The West Virginia University College of Creative Arts welcomes Mary Esposito to the staff as assistant director of development.

Esposito brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the team from her nine years of employment at the WVU Foundation, where she oversaw annual giving programs including WVU Day of Giving, Women of WVU and Gold Blue and You Faculty and Staff Campus Campaign. She also worked with units all across campus on their annual giving solicitations – including the College of Creative Arts.

When thinking of careers options for those pursuing creative arts, minds do not typically wander to the military. But opportunities in the arts are available for those enlisted, from communications and graphic design to military bands.

“Artistic individuals are needed in all parts of society,” said Dean Keith Jackson. 

A new program in the West Virginia University College of Creative Arts will bring students together with successful alumni and friends of the university for one-on-one mentorship and career guidance.

Creative Consultants is a professional mentorship initiative that, through a competitive application process, matches outstanding College of Creative Arts students with extraordinary professionals in the fields of art and design, music, theatre, dance, and arts education, administration and industry. 

The West Virginia University College of Creative Arts has selected its annual faculty awards.

Each year, the college awards for Excellence in Research and Creative Activity; Outstanding Teacher; Outstanding Service; and Adjunct Faculty Excellence.

Black Lives Matter. Three simple words that make a poignant statement. A statement that is true and supported in the College of Creative Arts. Three words forming a phrase that reflects the last eight years of our nation’s complex struggle with racism in America. A phrase that starts with the killing of Trayvon Martin, continuing through the killings of Michael Brown and Eric Garner. A phrase that has now reached a new crescendo with the killings of Breonna Taylor and George Floyd. Black Lives Matter. 

The arts fill many roles in society. For many the roles that come to mind are to reflect beauty and to provide escape. However, one of the most important roles of the arts is to reflect society and to challenge us to engage in difficult conversations. Throughout history, artists such as Paul Robeson, John Coltrane, Nina Simone, James Baldwin, Toni Morrison, Jacob Lawrence, TJ Anderson and August Wilson have illuminated the conflicts in our society. Their work effectively memorializes the challenges of their times and inspires the difficult conversations that we must engage in as a society. It is because the arts can lead us to engage in these difficult conversations that I believe it important that I add my voice as the Dean of the College of Creative Arts to the voices of President Gee, Vice President for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Meshea Poore, chief of University Police W.P. Chedester and Patrice Harris, president of the American Medical Association. 

To the class of 2020, you really know how to make a memorable exit!

Though we cannot share the celebration of your tremendous achievement in person, I want you to know that we are proud of you. We are proud of how you have developed, grown and inspired us. During your somewhat short time on campus, you have witnessed a seismic change in our culture and our world. Now that you have a head-start on life after WVU, I hope you take a moment to reflect on how you are now ready to be a needed catalyst for change in our society. A catalyst that will make meaningful contributions to your new communities.

West Virginia University College of Creative Arts and its schools have selected outstanding seniors from the May 2020 graduating class.

Each school selects their top senior based on merit. The top outstanding senior for the college is then voted on by administrators.

West Virginia University College of Creative Arts has selected the winners of the College’s annual Faculty/Student Mentored Research Awards.

“With 17 applicants across all the Creative Arts disciplines, our students showcased stunning scholarly and creative research at both the graduate and undergraduate levels,” said Mikylah Myers, assistant dean of student artistic achievement. “This yearly exhibit highlights the behind-the-scenes research mentorship of our world-class faculty, and reinforces the goal of a professional mind-set that we want all of our students to have the moment they set foot in the Canady Creative Arts Center.”

When students return to campus, the beloved home of the West Virginia University College of Creative Arts will have a new name in honor of a leadership gift from the Valerie Canady Charitable Foundation. Beginning today, the former Creative Arts Center on WVU’s Evansdale campus will be known as the Loulie, Valerie and William Canady Creative Arts Center.

The newly established Canady Fund for Excellence and Innovation in the Arts will provide for arts programming, educational enrichment opportunities, building improvements and discretionary support to benefit students, faculty and staff within the College of Creative Arts.

The Canady Chamber Series was established by the Valerie Canady Charitable Foundation in 2018 in order to bring in professional chamber musicians to perform and teach for WVU students and the Morgantown community.

“The Canady family has long supported artistic presentations of the highest quality to benefit the CCA and broader Morgantown Community,” said Dean Keith Jackson. “As with previous initiatives, the importance of guaranteeing significant interactions between artists and CCA students is what makes the Canady Chamber Series unique as it includes tremendous performances and the opportunity for our students to work with full-time performers that are outside of their normal sphere of influence.”