Teaching Faculty Elena Abend shares her story on PBS program Adelante
Elena Abend (Teaching Faculty and Area Head of Piano) was featured on the Milwaukee PBS show, Adelante. Abend and her husband, Orlando Pimentel ,shared their unique story about how they have recently brought their excellent musical skills to a pair of local schools.
A graduate of the acclaimed Juilliard School of Music, Abend is a Venezuelan pianist who has played with major orchestras throughout her home country, including recording with the Filarmonica Nacional. Abend has also performed at renowned venues all around the world, including Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, and Wigmore Hall.
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.
The program provides occasions for teachers to systematically reflect on equitable teaching practices. “Life gets busy as a teacher, so I rarely get to sit down with others to discuss education and pedagogy on a deeper level,” Culbreth said. “This program offers the opportunity to do so, which is the biggest source of excitement for me.”
A major aspect of WTFS is discussing diverse perspectives with educators who represent a focus on equitable teaching practices. For Professor Culbreth, this was a driving factor that led her to apply for the program.
Much of her work is in queer and feminist art, both analyzing the art that originates from said groups and appreciating how marginalized communities work to expand their given fields. Culbreth has found that “artists who feel they do not fit in tend to push boundaries in their art, resulting in a widespread benefit.” Through this, Culbreth works to reach these communities while also ensuring that everyone benefits from the increase in diversification.
Over the course of a year, the members of the 2024-25 WTFS program will develop a Scholarship of Teaching and Learning project. The project will be shared at a symposium in April 2025.
Culbreth described how the project process helps to reinforce the importance of collaboration across the UW system: “When applying for WTFS, they encourage you not to enter the program with an idea for a project in mind. They stress the importance of getting together in our first few meetings to collectively share ideas and ask questions. That is what will drive the group forward.”
Daniel D. Burkholder, Chair of the Department of Dance, shares in the excitement of having Culbreth represent UWM.
“[Culbreth’s] participation speaks to the work of bridging scholarship with active participation in the field she is already actively pursuing,” Burkholder commented. “This opportunity allows her to deepen and expand her practices as a teacher and scholar.”
The WTFS program is not the only way that Culbreth has been a prominent figure in the field of dance. After dancing professionally internationally, with a performing career in San Francisco, she served on the board of the Congress on Research in Dance (CORD) as a committee chair for graduate students. Additionally, Professor Culbreth works with communities of people with neurological difficulties combining neuroscience, art, and movement to address quality of life while forming lasting connections.
Culbreth is joined by UWM’s Joan Shaprio Beigh, Teaching Professor of Organizations and Strategic Management in the Lubar College of Business. The Wisconsin Teaching Fellows and Scholars program is sponsored by Universities of Wisconsin Office of Professional and Instructional Development (OPID).
Story by Jason McCullum ’25
Students reflect on Vocal Arts Festival: a life-changing experience for aspiring vocalists
This weekend, the Peck School of the Arts welcomes high school students from across Wisconsin and Illinois for the annual Vocal Arts Festival. The event is a fan favorite among students, as UWM hosts a festival that stands out among other choral events.
Vocal Arts provides young musicians with a wide range of activities, including a UWM Vocal Showcase, private lessons and masterclasses. While traditional large choral rehearsals also occur, festival director and PSOA Associate Professor Dr. Zack Durlam acknowledges that they strive to offer variety for students.
“One of the things that makes Vocal Arts unique is that it is not just an honor choir,” said Durlam. “This festival is balanced between choral performance and solo vocal performance, offering an array of different classes singers can attend based on their interests.”
Offering variety also extends to students’ level of comfort. “While most students enjoy solos, not everyone is comfortable in front of their peers immediately,” Durlam noted. “Vocal Arts offers opportunities for vocalists of all comfort levels.”
The festival allows students to work directly with UWM faculty through masterclasses and private lessons. The opportunity to spend time with some of Peck School’s best has inspired students to pursue a vocal education at UWM.
Anthony Androncyzk
Current PSOA student and former festival participant Anthony Androncyzk shared how the festival made up his mind about UW-Milwaukee being the school for him.
“After going to Vocal Arts and working with the voice faculty, it made my decision final: UW-Milwaukee was where I needed to be,” said Androncyzk. “I hope other students get that same experience.”
For Androncyzk, appreciation for music in high school was scarce due to what he perceived as a dwindling interest in supporting the arts. Interacting with students from other schools and meeting UWM faculty provided positive energy and a welcoming environment that he credits as encouraging his “overwhelming passion for music.”
Similarly, Scotlyn Haverkorn, also a current PSOA student, remembers attending the event with minimal classical training and little support from others about pursuing music. She didn’t see a future in music, but that changed.
Scotlyn Haverkorn
“Attending Vocal Arts Festival was the first time I got to be in a room with people who shared my love of music and performance,” Haverkorn said. “I felt very encouraged and welcomed by people who believed in me, and I had never had that before.”
Haverkorn also acknowledged that none of her accomplishments would have been possible had she not been to Vocal Arts: “I did not know I had potential until Dr. Durlam and the voice faculty encouraged me to believe that I have the talent I do. Everything changed because I attended.”
The 2024 Vocal Arts Festival concludes this Saturday evening, January 27, with a free performance in the Zelazo Center on the UWM campus. Visit the the Vocal Arts Festival webpage for more info.
Story by Jason McCullum ’25
Assistant Professor Marquise Mays curates Milwaukee Film’s Black History Month series
Assistant Professor Marquise Mays (Film, Video, Animation & New Genres) sat down with CBS 58 to talk about Milwaukee Film’s upcoming series of special screenings curated by its Black Lens program in celebration of Black History Month. Mays is Milwaukee Film’s Black Lens Programmer.
Celebrating its sixth year, the event features a range of films that aim to include themes and narratives relevant to the Black experience. Mays was joined by Milwaukee Film’s Community Programming Coordinator Deiva Motley to share insights into their selections.
Four out of five recipients of the 2024 Mary L. Nohl Fund Fellowships for Individual Artists are Peck School alumni
The Peck School of the Arts is represented exceptionally well among this year’s Mary L. Nohl Fund Fellowships. Four of the five recipients are PSOA alums, marking an incredible occasion for UWM and some of its most talented graduates.
The Mary L. Nohl Fund Fellowships for Individual Artists is a program that awards unrestricted funds for artists across a variety of visual arts fields to create new work or finish work in progress in the Greater Milwaukee area. From nearly 150 applicants, PSOA alums took both spots in the Established Artists category and two of three Emerging Artists awards.
“There are so many talented artists in our community graduating from UWM,” said Nina Ghanbarzadeh (BFA 2013, Art) upon being selected in the Established category. “I am proud to say that I am a Peck School alum and am so happy to see the names of three more UWM graduates on the 2024 Nohl Fellowship Program.”
Also selected in the Established category was Roy Staab (BFA 1968, Art), whose international career as an artist has given him a range of perspectives on how different locations support the arts and culture. In Wisconsin, he sees Nohl as “a glimmer of hope” for artists.
For Nicholas Perry (BFA 2018, Art) and Jovanny Caballero (BFA 2023, Art: Photography), both selected in the Emerging category, the Nohl Fellowship is a turning point.
“This is one of the most important moments of my career. Artistic practice takes hard work, dedication, and intense passion. I am beyond grateful my paintings reflected that in the eyes of the jurors,” said Perry.
“The Nohl Fund is more than a monetary award, but also a stepping stone to growing your art career,” said Caballero, adding that it “will not only help me fund a project but help my art reach new and bigger audiences.”
Illuminating the work of those in unrepresented communities and those representing diverse cultural perspectives is a major part of what the Nohl Fund seeks to accomplish.
Caballero is known for working themes of his Mexican heritage into his art. Receiving the Nohl Fellowship came with an increased meaning: “My work is a reflection of my experiences growing up in the Southside of Milwaukee as first generation. I pour my heart into the work I create to honor the sacrifices of my parents and ancestors.”
Ghanbarzadeh acknowledged similar sentiments, noting that the Nohl Fund “is an excellent opportunity for artists and creatives from diverse backgrounds to share different perspectives, lived experiences, and stories.”
The 18-month fellowship, which includes professional development services and networking opportunities, culminates in an exhibition at the Haggerty Museum of Art. The exhibition is slated for June 2025.
In addition to the four recipients, several finalists have ties to PSOA: Kyle Seis (BFA 2014, Studio Art: Photography) and Mike Gibisser (Associate Professor, Film) in the Established category; and student Amal Azzam (Design & Visual Communication) and Matthew Vivirito (Teaching Faculty, Digital Fabrication & Design) in the Emerging category.
Visit the official release for more information about the program and to read individual artist bios.
Story by Jason McCullum ’25
Reality and nonfiction producer who studied film at UWM wins Primetime Emmy
Chris Smith, who studied film at UWM and is best known for his award-winning, made-in-Milwaukee documentary “American Movie,” won a Primetime Emmy for outstanding cinematography for a nonfiction program for the surfing docuseries “100 Foot Wave.”
Get to know Winterdances guest artist Aysha Upchurch and her D.Ø.P.E. approach to education
The Department of Dance has been working with accomplished dancer, educator, and choreographer Aysha Upchurch throughout 2023. As a guest artist, Upchurch was heavily involved in choreographing a piece for the upcoming Winterdances: Liminal faculty concert.
PSOA Media Team’s Jason McCullum got a chance to sit down with Upchurch to discuss her work with UWM and how she approaches education throughout all she does. What emerged was a riveting conversation that stressed the importance of storytelling in art, building community through humanization, and how dismantling oppression is the center of education.
Something at the center of your work is D.Ø.P.E., which is an acronym of yours that stands for dismantling oppression, pushing education. Can you tell us about how you approach dance, expression, and justice?
D.Ø.P.E. is always at play in everything I do. I don’t believe that education must be strictly formal. Anytime that people are gathered there is an opportunity for deep listening and connecting and the availability to do so welcomes connection with one another. Through this, we can transform and humanize learning and questioning.
Our world often weaponizes, abuses, and misinterprets language which can make students afraid to have conversations out of fear of messing up, but that is human. This is at odds with a lot of the paradigms that have been constructed in this country. It is a chance to disrupt and dismantle the power structures that do not allow people to be their full human selves.
Do you think this concept of D.Ø.P.E. resonates with the audience?
I certainly hope so. I have a lot of admiration for all types of artists and a lot of respect for folks who make their creative works legible for audiences. It is an artist’s right to invite whoever is consuming the art to sit with it, whether they understand it. For me, at this stage in my creative journey, I like to make the point of my work legible without being too on the nose.
At our informal showing in August, I was pleased that even in its unfinished version, people were like “Oh, I get it.” If August was a convenient sample size, then I believe the February audience will also be invited into the story world that I co-created with the dancers to sit with the question the piece is asking.
Can you describe your practice of choreography and how that intertwines with this idea of narrative structure?
I have come to believe dance is the language and tool that helps people feel empowered in their bodies and identities. Now, if that is the larger message, it would not work for me to just move my way. I’m intrigued by dancers who respond to questions which makes my choreography practice co-creative.
Essentially, I will come in with loose ideas of phrases of movement that I believe will set the tone to introduce motif gestures so that audiences can connect movements to the emotion of questioning. My role as a choreographer is the same as my role as a teacher. In both roles, I prefer the term facilitator. My job is to be like a DJ; a DJ cannot just play their playlist regardless of whether the people want to hear it.
If I give something to my dancers and they respond to it, then we weave that together to co-create the story world with their movements and emotions. With this piece, I was trusted to hear the dancer’s voices and craft them into a story. So, what people will see is my choreography and how dancers respond to it, I leave a generous amount of space for the students who walk into my classroom or rehearsal space.
What were some highlights from your time with the guest artist program?
I love the format for this specific guest artist program, which I have shared with the dance department faculty. This setup worked well for how I operate and helped with my goal of making the classroom a community. I like to DJ and choreograph in a space that is more relationship-based and humanizing.
Earlier this year, I got to meet the students and faculty on a personal level by teaching for a week in the department. So, by the time we had auditions at the end of the week, I had a sense of who the students were. It was less unnerving and unnatural for the dancers (and for me). I believe this process allowed the students to be open to my process and personality.
How much time did you spend with the students overall?
In February [2023], I was with them for one or two classes a day and those were different classes. So, I got to meet the students in different contexts throughout the week leading up to our audition day on Friday.
Then we picked the cast and let them know they were selected. I came back in August where we had five rehearsal days that were full, intensive days. 10 to 5, every day.
What can audiences expect when Winterdances: Liminal premieres this February?
My piece is titled “Just Like Us” which comes from the following quote from Junot Diaz: “We all have blind spots of privilege around us and they’re shaped just like us.”
The piece invites people to think about what the cast is using as a mirror. What does it mean to be a mirror for someone else and to show that what you cannot see could be the thing that is preventing you from seeing more of humanity? I hope that folks enjoy and connect with the piece and what they will and won’t see — depending on where you sit, you may get a different version of the piece. I look forward to people being encouraged to investigate what is in them, that is eclipsing their ability to see more of humanity in others and themselves. I will be there for a couple of shows and I’m very excited to see the finished pieces! I’m looking forward to coming back!
Winterdances: Liminal premieres the first weekend of February 2024. View showtimes and ticket info on the PSOA events calendar.
Story by Jason McCullum ’25
PSOA Associate Professor Gains Recognition for Caregiving Culture Hack
Art & Design Department Associate Professor Jessica Meuninck-Ganger (Area Head, Printmaking & Book Arts) was featured in Minnesota’s largest newspaper, the Star Tribune. Ganger, alongside colleague Anne Basting, held an event in Saint Paul as a part of their movement, Care Showers.
Care Showers are events designed by the artists to “acknowledge both the humor and the challenges that caring for an adult or elder can bring.” Meuninck-Ganger and Basting have described their work as an act of “culture hacking,” modifying existing cultural rituals—specifically baby and wedding showers—to highlight and alleviate the shame and stigma associated with caregiving. The goal is to create room for the emergence of a new ritual that addresses these issues and makes caregiving a normal and celebrated part of life.
Adding traction to the movement is Aesthetics of Loss, an art exhibition touring nationally that features work centered around the sensation of losing a loved one.
Artwork by PSOA student makes Panther Pale Ale stand out
In the fall of 2023, UWM collaborated with Pilot Project Brewing and partners to release Panther Pale Ale, a new product available at UWM home games and in retailers throughout Milwaukee. A major factor that sets the beverage apart from other ales on the market is the vivid artwork featured on every can.
For that, Pilot Project connected with Associate Professor and Co-Area Head of Design & Visual Communication, Robert Grame. He offered the project as an optional challenge to students in his packaging design course.
The result is a striking design by Gisselle Dominguez, a senior Design & Visual Communication student from Waukesha. She found inspiration for her design from the word she uses to sum up what Milwaukee and UWM mean to her: community.
“I wanted to create a design that resonated with UWM students and alumni by incorporating the colors and patterns that reflect the university’s dynamism, community and inclusive spirit.”
Dominguez noted that an inclusive environment and sense of community are important to her as a first-generation college student.
“The design is a celebration of the shared experiences that I have come across with classmates, students, and my city, which has fueled my creativity and given me amazing opportunities. I am sure others feel the same across their time attending UWM,” Dominguez said.
The creative process became collaborative, with DVC students working together to discuss potential concepts and drawings. Dominguez credits the support she receives from faculty as a motivator to create the artwork and submit it to the chancellor, who made the final decision.
In total, the Chancellor reviewed 14 design options submitted by seven students.
The selected design made its debut when Panther Pale Ale officially launched at UWM’s Dec. 13 men’s basketball home game. Dominguez attended and described the event as a surreal, full-circle moment.
“Everything felt out of this world… it reminded me what UWM is all about.”
The signature of designer Gisselle Dominguez graces the can of Panther Pale Ale. Her design was among 14 submissions from seven students. Click the icon to view gallery.
The winning design by Gisselle Dominguez.
Panther Pale Ale is an officially licensed product developed in a partnership among Pilot Project Brewing, Craft Beverage Warehouse, Milwaukee Athletics, the Collegiate Licensing Company, and Peck School of the Arts. It is now available at Pilot Project, Panther Arena, and in participating bars, restaurants, and liquor stores across the area, according to the UWM Report.
Gisselle Dominguez remains active in the art and design world and can be found on her website and Instagram.
Story by Jason McCullum ’25
Film alumni debut new festival to increase diversity in Milwaukee cinema
The world of independent film in Milwaukee is expanding with the Milwaukee Illuminate Film Festival (MIFF), a new event spearheaded by festival director and Peck School graduate Amber McNeill (BFA 2023, Film). McNeill, who is also lead programmer, is joined by fellow PSOA alum Zoe Lufman (BFA 2023, Film), who serves as operations manager and programmer.
McNeill and Lufman met at UWM during their senior-year film course and immediately embraced their commonalities. Lufman described feeling “intrigued by another queer, tattooed, Jewish filmmaker [with] a lot more experience… we just started collaborating and the rest is history.”
Following graduation, McNeill pursued creating her film festival: “I knew I wanted to do something bigger than myself with my BFA. The more I thought about it, the more I wanted to do something inclusive for all the artists and filmmakers whose work gets overlooked.”
MIFF comes from a place of love for the film industry and a desire to see diversity improve at a faster rate than it currently is.
McNeill has noted a desire to not have MIFF stand on its own, hoping that “other festivals like this pop up” throughout Milwaukee, the Midwest, and beyond. Additionally, with multiple times and screenings, their festival gives marginalized filmmakers the opportunity to socialize and build community. This is well represented in the festival’s program that allows marginalized filmmakers to apply for complimentary tickets.
Their time at the Peck School was heavily influential to both McNeill and Lufman when running and operating MIFF. Both credit their experience taking an internship course with Milwaukee Underground Film Festival (MUFF) as playing a major role in how they approached their festival.
“It provided actual work within the community and the ability to meet people that we still work with now,” she said, adding that learning how to program and collaborate with others on an event was among the most important aspects she took from her internship.
Adding to Lufman’s comments, McNeill commented that “MUFF offered programming experience, providing the necessary bits and pieces needed” to make MIFF a reality.
Outside of festival experience, they both acknowledged that working with 16mm film, an incredibly rare and unique opportunity that PSOA film students get, was one of their educational highlights. Lufman shot her entire Senior film on 16mm, not wanting to miss out on the unique opportunity.
Peck School is well-represented in all aspects of Milwaukee Illuminate, including alumni and current students’ films being screened, a recent alum on the festival’s jury, and involvement from many other colleagues from McNeill and Lufman’s time at PSOA.
PSOA faculty, alumni among jury-selected recipients of Milwaukee Film Forward Fund
Milwaukee Film announced the recipients of the Film Forward Fund, including director Delaney Doersch (BFA 2021, Film) for Mother’s Motherland, director Jesse McLean (Associate Professor and Chair, FVANG) for Everything Must Go, director/writer/animator Chloe Corcoran (BFA 2021, Film) for Warm Blood House, and director/writer/editor Inna Dmitrieva (MFA 2020, Cinematic Arts; lecturer, FVANG) for Read to Me.
Music Education student Adam LuMaye recognized with Richard G. Gaarder Award
Music Education student and saxophonist Adam LuMaye was recently awarded the Richard G. Gaarder Award at this year’s Wisconsin Music Educators Association conference. The achievement recognizes excellence in leadership, musicianship, and service to the music education community.
The award honors the legacy of the former executive director of the Wisconsin School Music Association, Richard G. Gaarder. He is credited with laying the groundwork for music programs and education throughout Wisconsin. Receiving the award helped Adam reflect on his legacy: “I want to leave a lasting effect on my students and the music community.”
The honor not only recognizes LuMaye’s achievements but also highlights UWM and Peck School of the Arts for their contributions. According to LuMaye, his peers and professors at the Peck School have granted “so much of their time and energy” to ensure that he is set up for success.
Additionally, students must be nominated to receive the prestigious prize. Both the nomination and the prize itself recognize an important sense of community in the music education world. He noted that the nomination means that his work does not go unnoticed: “It was a reminder that professors see what I do, providing external and explicit reassurance that my skills are improving.”
Professor Nicki Roman took to Instagram to praise LuMaye as “a curious, creative, and hardworking student who has gone above and beyond during his four years at UWM.” She also noted the prestige of the award, emphasizing that LuMaye is only one of two music students across Wisconsin to be recognized.
Although it does not always receive the mainstream attention it deserves, music education is a massively important aspect of the arts.
“I wasn’t sure how competitive the award would be, but when I went to the conference, it reminded me that music ed is a massive field with a bunch of unique people in it,” LuMaye said of his experience attending the WMEA conference. He also made note of networking sessions that took place during the event, which helped him get familiar with potential colleagues in the field.
With student teaching and graduation on the horizon for LuMaye, he took a moment to reflect on how Peck School has impacted him. “I feel very lucky to have been involved in a variety of ensembles and experiences,” he said. Expanding his teaching skills throughout his education helped ensure that he can adapt to the needs of his future students: “It was super important, to me, to better understand how individual students learn best.”
Adam mentioned that in place of shining the spotlight on himself, he prefers to plug Peck School and WMEA for all they do.
Read more about the Richard G. Gaarder Award on the WMEA website.
Story by Jason McCullum
Introducing Panther Pale Ale with artwork by PSOA student
Milwaukee Athletics, in conjunction with Pilot Project Brewing, celebrates the release of Panther Pale Ale at UWM’s Dec. 13 men’s basketball home game. An officially licensed product, Panther Pale Ale was developed in a partnership among Pilot Project Brewing, Craft Beverage Warehouse, Milwaukee Athletics, the Collegiate Licensing Company, and UWM’s Peck School of the Arts, whose students helped design the packaging.
Read more about the Panther Pale Ale on UWM Report.
Theatre alum brings ghostly features to life in world premiere production
In Milwaukee’s recent World Premiere of The Forgotten Girl, production design is more important than ever. Viewers are immersed in the world of the main characters Iris and Daniel as they discover the abandoned grave of a girl in their grade and begin interacting with her ghost.
Scenic designer Amaya Rockett (BFA 2022, Theatre Production) is the one responsible for creating the world where these features come to life.
When discussing her approach to design, Rockett and her collaborators used the actors to move the set pieces and scenery around the theater. Those who witnessed the performances in person experienced the “whimsical and eerie feeling” of ghostly presences.
The Forgotten Girl played in the newly renovated Goodman Hall, a 142-seat in-the-round theater, meaning that the stage was in the middle of the venue with the audience surrounding 360 degrees of the stage. Rockett noted how “the variety of settings meant the design had to be malleable, so we created set pieces that were multi-functional, and it worked well.”
Rockett’s Peck School education helped pave the way for her work on The Forgotten Girl. During her time with UWM, she worked as a scenic designer on performances of The Laramie Project and The Sparrow. Both productions were in theaters very similar to Goodman, which Rockett credits as forcing her to “think outside the box,” which proved beneficial for her work with First Stage.
For Rockett, one of the most important aspects of The Forgotten Girl is its rich social commentary, as the story is rooted in themes of segregation and Black heritage. Rockett recognized how she felt immense pride working on this production, crediting First Stage with taking the necessary steps to improve representation on stage:
“I am always so proud to be a part of shows that can represent Black people… there were so many comments from kids in the show that they were so proud to learn about Black history and present it to an audience.”
View production photos and read more about First Stage’s production of The Forgotten Girl on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
Story by Jason McCullum ’25
Alumni Spotlight: From a childhood dream to the Joffrey Ballet costume department
Ellie Cotey I BFA 2009, Theatre: Costume Production
Ellie Cotey is a talented costume manager, currently showcasing her talent at Joffrey Ballet. Her journey began with a childhood passion for sewing, a passion that eventually led her to pursue a theatre degree at the Peck School of the Arts.
Educational Journey and Career Path
Cotey’s fascination with sewing began at the young age of four. Her dreams were woven with threads of creativity, envisioning the creation of stunning ballet costumes and tutus. This early passion led her to the doors of PSOA, where she found her perfect fit. The Costume Production BFA program at PSOA proved to be the ideal canvas for Cotey’s artistic aspirations, “I wanted to take Millinery, Patternmaking, Draping, Painting and Dyeing, Leatherworking… all of it!”
Impactful Classes and Faculty
During her time at UWM, Cotey’s journey was shaped by the guidance of two exceptional mentors, Jeff Lieder and Pam Rehberg. Cotey recalls, “I specifically remember my first patternmaking class and feeling like Pam had just handed me a key that unlocked how all clothes worked. It was so validating and exciting – I felt like I could make anything.”
Advice to Students
Cotey’s experience at PSOA meant embracing every opportunity that presented itself – and more! When asked what advice she would give to current and future students, she shared, “I got so much out of the classes and professors, and I kept asking for more. I tried to get as much as I could out of each project and did extra projects and research and independent studies. I knew that I was only there for a short period of time, and tried to take advantage of the fact that I was finally getting to do what I wanted to do all day every day. Not every student is interested enough to go above and beyond but DO THAT if you have found what you love to do! Those connections you make at UWM are what will get you your first job and those relationships can continue for a whole career.”
In Cotey’s footsteps, she leaves an inspiring trail for future artists and creators, reminding them that with dedication, every dream woven with threads of passion can become a reality.
