Spring 2020 Message from Sara Hallam

Dear Members,

This spring has not been like any other, and I hope this message finds you and your families well. While we were unfortunately not able to gather for our typical regional meetings this spring, I am glad so many were able to join us for our first ever virtual council meeting in April, and I hope to see you all again on the May 20 call next week. This new online format opens up many possibilities to stay connected and informed between meetings, and I look forward to regularly hearing from Dean Dempster and amazing faculty members like Julie Schell and Robert Ramirez.

Also, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many Fine Arts students have had their in-person internships canceled this spring and for the summer, so I’m calling on the council to help the college find new placements for these bright and talented students, either for the summer or this fall. If you work with an arts organization that has virtual internships or might be interested in transitioning their in-person internships online, please email Natalie so she can pass that information along to the Fine Arts Career Services team.

Finally, I am very excited to share with you this year’s class of nominees to join the council for 2020-2021. They are an incredibly diverse and creative group of arts supporters from across the country, all with deep ties to the College of Fine Arts and the University of Texas. You can read more about them below. Special thanks to these current members who nominated them: Joan Hudson Clark, Stephanie Goodman, Mary Margaret Greer, Margy Kennedy, Phillips Nazro, Charles Roeckle, Caroline Schupbach, Jerry Schutza, Rosemary Stewart, and Traci Young.

This is my final letter to you as chair, as I will be stepping down in August. It has been such an honor to lead the council over the last two years, especially during this unprecedented time of expansion and innovation in the college. I have learned so much and have great respect for the faculty, students, and staff of the College of Fine Arts, not to mention our dean, Doug Dempster. I especially appreciate everyone’s support and encouragement during my tenure as chair of this incredible council. It’s been a wonderful experience. This fall, I will “pass the baton” to incoming chair Caroline Schupbach of San Antonio. Many of you know Caroline already, and you can read more about her in this newsletter.

Even though I will no longer be your chair, I will continue to be an active member of the council, and I look forward to seeing you all at our upcoming meetings!

Cheers,

Sara Hallam
Chair