Welcome to the College of Fine Arts, a highly esteemed college within
Illinois' first public university.
When I arrived on the campus of Illinois State University as
Director of Choral Activities in the fall of 1995, what I primarily
knew about the College of Fine Arts was that I was impressed with
the innovative programs in Arts Technology and with the incredible
national reputation of the Illinois Shakespeare Festival. I soon found
out that these examples of excellence in the arts at Illinois State
University are but two of numerous points of pride within a diverse
College of Fine Arts!
The Schools of Art, Music, and Theatre (including the program area
of Dance), and the Arts Technology program are all outstanding, with
recognized national reputations for academic excellence. They are staffed
by some of the most accomplished faculty members in their respective
disciplines that one could find on any campus within the United States.
Faculty members are displaying their art, creating, publishing, directing
and performing locally, regionally, and literally all over the world!
Furthermore, fine arts majors are some of the brightest and best on
the Illinois State University campus, with students in the College possessing
the second highest average ACT score out of the six Colleges.
Our College of Fine Arts is at the center of the daily functioning
of the University. The School of Music often provides a student or faculty
ensemble for official University events such as graduation, Founder’s
Day, and athletic events, as well as for two hundred other campus performances.
The University Gallery organizes some of the finest, most diverse exhibits
found on any university campus in the United States. The School of Art
has a distinguished list of alumni active in all aspects of the visual
arts, and at all levels. Theatre and Dance produce exciting on-campus
performances, attracting a wide audience from the campus and community.
Also, the School of Theatre has trained a large number of famous alumni
currently active in stage and film. Arts Technology is blazing new trails
combining technology and the arts, a relatively new aspect of the arts
disciplines.
In addition to what is listed above, teacher education is a major component
of our Fine Arts program areas. The College of Fine Arts produces many
of those teaching in the arts within Illinois, effectively guiding programs
in music, visual arts, theatre and dance. In particular the teacher
education aspect of the College supports and reflects the historical
mission of Illinois State University in looking to the education of
our future.
The Music Therapy major is another sequence that is distinctive to Illinois State, and is one of but two undergraduate programs and the only graduate program within Illinois.
The College of Fine Arts is committed to excellence. We look forward
to answering questions regarding any aspect of our College. The Fine
Arts are alive and flourishing on the Illinois State University Campus.
Cordially,
James Major, Interim Dean
College of Fine Arts
Faculty/Staff Resources
The following links will help College of Fine Arts faculty and staff locate important information.
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