Fall 2017 VPA Espresso Newsletter

College of Arts and Sciences
VPA Espresso
Newsletter of the Department of Visual and Performing Arts at Clayton State University
Word from Our Interim Chair
By Mark May
Faculty Features
Welcome, Dr. Chang
If you’ve walked through the halls of the Music Education Building recently, you may have seen – or perhaps heard – a new addition to the Visual and Performing
Arts Faculty. Dr. Annalisa Chang joined Clayton State University in August 2017, as Assistant Professor of Music and Director of Music Education. Dr. Chang describes her role in everyday terms like this: “I teach the ‘how to be a music teacher’ courses, which includes Elementary Music Methods (where students learn how to teach K-5 general music, String Methods (in which students learn how to teach orchestral strings (violin, viola, cello, bass) in a classroom setting, Introduction to Music Education (which covers what being a music teacher really entails).” Dr. Chang also teaches applied violin (violin lessons)
(Continued, P.3)
Fall 2017 • Issue 4
Big Brothers Cont’d .................................... 2 Fayette County Sheriff................................ 2 VPA Calendar ................................................. 3 Xie’s Tees ........................................................ 3 Student Stories ............................................. 4
More great stories inside!
It’s my honor to serve as the Interim Chair of the
Department of Visual and Performing Arts this year,
as we launch into another period of positive growth
and new developments. Through our four majors,
Communication and Media Studies, Film Production,
Music, and Theater, we’re currently serving 370
students in VPA majors and 334 students enrolled in
VPA minors. The nature of our department is that dreams tend to take on very different shapes and expressions, but the highly talented, diverse faculty members teach, collaborate with, and mentor students, providing them with the support needed to pursue their
passion for media and the performing arts. In this issue of Espresso, you’ll learn about a
new member of our faculty, and mark with us a new chapter for our theatre department as we ready to start major renovations. This issue includes articles written by our students in classes that teach social media and public relations. You’ll read about how we continue to flourish through our production of plays, operas, music recitals, and dance performances; our sponsorship of numerous festivals and events throughout the year; (Continued, P.2)
VPA + PACE
+ Big Brothers, Big Sisters
By Susan McFarlane-Alvarez and Shandra McDonald
Susan: “In Spring 2017, Clayton State University students of Public Relations collaborated with students of Video Production to create a series of short videos that are being recognized for their strategic success and professionalism both across campus and externally. Sometimes, everything just fits together and success seems preordained. When Big Brothers Big Sisters of Atlanta became a Clayton State community partner through the PACE initiative (Partnering Academics and Community Engagement), that’s exactly what happened.
At the beginning of each semester when I teach Introduction to Public Relations, Introduction to Advertising, or Public Relations Principles and Practices, there’s a period of tense apprehension as I
Advertising and Film students shooting
Big Brothers, Big Sisters video select clients with whom (Continued, P.2)
Newsletter of the Department of Visual and Performing Arts at Clayton State University