Congratulations 2023-24 Graduates

We extend our heart-felt congratulations to 125 students who graduated from the College of Visual and Performing Arts on May 8, 2024. Many of these graduates had not had the opportunity to walk for their high school commencement, due to the pandemic lock-down, so the day was especially meaningful to them and their family and friends. Purdue Fort Wayne’s 56th commencement at the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum drew nearly 9,000 friends and family to celebrate the commencement of more than 800 total students.

“Regardless of their field of study, what our students have achieved while earning their Purdue degrees, in the eyes of their future employers, places them among the best prepared graduates region-wide and beyond,” said Ron Elsenbaumer, chancellor, Purdue University Fort Wayne. “As our benefactors continue to invest in this cycle of success, we too remain committed to our university’s growing reputation for accomplishing bigger and better things. Our graduates and their families embody the reason we pursue these high standards.”      

More than 1000 people watched the ceremony via live stream and so can you.

Watch the commencement ceremony here online.

CVPA Top 50 Recipients (l. to r.): Madison Foreman, Cag Loveless, Katherine Marx, MaeAnna Marteen, and Elliot Valfreyja.

CVPA Places Five Recipients in the Top 50

Purdue University Fort Wayne celebrated the 2024 Top 50 and Exemplar Class on Friday, April 19, 2024, in the International Ballroom. The College of Visual and Performing Arts (CVPA) was represented by five students in the Top 50, including Katherine Marx, the college exemplar student. They were chosen, by committee, from among 120 students who completed and submitted a full application for consideration.

Since 2016, Purdue University Fort Wayne has recognized a large group of Mastodons for their enthusiasm and success in making the most of the full student experience. Called simply the Top 50, these individuals not only have high GPAs, they also excel in university activities, events, and organizations – and through community engagement both here in Fort Wayne and in their hometowns. Each year, college deans, school directors, department chairs, and/or faculty select students to be Exemplars.

Meet the CVPA Top 50 Recipients:

Katherine Marx  |  Music Performance |  CVPA Exemplar 

Madison Foreman  |  Photography

Caleigh Loveless  |  Theatre

MaeAnna Marteen  |  Theatre

Elliot Valfreyja  |  Theatre

Taking It to the Next Level

Luiza Helena de Araujo Caetano (B.F.A. printmaking, ’23) will attend Ohio University in the fall to pursue an M.F.A. in Printmaking. Ohio University, located in Athens, Ohio, is considered to have the 8^th best printmaking program in the country according to U.S News & World Report. Caetano has also served this last year as the Visual Arts Gallery assistant and as the Artlink exhibition assistant.

"PFW feels like a second home to me! I look back at my journey with pride for being able to accomplish all the goals that I had set for myself, but it is the feeling of gratitude that fills me up as I recall my experience here. Beyond all the valuable knowledge I've acquired, I received nothing but kindness and encouragement from professors and staff to become a better version of myself since the very beginning. Without that support system I couldn't have gotten to where I am. Being able to get into such a great graduate program is definitely a shared success, and I'll do my best to represent PFW as best as I can!”

Katherine Marx (B.M. '24, music performance) has been accepted at the Eastman School of Music to pursue a Master of Music in Flute Performance and Literature.

“The people I have gotten to know have become very close friends, and I have loved all of my professors. They have all invested in my life in a very real way. These connections have set me up for my next step, as well as my professional life beyond my masters. Thank you!”

Alyssa Anzelmo (B.M. '23, music performance) will be continuing her education in fall 2024 at the IU Jacobs School of Music, working towards a Master of Music in Vocal Performance.

Madelyn Kunkle (B.M. '24,music performance) will join the fall cohort at Carnegie Mellon University, where she has been offered an assistantship to pursue a Master of Music in Percussion Performance.

Q. Davis (B.M. '24, music performance) will be continuing their education in fall 2024, working towards a Master of Music in Historical Performance at IU Jacobs School of Music.



On March 28, 2024, the College of Visual and Performing Arts lost one of our most celebrated and prolific artists, Professor Emeritus Hector Garcia. Hector’s work is widely known and Headwaters Park in Fort Wayne is the home for Garcia’s instantly familiar sculpture of Chief Little Turtle, standing on the banks of the St. Mary’s river. Some examples of Garcia’s work include the Fort Wayne and State of Indiana Bicentennial Medals, as well as 22 busts of famous artists and leaders, which are now housed at the PFW Music Center. His Freedom Flame medallion is part of the Smithsonian permanent collection and was presented to Desmond Tutu in the mid-1980s.

Garcia began teaching at the Fort Wayne Art School in 1966, prior to their merger with IPFW, until his retirement in 1997. He shared his talents in ways that profoundly impacted his students, colleagues, and community, and he will be greatly missed. A search on the internet will tell you much of what you need to know regarding this celebrated artist and teacher. Memorial service details will be forthcoming. Read the obituary here.

Garcia, an avid cycling enthusiast, created the sculpture VeloSpirit (pictured above) as an award to be presented by the magazine VeloNews to outstanding professional cyclists.

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Fort Wayne Mayor Tom Henry (1930–2024) was an avid supporter of all things Fort Wayne, including our Sister Cities and the PFW School of Music and Department of Theatre. Through his generous support and enthusiasm, the PFW Symphonic Wind Ensemble had the privilege to perform in Gera, Germany, one of our sister cities, during the ensembles European Tour in summer 2018. Through the mayor’s connections the group was treated like royalty during their visit. Mayor Henry was also one of our most lively and spirited guest spellers during our performance of The 25^th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee in 2010. We offer our deepest condolences at his passing and will forever treasure his support.

Emily Hayden (B.F.A, ’24 printmaking) won the Jan Sullivan Emerging Artist Award for the print, Nighttime Browsing, (pictured) for the 30th Annual Juried Art Exhibition at the Art Barn School of Art in Valparaiso, Indiana, April 13 - May 23, 2024.

Hayden also received the 2024 Winger Award for her exceptional work that was part of the 2024 B.F.A. Thesis Seminar Exhibition. The $1500 award was established in 1978 by James and Linda Winger, to be given to one or more pieces judged to be the “Best of Show” on display at the student art exhibition at PFW.

Jonah Buehner (B.F.A. ’24, printmaking) had his print Tariffing the Elderly at Every Hour, juried into the 44th National Print Exhibition at Artlink, in Fort Wayne, Ind., from March 21-April 21, 2024.

Luiza Helena de Araujo Caetano (B.F.A. ’23, printmaking) was also juried into the 44th National Print Exhibition at Artlink, with her print entitled Simon Says...



Still Time to Sign Up for CAA Video Production Summer Camp | WANE TV

BFA Students Showcase Their Thesis Projects | WFFT FOX55

The Choral Union Makes a Joyful Noise | PFW News Center

The New Manager Behind Some of Fort Wayne's Biggest Events | WANE TV

A subscription to the Fort Wayne Journal Gazette is required to see the following:

PFW Moves City Closer to Top 10 Music City Goal | Journal Gazette

Levan Scott Academy Explores Music with PFW Students | Journal Gazette

Prestigious Performance Opportunity for PFW Band

The School of Music Symphonic Wind Ensemble was honored to be selected through blind audition to perform at the CBDNA (College Band Directors National Association) Conference on April 5, 2024, on the campus of Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio. The students also performed at area high schools on their way to the conference.



The 50-member group, one of six bands selected to perform as part of a blind, peer-reviewed process, is an honor that has never been attained in the history of the university, according to Associate Professor Daniel Tembras, director of instrumental studies and the group’s conductor. Read more about their opportunity here.

Natalie and Crew Opened for Flo Rida On April 26

After a fierce competition among three student bands, the band Natalie and Crew was selected by the judges to open for best-selling rapper, singer, and songwriter Flo Rida who performed on April 26 at PFW Gates Sports Center. The other competitors, during Don’s Got Music on April 15, were Mauve and Punching Lucky. The Natalie and Crew band members include lead singer Natalie Dominiak; Eleysha Lee, bass guitar; Jesse Frausto, guitar, Amara Wiley, percussion and vocals; Michael Boyd, drums; Noah Vaughn, keyboards, and Hailee Richmond, guitar and vocals. Read more here and watch the announcement on YouTube.



"Andrea del Sarto and the Splendor of the Madonna of the Harpies" on Tuesday, April 23, 2024, as part of the Medici Archive Project Online Forum. His presentation analyzed Andrea del Sarto's dazzling light, stunning color, and mysterious shadow in view of the learned exchanges that occurred between the artist and his Franciscan patrons. The Medici Archive Project is one of the top research insitutitions in Italy. Visit the web site and use the following pass code to view Dr. Cody’s lecture: tP*%+eB1

Dr. Cody also presented a current research project--"Michelangelo’s Final Pietà and the Life of ‘Holy Longing'"--at the 2024 Renaissance Society of America Annual Conference, held at the Palmer House in Chicago, Ill., from Mar. 21-23, 2024.

Work by Gallery Director Derek Decker (pictured above) was recently included in the Oglebay Institute National Juried Ceramic Competition, Earth & Fire 2024. The juror was Professor of Ceramics Shoji Satake from West Virginia University. Decker's piece entitled Opportunities was selected as one of 110 pieces exhibited and was on display at the Stifel Fine Arts Center, in Wheeling, West Virginia, from February 23-March 30, 2024.

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An essay by Dr. Barton Price, “Recent Scholarship on Midwestern Contributions to Popular Music: Trends and Opportunities,” appeared in the newest issue of the Middle West Review as part of its tenth anniversary as an academic journal.

Music Ed Students Inspire Fifth Graders

Music education majors at PFW made great connections in the community at Levan R. Scott Academy during the spring 2024 semester. With the help of a $5,000 grant for 12-weeks of music education, PFW students helped the youngsters prepare and polish several different kinds of presentations about their favorite forms of music as part of the Community Connections: Southeast Arts Project Grant.

The elementary students were invested from the start, saying they had never been asked about their favorite music before—especially not at school. Some were singing Meghan Trainor songs, and others worked on Nasheed music, a form of acapella hymns. Some were interested the latest hip-hop scene; others learned to play the recorder; some students sang a Fifty Fifty K-pop song; and still others designed posters featuring their favorite artists. The work during the semester culminated in a production on April 17 for parents, faculty, staff, and invited guests, featuring a performance by local artist G-Money.

The program, administered by Arts United of Greater Fort Wayne and energized by NIPSCO and the NiSource Charitable Foundation, was intended to bring together residents in Southeast Fort Wayne to enhance a sense of pride and community through unique artistic experiences. The grants provided funding to support arts and culture projects in Southeast Fort Wayne. Read more here.

Honors Program Showcases Accomplished CVPA Student

Students who were part of the Honors Program Showcase Spring 2024 presented their honors projects in live presentations, showcasing what they have learned in the program. Presentations were held on April 11-12, in the Helmke Library. Five CVPA students presented their projects this year. Read about their projects and bios.

Madison Foreman (pictured)

Ending Endometriosis

Art and Design

Art and Design Faculty Mentor: James Gabbard

Noah Wright

MIXtape EP

Popular Music (Recording and Production)

Music Faculty Mentors: Ryan Tilby and John Buteyn

Madison Kindler

The Potential Impact of a Deviated Septum on Singing

Music Education

Music Faculty Mentor: Dr. William Sauerland

Hailey Ewer

Capturing the Sound: Challenges Live Sound Engineers Face in Live Music Venues

Popular Music-Recording/Production and Music Industry

Music Faculty Mentors: Dr. Barton Price and Ronan Armstrong

Katherine Marx

Philharmonic Philosophies: Standards of Orchestral Flute Performance Practice

Music Performance

Music Faculty Mentors: Dr. John Romey and Luke Fitzpatrick

Fusion Band Hits All the Right Notes

Fusion Band 2024, a collaboration between Purdue Fort Wayne (PFW) School of Music and Fort Wayne Community Schools (FWCS) was again a great success for everyone involved. The project, in its second year, brought music education students into Memorial Park Middle School to direct a band comprised of middle school students from eight different FWCS schools. The result of their semester-long work was presented at a final concert on April 30 in the PFW International Ballroom.

Applying methods from a rehearsal techniques course, the project enabled 12 music education students to teach and conduct a piece they selected and gave 44 middle school students the opportunity to polish their instrumental skills outside of the classroom. Dr. John Egger, the director of the music education program, and Molly Papier, administrator of the program, agreed that applying what students learn in the classroom in a workshop setting creates more resilient teachers. Music Education students benefit from the experience of leading their own classroom, before their student teaching assignment.

Watch the Fusion Band final concert here.

The 2024 Day of Giving on April 24, resulted in big results for the College of Visual and Performing Arts, thanks to our incredible donors. Anchored by a single gift of $610,000, gifts to CVPA totaled $627,701 from 109 donors. CVPA received an additional $500 bonus for the Most Gifts from Alumni Donors.

The amount donated to CVPA was more than 45% of the total for the entire university, which came in at a record breaking $1,370,595. We cannot thank you enough for your loyalty and generosity. Your support of our students means the world to us. Thank you so much!