Faculty Stories

Jun Kim leads Washington Chamber Orchestra at International Achievement Summit

For the second time, the Washington Chamber Orchestra was invited to perform at the American Academy of Achievement’s International Achievement Summit, an honor that UWM Peck School of the Arts music professor and orchestra director Jun Kim says is deeply rewarding. Kim, who has served as the orchestra’s artistic director since 2014, conducted the ensemble June 24 at the biennial summit in Washington, D.C., as part of the America 250 celebration commemorating the 250th anniversary of the United States.

UWM playwright inspires the next generation of storytellers

Growing up Latino in Texas during the 1970s and ’80s, Alvaro Saar Rios, now an associate professor at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, didn’t experience many stories with characters who looked like him. Today, Rios shares elements of the Latino experience as a playwright and head of the Theatre Practices program at UWM’s Peck School of the Arts. Rios is one of the most produced Latino playwrights for young audiences, and his works have been performed in theaters across the country.

Film professor awarded Milwaukee’s BE Legacy of Excellence Award

Marquise Mays has been awarded the BE Legacy of Excellence Award in the arts category. The award, now in its 41st year, honors Black Milwaukeeans who serve their community. Award categories include arts, community service, business, culture, religion, health, and …

Dance faculty premiere new works in Winterdances: Resilence

Winterdances: Resilience is faculty concert featuring the original choreography by dance department faculty members Ishmael Konney, Dawn Springer, and Mair Culbreth, as well as guest artist David Roussève. Winterdances: Resilience presents dance works that uplift the human connection through storytelling, …

Guitar program Area Head honored with Distinguished Professor title

Professor and performing artist Rene Izquierdo (Area Head, Guitar) has been honored with the title Distinguished Professor for his outstanding work in the Department of Music. Fewer than 60 professors throughout UW-Milwaukee’s history have received the title, and he is …

Film professor Joel Benjamin achieves great success with first VR film

As virtual reality technology continues to become more prevalent, so does the practice of using VR to make short and feature films. Recently, Joel Benjamin (Assistant Professor, Film, Video, Animation and New Genres) made his first foray into VR filmmaking with …

Two PSOA faculty expand work thanks to UWM CLACS fellowships

The UWM Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies (CLACS) awarded fellowships to two PSOA faculty members for the 2024-25 academic year. Simone Ferro (Professor Emerita, Dance) and Dr. Alex Wier (Assistant Professor and Area Head, Percussion) both received fellowships that helped …

Theater faculty Robin Mello joins UK-based education group

Robin Mello (Professor, Theatre) recently partnered with Innoplay Studio, housed at the University of Exeter, in the UK. This program is focused on creating playful and story-rich classrooms to drive innovation. This new role will allow Mello to engage as …