Faculty Stories

Dance professor explores identity through movement thanks in part to UWM research grant 

Maria Gillespie (Professor, Dance; Director, Dance Graduate Program) was recently awarded the 2024-25 UWM Advancing Research Creativity (ARC) Grant to help fund her yearlong choreographic research project. Under the working title “Wild Tongue: Translating Embodied Memory in the Language of Dance,” Gillespie will work with long-time collaborators Kevin Williamson and Nguyên Nguyên to explore a variety of identities through dance. Part of this exploration will root in Gillespie’s Chicana ethnicity and queer performance methodologies.

Film artist and UWM alum Steve Wetzel assumes role as Interim Head of School

The UW-Milwaukee Peck School of the Arts (PSOA) begins the 2024-2025 academic year with a new leader. Associate Professor Steve Wetzel officially assumed the role of Interim Head of School for PSOA on July 1, 2024. A respected educator and accomplished artist, Wetzel has been an integral part of the Peck School of the Arts community since his arrival to UWM in 1998.

UWM Symphony Orchestra concludes season with Beethoven Triple Concerto

The UWM Symphony Orchestra will conclude its 2023-24 season with a finale concert at Zelazo Center for the Performing Arts. The performance is centered on Beethoven’s Triple Concerto, a musical work that combines solo instruments with a full orchestra. The piece will feature solos from pianist Jean-Louis Haguenauer, cellist Adrien Zitoun, and violinist Bernard Zinck. The orchestra is conducted by Dr. Jun Kim.

Faculty duo, both alums, creates community in the costume shop at UWM and beyond

As active professionals, Peck School of the Arts faculty thrive in taking their talents off-campus, creating bridges into the community. Among them are theatre faculty members Jason Orlenko (Assistant Professor of Costume Design) and Dana Rochester (Teaching Faculty II, Costumes & Stage Makeup). Collaborators for nearly two decades, Orlenko and Rochester graduated from UWM in 2008 and have stayed involved in the performing arts ever since.

Milwaukee Film Festival Roundup: Faculty and Staff Edition

Current students and alums are not the only ones displaying their work at the 2024 Milwaukee Film Festival. Several faculty members are also currently screening films for audiences, just one of many ways PSOA faculty stay engaged in the film community in Milwaukee and beyond. 

Kim Cosier recognized by National Art Education Association

The National Art Education Association has named Kim Cosier (Professor Emerita, Art Education) as the recipient of the 2024 Western Region Higher Education Art Educator. This prestigious award, determined through a peer review of nominations, recognizes the exemplary contributions, service, and achievements of an outstanding NAEA member.

Dance professor selected to represent UWM in Wisconsin teaching program 

Dr. Mair Culbreth, Assistant Professor of Dance, has been competitively selected to represent UWM for the Wisconsin Teaching Fellows and Scholars (WTFS) program. Starting in May, Culbreth will join professors from a variety of disciplines representing the Universities of Wisconsin. …

Art & Design professor named Higher Ed Art Educator of the Year

Kim Cosier, Professor Emerita of Art Education, recently received the great honor of Wisconsin Art Education Association (WAEA) acknowledging her with the award for Higher Ed Art Educator of the Year. She was among only 11 educators, ranging from elementary to college level, to be recognized.  

Film and Animation alumni, faculty, and staff represented in screenings around the world

From current graduate students to esteemed alumni and faculty members, the Peck School of the Arts Department of Film, Video, Animation & New Genres was well represented on the international film festival circuit this Fall. We’re excited to showcase the achievements of some of our very own who are currently screening their works across the globe.

Plays by Associate Professor Alvaro Saar Rios take center stage across the country

Few playwrights encapsulate the wonders of multi-generational experiences better than Associate Professor Alvaro Saar Rios. A lifelong Texican and head of the Theatre Practices (BA) program at Peck School of the Arts, Rios has published six plays and amassed a wide range of accolades taking his plays across America. He has worked with esteemed organizations such as the Kennedy Center, First Stage, and Houston Grand Opera.

Art & Design Professor Nathaniel Stern featured by Forbes

Professor Nathaniel Stern was prominently featured in Forbes’ recent article, “The Moon is a Trick: AI Flings Greek Mythology All-Stars into Space.” Known for merging art and technology, Professor Stern’s recent project, “Future Mythologies, 2023,” uses AI to imagine how Greek mythological characters might recite at a poetry slam in space.