester. With funding received from a Learning Enrichment Grant, the retreat allowed both the adjunct and full time Speech faculty to collaborate on curriculum refinement, assessment, and the sharing of teaching best-practices and pedagogical techniques, as well as manual/project development. According to Dr. Gurrie, the purpose of the retreat was the opportunity to energize, empower, educate, and collaborate. 
On April 6 th the College of Arts and Letter honored Prof. Susan Taylor Lennon, Professor of Dance with a reception to acknowledge her impending retirement after forty-two “and a half” years of service to The University of Tampa. The event was hosted by Dean Gudelunas in Plant Hall’s Music Room. Department colleagues Susannah LeMarquand and Michael Staczar spoke of Susan’s immense contributions to the Dance Program, the College, the University, and to the many students she has impacted during her tenure at UT. Provost David Stern concluded remarks celebrating Susan’s vast contributions to The University of Tampa by awarding her the rank of emeritus faculty.
Also retiring at the close of this academic year is Dr. Lisa Birnbaum from the Department of English and Writing . Birnbaum chaired the English and Writing department from 2012-2015. From 1989-2003, she directed the Saunders Writing Center, during which time she also led (for two years) the First-Year Writing program. She was Fiction Editor of Tampa Review for more than a decade, consulting with writers on books for the press and also reading for The Danahy Fiction Prize. Her novel  Worthy   was published in 2016 by Dzanc Books, and her essays and poetry have appeared in such journals as  Connecticut Review, Grand Tour, Quarter After Eight, Puerto del Sol   and  Kestrel . In recognition of her dedicated service to the University and her commitment to students, Birnbaum was awarded emerita status.
Alumni/ae News
Jen A. Miller published her third book, Running: A Love Story , and writes for the New York Times .
This spring Terry Lacy’s ninth novel, Jackal and the Space Slavers was published.
Sean Manning , editor of five acclaimed anthologies, published the memoir about his mother’s death, The Things That Need Doing .
This spring Connie May Fowler published her eighth book, the memoir A Million Fragile Bones . The screen rights to her novel Before Women Had Wings were purchased by Oprah Winfrey and made into a television movie starring Ms. Winfrey.
On April 17, 2018 in Sykes Chapel, the Music Department presented an Alumni Composer Concert featuring Tevi Eber (BA in Music, 2011) and George Darrah (BA in Music, 2011), with performances of their music by the Trio de Minaret - UT’s Faculty String Trio, the UT Wind Ensemble, and UT jazz students. While living and working in NYC, Tevi Eber has been active as a composer/pianist, received numerous awards, commissions and residencies for his music. George Darrah, a composer/drummer based in Boston, recently won a Downbeat Magazine award for his studio orchestra composition, and has been actively composing and arranging music for jazz artists and ensembles. Both Tevi and George were composition students of Dr. Bradford Blackburn (Associate Professor of Music), while pursuing their degrees at UT.
Jade Turner (BFA in Musical Theatre, 2017) is currently performing in the new play Roe at the Asolo Repertory Theatre in Sarasota. This production of Roe is expected to transfer to New York in the near future. Jade will also be featured in the Asolo’s upcoming musical production of Ragtime. She is an Equity Member Candidate, the apprenticeship program for enrollment in Actor’s Equity Association, which is the professional actors and performers union.
Student Engagement and Excellence
WRI major Monique Aparicio Lopez collaborating with Dr. Francesca Bacci on the documentary THE ART OF PEDRO PABLO OLIVA. This documentary on the world-renowned Cuban artist Pedro Pablo Oliva is part of a larger research plan to prepare for an exhibition at UT’s Scarfone/Hartley Gallery. The entire preparation of the show, lasting two-semesters, entails the following: review of all literature (most in Spanish) on the painter, to select the exhibition themes and how to connect his work with the current social, historical and political situation of Cuba; researching private collections in the USA, to find works to exhibit; produce a documentary and a catalogue essay by the exhibition opening scheduled for fall 2018. The documentary will be shown as part of the exhibition, as an introduction to the works presented. 
Musical Theatre majors were treated to a special Master Class on campus conducted by members of the touring production of "The Phantom of the Opera." The show was in town at the Straz Center across the river and students got insight and advice from the cast. Prof. Paul Finocchiaro welcomed the cast to campus.
ART + DESIGN students have recently received prestigious recognition for their work in exhibition:

2018     Sierra H. Kroeter, Nude Nite , Central Florida Fairgrounds, Orlando, FL.
2018     Sarah Mandis, Self Portrait Exhibition - Glenn Eure's Ghost Fleet Gallery, North Carolina.
2017     Jodi Minnis, Home | Home II , Antonius Robert's Studio and Gallery, Nassau, N.P, The Bahamas
and       John M. Guarneri has been awarded a New York Academy of Art Summer Residency.

English major Noah Oakley was one of only 22 undergraduates from schools around the country, the majority of those being Ivy League schools, who was accepted to present research at the international scholarly American Comparative Literature Association Conference. In March, Noah and Dr. Sarah Lauro, Assistant Professor of English traveled to Los Angeles to make his presentation at the ACLA conference on the usage of technology in the study of literature, but most specifically, about online archives of scholarship on Ernest Hemingway. This project was the result of work Noah had completed in Dr. Lauro’s LIT 360 course on Hemingway in fall 2017. 
Abigale Guy, won first place in College Classical Women’s First Year Division at 2018 Tampa Bay National Associations of Teachers of Singing Audition. Although Abigale, a Music Performance major, was the only UT student to attend this year’s competition, she said that not only was she excited by the positive result, but she was even more motivated to strive for greater success after attending the competition. Abigale is taught by Vocal Instructor Dr. Hein Jung, Associate Professor of Music.
Dr. Robin Boylorn was at UT on February 19, 2018 to present “Ratchet Respectability: Understanding Media Representations and Black Women.” The event was sponsored by the College of Arts and Letters, the Department of Communication, the Panhellenic Council, the UT Diversity Fellowship, and the UT Black Student Union. Dr. Boylorn is the author of Sweetwater: Black Women and Narratives of Resilience. In addition to her presentation, Dr. Boylorn attended a luncheon with several COM students at UT’s Panache. A special thanks to Dr. Alisha Menzies, Assistant Professor of Communication, who organized and coordinated the event. 
A total of six University of Tampa undergraduates -- Philosophy major  Olivia DeScala ,   Philosophy major  Ann Margaret Kennedy ,   Biology major  Selena Little ,   Sociology major  Tiffany Maziarz ,   Philosophy major  Rahal Wijewardene ,   and   Psychology major  Ioana Zanchi -  competed as a team at the National Intercollegiate Ethics Bowl Championships which was held Chicago, IL. The students representing UT at this prestigious event were  coached by Dr. Marcus Arvan ,  Associate Professor of Philosophy.  
Students studying communication and broadcast journalism were able to participate in an E! Entertainment Television shoot that borrowed the Cass Communication complex on campus. Students were able to interact with the talent and production team and gain hands on experience in a professional environment right on campus. Dr. Chris Boulton from the Department of Communication coordinated the experience. You can see some film and TV work from students in Communication here.
Three Irish Writers offered a reading of their works at Reeves Theatre in March. Niamh Prior is a poet, short fiction writer and winner of the International iYeats Poetry Prize for 2016. She teaches creative writing at University College Cork. Kathy D’Arcy has published two collections of poetry:  The Wild Pupil and  Encounter. Colin Barrettt’s collection of short stories  Young Skins (2015) won The Guardian UK First Book Prize, The Frank O’Connor International Short Story Prize, and The Rooney Prize for Irish Literature. His stories recently appeared in  The New Yorker. The event was organized by Dr. Kathleen Ochshorn, Professor of English and was sponsored by the International Programs Office and Culture Ireland.
From left to right: Kathy D’Arcy, Colin Barrett, Niamh Prior
CAL Academic Awards Ceremony
Mrs. Charlene Gordon with Charlene Gordon Award in Music Recipient Anna Horldt
On April 16th, the College of Arts and Letters hosted its Academic Awards Ceremony to recognize those students within the college who distinguish themselves through scholarly achievement, creative work, performance and/or presentation, or through their contributions to an academic department or program. This annual event allows faculty and staff to honor their achievements, and to celebration this success with their peers and colleagues. All eight departments of the college, as well as Saunders Writing Center and the UT Center for Public Speaking recognize students with a number of awards and distinctions. In addition, Mrs. Charlene Gordon presented several awards that she makes possible to graduating seniors to assist with the transition from college life to professional careers in the arts. Hosted by Dean David Gudelunas, nearly sixty students were acknowledged for excellence at this year’s ceremony. Our congratulations to them!