Class of 2025 Department of Theatre Grads (L to R) Alissa, Rin, Maddy, Jackson, Ellie, and Chase at PFW's Spring 2025 Graduation, May 14, 2025. Photo credit: Julie Lyn Barber

PFW CVPA Grads Celebrate Next Steps

The College of Visual and Performing Arts is tremendously proud of all our Spring 2025 graduates. With the education and confidence to take on new challenges, we wish them success in their next steps. Here, we share some of their future plans. 

Rin Ulick (Theatre) has accepted a Graduate Assistantship to pursue their Master of Fine Arts in Costume Design at Southern Illinois University.

Raina Keith (Interior Design) has accepted a full-time position as a designer for Star Homes.

Maximus Bruner (Clarinet) will attend graduate school at Indiana University. Max’s story was recently featured in a special article and accompanying video about the reflections of the graduating class on their time at Purdue Fort Wayne. Read and watch it here. 

Leah Swihart (Art and Design) will attend graduate school at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College. She will be pursuing a Master of Arts in Art Therapy with an Emphasis in Counseling.

Honoring Our 2025 CVPA Faculty Excellence

Award Winners

Excellence in creative endeavor, research, and teaching are central to the mission of the College of Visual and Performing Arts. Our faculty and limited term lecturer awards encourage and support faculty growth in creative endeavor and research by recognizing the achievement of excellence. Recipients are determined by the College Faculty Affairs Committee, consisting of professors Laurel Campbell, Matt Keown, and Mark Ridgeway.

Excellence in Research and Creative Endeavor

Dr. John Romey, assistant professor of musicology, the School of Music. In making their selection, the committee noted Romey’s manuscripts, articles and a position as a journal editor, his many presentations at top national and international conferences as well as the recent awarding of a very prestigious international grant allowing him a summer of research in Germany.

Romey is a specialist of early modern French music, politics, religion and spectacle; of South American colonial and indigenous musics; and of historical bowed bass instruments, instrumental technology, and historical performance practices. In addition to four peer-reviewed journal publications and an upcoming book chapter accepted for publication, his first book, The Games of Gods and Beggars: The Ludic Soundscapes of Early Modern Paris will be revised and submitted to Oxford University Press for completion by Spring 2026. He is currently finishing his second book manuscript. 

Limited Term Lecturer Excellence in Teaching

Tyler Fritts, musicology, the School of Music. In making their selection, the committee noted Professor Fritts’ strong teaching philosophy which puts students first. 

In Fritts’ ethnomusicology courses, every person in the room is part of a community of scholars, and he views his students as intellectual partners in the learning process. This, in turn, empowers his students to stay engaged with the course and invested in the learning process. In Fritts’ own words, “encouragement, compassion, empathy, and patience provide a sturdy foundation for [his] teaching.”

Tembras Named Michiana Outstanding Music Educator

Associate Professor Daniel Tembras has been chosen as a winner of this year’s Michiana Outstanding Music Educator Award. Presented annually by Quinlan & Fabish Music Company since 1989, this prestigious honor is voted on by school directors across Illinois, Indiana, and Michigan and recognizes excellence in the field of music education.

Tembras serves as the Director of Instrumental Studies at Purdue University Fort Wayne. His duties include conducting the Symphonic Wind Ensemble and Symphonic Band, teaching courses in conducting and music education, and coordinating the woodwind, brass, and percussion areas. Tembras holds a DMA degree in Wind Conducting from The University of Texas at Austin.

PFW Day of Giving a BIG Success for CVPA

The College of Visual and Performing Arts received nearly $153,000 in generous donations from friends, faculty, students, alumni, and staff for PFW Day of Giving 2025. The total number of gifts increased by 49, and the College won bonus funds in several of the all-campus giving challenges. 

The highlight of the day was an all-day concert at Firefly Coffee House, a local favorite of the Purdue Fort Wayne community. A mix of student, faculty, and alumni performers from the School of Music, the Department of Theatre, and the Community Arts Academy performed a variety of music for the community on this beautiful spring day, encouraging visitors to support the arts at PFW with donations. 

You can see the performances here and read more about the event in this recent story by Blake Sebring. 

Milestone Reached in Surack-Sweetwater Music Industry Building

Construction of the Surack-Sweetwater Music Industry Building reached a milestone on Thursday, May 8th with the placement of the final and tallest beam in the building’s steel frame. Known as a “top out,” the University celebrated the moment by inviting students, faculty, and staff to sign the beam before it was lifted into position. 

The 26,000-square-foot facility, scheduled to open for Fall 2026 semester, will connect to the existing PFW Music Center via a skybridge and offer a wide range of amenities for the University’s growing commercial music programs, including recording studios and control rooms, editing suites, an audio lab, and more. Its name recognizes and honors the crucial support Chuck and Lisa Surack have provided to the project and acknowledges their essential role in the PFW School of Music’s growth. 

• Video by PFW News
• Journal Gazette article (subscription required) 
• Journal Gazette gallery (subscription required)

Can't wait until Fall 2026?

Take an animated tour of the completed facility.

The College of Visual and Performing Arts Dean's Office staff signed the final beam of the Surack-Sweetwater Music Industry Building before it was raised into position on Thursday, May 8, 2025.

Opera First for Purdue Fort Wayne

On April 12, the Purdue Fort Wayne Opera Ensemble and University Orchestra presented the first fully staged opera production in campus history. The Opera Ensemble, led by Dr. Matthew Giallongo in conjunction with the University Orchestra conducted by Dr. Kevin McMahon, performed Gianni Schicchi by Puccini, a comedic opera about greed and cunning deception. Directed by Dr. Belinda Andrews-Smith, Schicchi was presented in collaboration with Heartland Sings, and is a first-time collaboration between the Opera Ensemble and the Orchestra featuring PFW students, faculty, guest artists, and alumni.

Christina Egbert 'Walks the Talk'

Christina Egbert, senior business manager and financial and administrative affairs liaison to the College of Visual and Performing Arts was honored with a 2025 Walk the Talk Award by the Purdue University Office of Vice President for Ethics and Compliance. 

The awards are given to individuals from the University community for their outstanding dedication to the University's Statement of Integrity and Code of Conduct. Specifically, the awards are presented to those individuals who most exemplify strong ethical character in their dealings with others, champion ethical practices or programs, or apply personal values in a manner that demonstrates integrity and high standards of excellence. “Christina exemplifies the characteristics of this award—1,000%!,” said nominator Molly Papier.

Egbert, Dean O’Connell, and Egbert’s supervisor, Allyson Mills, the associate vice chancellor for financial and administrative affairs, attended a luncheon honoring the winners in West Lafayette in early April. 

A Busy Sabbatical for Theatre's Jeff Casazza

Professor of Theatre Jeffrey Casazza’s yearlong sabbatical will end following a busy summer. In July, he will present a workshop on the ‘Physics of Acting’ at the fourth International Margolis Method conference in Oklahoma this July. He is close to completing his level 5 Margolis Method certification and is currently writing a book chapter about the technique. He will also travel to Turkey and Greece to conduct research on the Trojan War and Greek mythology for a future production. Next fall, Casazza will direct and provide sound design for the PFW Department of Theatre’s first show of the season, The Love Talker. 

One of Casazza’s largest sabbatical projects was playing Mark Rothko in the Fort Wayne Civic Theatre's production of RED by John Logan this past March and April. The play, which follows Rothko’s 2-year long commission of the Seagram Murals when he was at the height of his artistic career, and Casazza’s performance, were well-received by local critics and audiences alike. 

• Journal Gazette: Fort Wayne Civic Theatre Paints Rothko Portrait with ‘Red’ (subscription required)

• 21 Alive News: Fort Wayne Civic Theatre: Red

• Whatzup: Civic Theatre gets artistic with 'Red' 

School of Music Welcomes Chapman Scholars Program Recipient

Each year, Purdue Fort Wayne seeks top high school talent through its Summit Scholars Competition. Recipients are chosen based on their academic merit and community involvement and receive full, four-year scholarships. Of a record 80 applicants this year, six were chosen to become Chapman Scholars, one of whom is planning a college career in the School of Music.  

Maraya Wiltfang plans to major in commercial music. Wiltfang’s involvement outside of the classroom includes Mock Trial, theater, A Capella Club, the Science and Sustainability Club, student council, National Honor Society, and show band.

CAA Student Wins Big at Stickley Piano Competition

Congratulations to Community Arts Academy student Kenny Wang (age 17), who was declared one of two winners of Division VI (ages 16-18) at the Stickley Piano Competition. Kenny, a student of Professor of Music and Director of Keyboard Studies Hamilton Tescarollo, performed Debussy’s Reflets dans l’eau, from Images, Book I. 

Austin Rausch, assistant professor of Theatre, will spend his fourth season at Bigfork Summer Playhouse in Bigfork, Montana. Rausch will serve as the costume shop manager for Catch Me If You Can, Shrek the Musical, All Shook Up, and Something Rotten! He will also serve as the costume designer for Something Rotten! Rausch, who recently gave a presentation for The Embassy Theatre’s “Broadway Buzz” series on Dear Evan Hansen in Fort Wayne on March 22, has also been accepted to present at the 2025 CELT Fall Teaching Conference with PFW Instructional Designer Andrea Bearman. Together, they will present “Bridging Creativity and Connection: UDL-Driven Gamification for Powerful Analysis.”

Ronald Knepper, limited term lecturer in Art and Design, has received a Rauschenberg Foundation Emergency Medical Grant. This grant for artists and dancers facing medical hardships was established by artist Robert Rauschenberg and has continued through his Foundation. 

Assistant Professor of Music Dr. John Romey and his early music ensemble were featured in a recent Whatzup article about their concert, A Courtesan, A Nun and a Court Musician and the challenges and triumphs of bringing this “historically informed performance” to life. 

Assistant Professor and Director of Vocal Studies Dr. Matthew Giallongo has been awarded the 2025 Young Alumni Achievement Award for Career Development by his undergraduate alma mater, Gettysburg College. 

Professor of Music Hamilton Tescarollo will spend part of the summer in Italy as a festival faculty member at the InterHarmony International Music Festival. In his role, Tescarollo will both teach and perform at the festival, which attracts classical music students from around the globe for two weeks of expert instruction, master classes, musical seminars, and concert performances in picturesque Acqui Terme, Piedmont, Italy. Recent alumni Olivia Bressler (B.M., ’22) and Allyn Beifus (B.S.M., ’23, Performance Certificate ’24), current School of Music student Christian Urizar, and former CAA student Ben Morton will attend with Tescarollo as festival students.

Clinical Assistant Professor of Music and Director of Commercial Music John Buteyn hosted a group from Michigan-based, non-profit after-school program Above Pete’s Garage (APG) for a special session at PFW earlier this semester. Together, they played and recorded a cover of “TNT” by AC/DC. The program is a great recruiting tool, with one APG student already enrolled in our School of Music and two others accepted for next year. Watch their charming performance and learn more about the collaboration on YouTube. 

Dr. Suining Ding, Professor of Interior Design, gave two presentations at the Interior Design Educators Council (IDEC) 2025 Annual Conference in Chicago on March 17th. Ding presented her research in healthcare design during her talk: “Examining the Impact of Nursing Unit Interior Layout on Human Behavior”. She also presented “An Analysis of Two Glass Houses: How the Natural Environment Shapes Design,” focused on her study of two famous glass houses, and shared her scholarship of teaching and learning.

Professor of Printmaking and Drawing Christopher Ganz has a work featured in Artlink’s current exhibition, Head’s Up: Current Approaches to Portraiture, on view now through June 8 at Artlink. In October, Ganz’s work will again be on display at Artlink in Gesture and Presence: Figure Drawings by Christopher Ganz, which will run from October 23 through November 16, 2025. Ganz will also serve as a juror for The Body Re-Formed: Contemporary Approaches to Drawing the Nude Figure; a national juried exhibition as well as jurying work for this exhibition. 

Right:

“Christian Cooper - Birdwatcher”

color pens, color pencils, and dry pastel on toned paper

(Portrait drawing based from photograph by Brittainy Newman of the New York Times)

By: Christopher Ganz

Lucy Pflueger, Art and Design student, has been named a finalist for the National Society of Arts and Letters Winston 2-D Scholarship. She received $1000 for her art education. One of Pflueger’s pieces was recently named “Best in Show” at the Department of Art and Design’s 2025 Annual Juried Student Art Exhibition.

Joe Gernhardt, music education student and trumpet player, will spend the 2025 Drum Corps season with the Blue Stars from La Crosse, Wisconsin. The Blue Stars are a top ten World Class level corps with a very rich history. With the Blue Stars, Joe will practice ten to fourteen hours a day during the months of June, July, and the first week of August. He’ll go on tour and perform in shows across America, culminating in Indianapolis, Indiana at Lucas Oil Stadium for the Drum Corps International World Championships.

Rin Ulick, senior in the Department of Theatre, is serving as the Costume Designer for Genesis Outreach’s production of Jesus Christ Superstar. Ulick completed their first professional Costume Design for the Department of Theatre’s production of John Proctor is the Villain earlier this year.

Elijah Mann, graduating senior in Graphic Design, has been selected as the Winger Award recipient for 2025. The Winger Award was generously set up by Jim and Linda Winger to signify the best Art and Design B.F.A. senior(s). The award is designed to help graduating seniors continue practicing art, travel, help set up a studio, or prepare for graduate school. 

Willow Cribb, a 2025 PFW Top 50 Scholar and Art and Design student, was recently elected student body president of Purdue Fort Wayne’s student government for 2025-2026. 

Alexa Ross, Ceramics student, was awarded summer workshop work study position at Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts and a scholarship to attend the Justin Rothshank Low-fire Soda Kiln workshop.

Anna Reichert, a student in choral music education, won a scholarship to study Kodaly in California.

Marten Slager, Music Industry and Popular Music student, completed the requirements for the Purdue Fort Wayne Honors Program certificate. He presented his project, “Establishing an Independent Music Business,” on April 10, 2025 at the Honors Showcase.

Nicole Pitcher, graduating Ceramics student, has two pieces juried into the Earth and Fire 2025 exhibition at the Stifel Fine Art Center, part of the Oglebay Institute in Wheeling, WV, including the tea set seen here.

Dorian Soto, a second-year art education major, had four photographs featured in the Spring 2025 issue of Confluence, PFW’s student-run literary magazine. Soto originally shot the selected photographs as part of James Gabbard’s Intro to Photography and Advanced Photo I Portraiture classes. 

Soto is one of several CVPA students featured in the Spring 2025 issue of Confluence, including: 

Al Constant 

Grace Kinzer

Gustavo Pereira Corsi da Silva

Lee Rich

Hailee Richmond

Kealey Speicher

Congratulations to the School of Music

Outstanding Seniors

The School of Music’s Outstanding Senior awards are presented to graduating students who demonstrate excellence in and significant contributions to their music degree program, exceptional musicianship through outstanding performance, superior academic achievement (minimum overall and music GPAs of 3.0), and exemplification of superior personality and character traits in his or her campus conduct. Please join us in congratulating this year’s recipients.

Music Education: Grace Driscoll

Music Therapy: Olivia Edens

Music Performance: Maximus Bruner 

Music Performance: Christian Urizar

Music Technology: Jack Oberley

Music Technology: Kaleb Waikel

Commercial Music: Tyler Crisp (Recording/Production)

Commercial Music: Natalie Dominiak (Songwriting/Performance)

Music Industry: Shelby Cade

Music Industry: Aliyah Gordy

Music & Outside Field: Dannie Kay Eyanson

Tim Baron (Art and Design) had the honor of designing the electrifying concert poster for AC/DC’s recent Minneapolis show. Visit Tim's Instagram, @timbaronart to see more of his work.

Carmen Hamilton (Art and Design) is set to complete her MFA at Maine College of Art and Design with her thesis exhibition opening this month at the Institute of Contemporary Art in Portland, Maine. Visit Carmen’s Instagram, @cjhamilton_art to learn more.

Brady Fanning (Art and Design) presented his latest ceramics collection, Objects of Power, at the Grunwald Gallery in Bloomington, Indiana in April 2025 as part of his M.F.A. thesis at Indiana University. Visit his Instagram, @fkabrady for photos and additional information. Fanning has been further awarded with an upcoming artist residency at Baltimore Clayworks.

Breona Conrad (Theatre) appears in the Phoenix Theatre’s production of Forbidden Broadway this summer at the Judith Hardes Theatre, April 23 through June 22, 2025. 

Kayla Cruz (Art and Design) was recently hired by the Allen County Public Library as their digital communications specialist. 

Katie Hartzog (Interior Design), owner of Hartzog Interiors, was featured in the May 2025 issue of Fort Wayne Magazine, page 46.

Abby Huggins (Interior Design), owner of Aleur Designs, was featured in the May 2025 issue of Fort Wayne Magazine, page 42.

Evan Snaufer (Theatre) will tour this summer as part of “Tumbleweed Crossing” with Lagniappe Productions. The touring production will take him to fairs and festivals across Texas, Iowa, Minnesota, and New Mexico in July and August. 

Jason Lundgren, clinical assistant professor of music recording and technology, took students from his concerts and events production class on a behind-the-scenes tour of the Memorial Coliseum this semester in this feature story by Blake Sebring for PFW News.