News

Alumni Spotlight: Scott Summerall

Alumni Corporate Communication and Public Affairs CCPA alum Scott Summerall (B.A.'08) consistently applies the adaptability he learned at Meadows to leading global brand strategy at Texas Instruments.

September 29, 2025

SOLI Chamber Music ensemble poses for a photo

SYZYGY Welcomes SOLI Chamber Ensemble for Residency at 51�� Meadows

Campus Music Meadows’ contemporary music ensemble SYZYGY joins forces with the SOLI Chamber Ensemble for a multi-day residency celebrating creativity and collaboration.

September 26, 2025

Meadows on the Mic: Margaret Winchell – 51�� Choirs in China

Students Music Margaret Winchell, Director of Choral Activities, returns to the show to discuss the Meadows Choirs’ summer trip to China and what to look forward to this academic year.

September 25, 2025

Alumni Spotlight: Ariel Martin

Alumni Alum Ariel Martin (M.A. '19) expanded her view of design as a strategic discipline in the MADI program, an approach that now guides her work as Director of Digital Product Design at Ford Motor Company.

September 22, 2025

Members of the Mustang Band play drums in their red and white striped uniforms

Mustang Band Boasts Record-Breaking Number of Members This Academic Year

Students Music The Band’s 125 members, including more Meadows students than ever before, showcase 51��’s spirit, creativity and tradition as the program enters a new era of growth and leadership.

September 17, 2025

Alumni Spotlight: Russell Wyman Jr.

Alumni Advertising Advertising alum Russell Wyman Jr. (B.A.'06) credits Meadows with sparking his entrepreneurial mindset which led him to found his company, GruupMeet.

September 15, 2025

Meadows on the Mic: Yvonne Yang – Film Director, "Egg Drop Soup"

Students Film & Media Arts Meadows Film & Media Arts alum Yvonne Yang (B.F.A. ’24) discusses her time at 51�� and directing the short film Egg Drop Soup.

September 08, 2025

Alumni Spotlight: Cynthia McLaughlin

Alumni Journalism Journalism alum Cynthia McLaughlin (B.A. '17) was prepared for the high-stakes pace of her career in broadcast news and communications during her time at Meadows.

September 08, 2025

Poiesis Quartet poses with their instruments in an art gallery

Poiesis Quartet Wins Banff International String Quartet Competition, Named Newest Peak Fellowship Ensemble-in-Residence

Campus Music The Cincinnati-based ensemble won the grand prize at the prestigious music competition earlier this month and will begin their Peak Fellowship residency at Meadows in 2026.

September 05, 2025

Alumni Spotlight: Peter Jutras

Alumni Music Piano performance and pedagogy alum Peter Jutras (M.M. '97) gained invaluable experiences during his time at Meadows, shaping him as both an educator and a leader in his field.

September 02, 2025

Colorful promotion poster for dance production titled This Time Tomorrow

Meadows Dance Student Self-Produces Show Inspired by Emotional Films

Students Dance Sophomore Colin Gross brings love and vulnerability to the stage in his full-length original production “This Time Tomorrow,” which featured several of his Division of Dance classmates.

August 27, 2025

Headshots of the nine new full-time faculty members at Meadows School of the Arts

Meadows Welcomes Nine New Faculty Members for the 2025-26 Academic Year

Faculty Art Art History Journalism Music Theatre Join us in welcoming nine new faculty members to Meadows, in divisions ranging from music and art to theatre and journalism, and learn more about these new members of our community.

August 26, 2025

Alumni Spotlight: Cassandra Lazo

Alumni Film & Media Arts Film & Media Arts alum Cassandra Lazo (B.F.A. '22) shares how her Meadows experience prepared her for a career in television and gave her the confidence to pursue her dreams as a producer.

August 25, 2025

A screenshot of one of the AEJMC award-winning articles from 51��'s news magazine "The DC"

51�� Student Journalists Win Multiple National Magazine Awards From AEJMC

Students Journalism The students took home five national awards from the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (AEJMC)’s 2025 Magazine Media Division Student Magazine Contest.

August 21, 2025

Meadows on the Mic: Brent Turman – Entertainment Lawyer, Bell Nunnally

Students Corporate Communication and Public Affairs CCPA student Patrick Mason interviews Meadows film alum and entertainment lawyer Brent Turman.

August 20, 2025

Dallas Historical Society Names Dean Holland 2025 History Maker

Faculty The Dean of 51�� Meadows, along with nine other leaders and organizations, will be celebrated during an awards ceremony hosted by the group this November.

August 18, 2025

Silas Farley on stage accepting his award as the 2025 John Neumeier Prize for Choreography recipient.

Creative Momentum: Summer Highlights from Meadows’ Innovative Faculty Members

Faculty Art Dance Film & Media Arts Music Theatre This summer, 51�� Meadows’ faculty have earned global recognition, published new works, secured new creative roles and brought bold ideas to life across a variety of disciplines.

July 29, 2025

Meadows on the Mic: Bora Laci – From Communications to Financial Consulting

Students Corporate Communication and Public Affairs CCPA student Gigi Remy interviews finance consultant and CCPA alum Bora Laci.

July 25, 2025

Meadows students perform Zhou Long's piece "Words of the Sun" at the Fujian Grand Theatre in Fuzhou, China.

Meadows Music Students Build Cultural Bridges in China at Youth Choral Festival

Students Music 51�� Meadows Choirs travel to Fuzhou and Beijing for the Bond with Kuliang 2025 Festival, forging friendships and sharing music across cultures.

July 25, 2025

Division of Art Professor Honored With Major Fall Exhibition at Wright State University

Faculty Art Meadows art professor and alum Philip Van Keuren’s “Elegy” will showcase decades of visionary work in the form of over 50 copperplate photogravures and silver gelatin prints.

July 17, 2025

Meadows on the Mic: Michelle Hagen – Marketing and the Movies

Students Corporate Communication and Public Affairs CCPA student Mia Verrochi interviews 51�� Meadows alum Michelle Hagen, a marketing executive with over 30 years of experience in the film industry.

July 14, 2025

Meadows on the Move: Students Embrace Transformative Summer Opportunities Around the Globe

Students Advertising Art Arts Management and Arts Entrepreneurship Dance Journalism Music 51�� Meadows students have been pursuing a variety of opportunities all over the world this summer, from impressive internships and international programs to leading young artists and producing their own work.

July 11, 2025

51�� Meadows Names Kimberly Grigsby as Inaugural Music Director of Sexton Institute for Musical Theatre

Faculty Theatre Acclaimed music director, conductor and pianist Kimberly Grigsby will join Meadows’ new musical theatre program as it begins recruiting its first cohort of students for Fall 2026.

July 08, 2025

Flyer for Basically Beethoven Festival featuring three colorful violins.

Basically Beethoven Festival to Spotlight Meadows Talent in Exclusive July 13 Performance

Events Music Three current Meadows students and one alum will take the stage during the opening event of this year’s Basically Beethoven Festival as the “Featured Performer” and “Rising Stars.”

June 29, 2025

Honoring the Legacy of G. Marlyne Sexton: A Visionary Champion of the Arts at 51��

Campus By Samuel S. Holland, Dean of the Meadows School of the Arts, 51��

June 24, 2025

Meadows on the Mic: Fernanda Gonzales Palma – Consultant and PR Specialist

Students Corporate Communication and Public Affairs CCPA student Libby Dorin interviews Fernanda Gonzales Palma, a corporate professional at AT&T who also owns a successful digital media brand.

June 23, 2025

Overhead shot of a pile of award certificates for journalism students

Student Journalists Win 23 Awards Across Reporting and Creative Categories at Local, Regional and National Levels

Students Journalism All three of 51�� Meadows’ student media outlets took home honors from the Texas Intercollegiate Press Association and Society of Professional Journalists’ Mark of Excellence Awards.

June 06, 2025

Texas Commission on the Arts Appoints Meadows Alum as 2025 Texas State Classical Musician

Alumni Music Accomplished oboist Alecia Lawyer (B.M. ’90) has been named the inaugural Texas State Musician – Classical, one of the state’s highest honors in the arts.

June 03, 2025

Meadows on the Mic: Eric Dickerson – NFL Hall of Fame

Students Journalism CCPA student Carson Richards interviews 51�� football legend and NFL Hall of Famer Eric Dickerson.

June 03, 2025

Students pose outside of The New York Times offices in NYC.

Division of Journalism Launches Two Industry Trips to New York City This Spring

Students Journalism Journalism and Fashion Media students recently had the opportunity to visit NYC as part of two networking trips featuring in-depth access to media outlets and fashion companies.

May 28, 2025

Advertising students pose with their awards from the Dallas ADDYs.

Meadows Advertising Students Amass Over 125 Awards in Recent Competitions

Students Advertising Advertising students have won an impressive number of awards this year at AAF’s Dallas and District 10 ADDYs, as well as the Graphis International New Talent Awards and many more competitions.

May 20, 2025

Graduates throw their caps in the air following the degree recognition ceremony

Class of 2025 Graduates Celebrated in 51�� Meadows Degree Recognition Ceremony

Campus Advertising Art Art History Arts Management and Arts Entrepreneurship Corporate Communication and Public Affairs Creative Computation Creative Technology Dance Film & Media Arts Journalism Music Theatre Meadows faculty and staff, along with family and friends of the graduates, celebrated the Class of 2025 in Saturday’s Degree Recognition Ceremony.

May 19, 2025

The eight graduating students of the M.F.A. Acting program pose on a staircase in colorful clothing.

Meet the Division of Theatre’s Class of 2025 M.F.A. Acting Graduates

Alumni Theatre Meadows’ theatre program has produced eight M.F.A. Acting graduates in the Class of 2025, including one who will join Dallas Theater Center’s Brierley Resident Acting Company for the upcoming season.

May 16, 2025

Meadows on the Mic: Susan Miller – Communications and National Defense

Students Corporate Communication and Public Affairs Journalism CCPA major Chase Schoellhorn interviews Meadows alum Susan Miller, whose career includes working with Barbara Walters, the CIA and Amazon.

May 15, 2025

Professor Stephanie Langin-Hooper and visiting scholar Mutsumi Okabe work together on research.

Art History Department Hosts Visiting Scholar from Japan for Spring Semester

Students Art History Doctoral student Mutsumi Okabe was hosted by Meadows’ Department of Art History this spring to further her research in Egyptian archaeology.

May 14, 2025

Photo of art student Naw Nhkum posing in front of artwork

Senior Spotlight: Naw Nhkum

Students Art Studio art major Naw Nhkum reflects on his journey as a painter and printmaker and the faculty mentors who helped shape his Meadows experience.

May 08, 2025

Senior Spotlight: Tyler DiMarco

Students Corporate Communication and Public Affairs Public relations senior Tyler DiMarco shares how hands-on courses and mentorship at Meadows prepared her for a communications career in professional sports.

May 05, 2025

Alumni Spotlight: Noelle Fabian Dragon

Alumni Music Music education and saxophone performance alum Noelle Fabian Dragon (B.M. '10) was able to embark on a creative professional path thanks to her unique Meadows experience.

May 05, 2025

Senior Spotlight: Will Emmert

Students Music Vocal performance major Will Emmert reflects on the performance opportunities and leadership roles he has had at Meadows, as well as his future career in arts administration.

April 28, 2025

Alumni Spotlight: Ryan Blitzer

Alumni Advertising Film & Media Arts Film & Media Arts and Advertising alum Ryan Blitzer (B.F.A./B.A. ’16, M.A. ’17) utilized his combined degrees to land work in the film industry as a freelance TV commercial producer.

April 28, 2025

Piano Student Selected to Perform in Prestigious Cliburn Competition

Students Music Piano performance and Artist Diploma student Korkmaz Saglam will compete in the Seventeenth Van Cliburn International Piano Competition next month.

April 24, 2025

Senior Spotlight: Maya Fardad-Finn

Students Theatre Graduating theatre student Maya Fardad-Finn reflects on her creative growth, performance experiences and the community she found at 51��.

April 21, 2025

Alumni Spotlight: Sierra Sutton

Alumni Advertising Advertising alum Sierra Sutton (B.A. '15) utilized the creative skills she learned at Meadows to work her way up to Creative Director of a prestigious consulting company.

April 21, 2025

Theatre Chair Collaborates with Second Thought Theatre for New Play Premiere

Faculty Theatre Blake Hackler, chair of the Division of Theatre, is partnering with Dallas’ Second Thought Theatre – run by Meadows alumni – for the premiere of his new play “Healed.”

April 17, 2025

Division of Art Alum Nicolás González Tapped as Meadows 2025 Commencement Speaker

Alumni Art Alum Nicolás González (B.F.A. ’16) has been selected as this year’s commencement speaker for Meadows’ upcoming Degree Recognition Ceremony on May 17.

April 16, 2025

Senior Spotlight: Ava Partida

Students Dance Dance performance and psychology double major Ava Partida (B.F.A. ’25) shares her experience as a double major and her next steps into the professional dance world.

April 14, 2025

Alumni Spotlight: Tadeo Martinez

Alumni Theatre Theatre alum Tadeo Martinez (B.F.A. '19) built upon the acting foundation he established at Meadows to launch his current career as a stage actor.

April 14, 2025

Senior Spotlight: Mikaila Neverson

Students Corporate Communication and Public Affairs Journalism Meadows' new Senior Spotlight series kicks off by highlighting Mikaila Neverson, a senior journalism major and CCPA minor who will be graduating with her B.A. this May.

April 07, 2025

Alumni Spotlight: Delanie Linden

Alumni Art History Art History alum Delanie Linden (M.A. '18) went on to secure a position at MIT's History, Theory, & Criticism program to pursue her doctorate in the subject, where she later earned a Fulbright Open-Research Award Fellowship.

April 07, 2025

Dance professor Silas Farley performs in a public square.

Dance Artist-in-Residence Partners with 51��’s Center for Faith and Learning on Arts-Focused Symposium

Faculty Dance Silas Farley, Meadows’ Armstrong Artist-in-Residence in Ballet, will bring the Center for Faith and Learning’s annual symposium to life with choreographed performances coordinated with spiritual discussions.

April 03, 2025

Meadows on the Mic: Elizabeth Akudugu – Acting M.F.A Class of 2025

Students Theatre Acting M.F.A. major Elizabeth Akudugu discusses her professional acting career and experience at 51�� Meadows.

April 02, 2025

Meadows on the Mic: Will Emmert – 51�� in South Africa

Students Music Senior vocal performance major Will Emmert discusses studying voice, student-working and 51�� in South Africa.

April 01, 2025

Alumni Spotlight: Paul Kroeger

Alumni Music Voice performance alum Paul Kroeger's (B.M. '13) unique Meadows education allowed him to pursue a career as a professional opera singer, while also setting him up for his current job in international affairs.

March 31, 2025

Film alum Ryder McNeal on the set of a student production operating a camera.

Film & Media Arts Graduate Creates Streaming Service to Fill Gap in Film Industry

Alumni Film & Media Arts Recent Meadows alum Ryder McNeal (B.A. ’24) launched streaming platform PREVO to house and promote independent and student-produced films.

March 25, 2025

Alumni Spotlight: Samantha Klaassen

Alumni Journalism Journalism and Fashion Media alum Samantha Klaassen (B.A. '18) utilized her education to carve out a career path in retail buying and merchandising.

March 24, 2025

MFA student Sharmeen Uqaili conducts an artmaking workshop with local high school students

M.F.A. Student Partners with Meadows Museum in Artmaking Workshop

Students Art Art History Graduate student Sharmeen Uqaili hosted local high school students for an artmaking workshop in conjunction with a visit to the Museum’s “Unearthing the Legacy of Islamic Spain” exhibit.

March 20, 2025

Meadows on the Mic: Chloe Young – Dance and Public Relations Student

Students Dance Chloe Young is a dance performance major who is also pursuing a Public Relations and Strategic Communications degree from Meadows’ CCPA program.

March 12, 2025

Alumni Spotlight: Mark Lau

Alumni Advertising Advertising alum Mark Lau (B.A. '06) combined the creativity he learned at Meadows with his marketing degree from Cox to succeed in his 18-year career at Nike.

March 10, 2025

Two alumni lead a Coffee and Conversations event on stage for Meadows students

New Internship Program Places Meadows Students in Paid Positions

Students Advertising Art Art History Corporate Communication and Public Affairs Creative Computation Film & Media Arts Journalism 51�� Meadows’ new PMC Intern Fellowship program subsidizes five paid internships for Meadows students at Dallas-based arts, communication and media organizations.

March 07, 2025

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