C O N V O C A T I O N

May 2018

RUTGERS, THE STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW JERSEY

Convocation_cover_2018.indd All Pages 3/19/18 10:37 AM

Mason Gross School of the Arts

2018Commencement

Convocation

State TheatreMay 10, 2018

2:30 p.m.

MASON GROSS SCHOOL OF THE ARTSCOMMENCEMENT CONVOCATION

Processional Scarlet Knights Jazz Trombones

Marc J. Stasio, Interim Head of Jazz Studies

Gregory DeAngelis, Trombone, B.M., ‘18Ilan Eisenzweig, Guitar, B.M., ‘21Zachary Heinze, Bass, B.M., ‘19

Pablo Hernandez, Trombone, M.M., ‘18Zachary Lorelli, Drums, B.M., ‘18

Nathan Morla, Trombone, B.M., ‘21David Mosko, Trombone, B.M., ‘21

Delmarice Price, Bass Trombone, B.M., ‘21James Weiss, Bass Trombone, B.M., ‘21

Ian Young, Trombone, B.M., ‘21

The audience will stand during the student and faculty processionals.

Welcome George B. Stauffer, Dean Mason Gross School

Student Speaker Nia Akilah Robinson-PileB.F.A., Theater, ‘18

Address Joseph P. Benincasa President & Chief Executive Officer, The Actors Fund

Tributes to Retiring Faculty Frederick Urrey, Department of Music, 1984-2017 Robert Benford, Department of Dance, 1988-2018 Pamela Gilmore, Department of Music, 2001-2018

Presentation of Mason Gross Awards Barbara Bashaw, Interim Chair & Artistic Director, Dance Department

William Berz, Interim Director Music Department

David Esbjornson, ChairTheater Department

Gerry Beegan, Chair Visual Arts Department

Presentation of the Scott Cagenello Memorial Prize Mandy FeilerDean of Students

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Recognition of Graduating Students Dean Stauffer

Bachelor of ArtsBachelor of Fine Arts and Bachelor of Music Master of Fine Arts, Master of Music, and Master of Dance EducationArtist Diploma

Hooding of Recipients of Doctor of Musical Arts Christopher WickhamInterim Graduate Director, Music

Karina BrukProfessor, Music

Recognition of Recipients of Master of Arts Dean Stauffer and Doctor of Philosophy Degrees in Music

The audience will stand for the singing of the Alma Materand remain standing for the recessional, which will be led by the faculty.

Alma Mater, On the Banks Howard N. Fuller, 1874

Student choir conducted by Megan A. Fernandez

From far and near we came to Rutgers,And resolved to learn all that we can;

And so we settled down,In that noisy college town,

On the banks of the old Raritan.

On the banks of the old Raritan (my friends)Where old Rutgers evermore shall stand,

For has she not stood Since the time of the flood,

On the banks of the old Raritan.

Then sing aloud to Alma MaterAnd keep the scarlet in the van’

For with her motto highRutgers’ name shall never die

On the banks of the old Raritan.

Recessional Scarlet Knights Jazz Trombones

A reception will be held on Civic Square Plaza immediately following the ceremony.

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MASON GROSS SCHOOL OF THE ARTS AWARDS

DANCE

DancePlus Performance PrizeFor a work of exceptional choreography on the DancePlus concert

Taja Tanee Fooks-ThorntonSpencer William Grossman

Margery J. Turner Choreographer PrizeFor a work of exceptional group choreography

Charlotte Virginia StoutIsabella Randi Vergara

MUSIC

Ethyl Gloria Kinney Memorial PrizeFor academic excellence and artistic accomplishment in jazz studies

Luciano Minetti

Irene Alm Memorial PrizeTo a graduating doctoral student for excellence in performance and

scholarly researchReid Alan Masters

Arthur G. Humphrey Memorial PrizeOutstanding work in keyboard music

Evan Wesley Currie

Michael Fardink Memorial AwardTo an outstanding vocalist or accompanist

Megan A. Fernandez

Elizabeth Wyckoff Durham Award For academic distinction and excellence in organ or piano performance

John Allen Wolfe Jr.

A. Kunrad Kvam Award in Performance MusicFor excellence in performance on a string instrument

Emily Rose Gaab

John I. Bettenbender Memorial Performance AwardFor outstanding graduate artistic achievement

Mi Jung Cho

Music Department AwardFor excellence in performance as an undergraduate student

Leslie Theseira

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Music Department AwardFor excellence in performance as a graduate student

George Lykogiannis

THEATER

Dr. Jaroslav and Grayce Susan Burian PrizeTo a graduating theater student with the highest G.P.A.

Celine C. Dirkes

VISUAL ARTS

Brovero Photography PrizeExcellence in Photography

Stephanie Kathleen SchwiederekWenjia Li

Giza Daniels-Endesha AwardFor outstanding graduate performance in visual arts

Yu Rim Chung

Giza Daniels-Endesha AwardFor outstanding undergraduate performance in visual arts

Brian K. Gray Jr.

Visual Arts Award For undergraduate artistic accomplishment in Visual Arts

Douglass Conrad HenryJessica Taylor LeakeLauren Anne Pitcher

Jocelyn Briana Orante

Visual Arts AwardFor graduate artistic accomplishment in Visual Arts

Christhian Camilo DiazRenana Neuman

Catalina Tuca

INTERDEPARTMENTAL

Scott Cagenello Memorial PrizeTo a student who has shown special commitment to helping others

in the school or university communityZahra Bukhari

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Bachelor of ArtsHonors are based on Fall 2017 Cumulative G.P.A.

Loretta Adams-Licklider Theater Summa Cum LaudeArunendra Banerjee Theater Emilia Betro Art Magna Cum LaudeJenelle Bharrat Art Ashley Blalock Art Jess Block-Gerber Theater Cum LaudeCaitlin Brady Dance Summa Cum LaudeDaria Buvanova Theater Alyson Cohen Theater Celine Dirkes Theater Summa Cum LaudeAsia Dockery** Dance Rebecca Duffy Art Cum LaudeSarah Elkasaby Art Nikki Fox Art Ebonyi Franklin Art Nicholas Henderson Art Sienna Jones Theater Cara Lubin** Art Jennifer Lynk Art Christian Maitner Art Arizol Mendoza Art Dorothy Mui Art Magna Cum LaudeImani Munford* Dance Magna Cum LaudeCassandra Ogbozor Theater Summa Cum LaudeJazmin Pellecer** Art Tanais Perez** Theater Delfina Picchio Art Summa Cum LaudeRachel Puzio Dance Magna Cum LaudeMichael Rivero** Art Leanne Sacchetti Art Kelsey Scanlon Dance Nina Scott Theater Magna Cum LaudeJian Song Art Benjamin Thwaite Art Darren Tolud Art Eddie Torres Monje Dance Casey Veit Dance Valerie Ventrone** Dance Magna Cum LaudeBelle Zhang Art Cum Laude

*January Graduate 2018**August Graduate 2018

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Pierre Abdou Music Summa Cum LaudeShabnam T. Abedi** Music Cum LaudeCaroline V. Aguilar Visual Arts Cum LaudeKellie Airhart Music Aaron R. Alcine Music Neriah Almahdi Visual Arts Rebecca Lynn Andrews** Music Magna Cum LaudeMegan A. Apuzzo Design Louis Ardine Visual Arts Anne C. Ashby III Visual Arts Cum LaudeKevin W. Ayres Music Cum LaudeJennifer Grace Azzara Dance Connor Michael Glynn Babos** Music Summa Cum LaudeClaudia Barragan*** Theater Luke B. Basile** Music Ashley Elizabeth Basile** Theater Cassidy Bello Dance Hallie Robin Berger Dance Sarah R. Berry Visual Arts Cum LaudeJohanna R. Boyce Visual Arts Zachary M. Brienza** Theater Magna Cum LaudeErin M. Brumfield Visual Arts Magna Cum LaudeEmily Elizabeth Buchalski Visual Arts Magna Cum LaudeZahra Bukhari Visual Arts Teresa Renee Burns** Theater Cum LaudeCamila Canó-Flaviá** Theater Summa Cum LaudeGi Rim A. Choi Music Jeeseon Chung Dance Cum LaudeJohn Colaiacovo III** Music Cum LaudeSydney A. Coons** Theater Laura Beth Couch Music Magna Cum LaudeAlexis Paige Couch I Visual Arts Cum LaudeJames A. Coviello Visual Arts Renée Anna Craig** Theater Magna Cum LaudeOrion P. Crandall** Music James R. Cribbins** Theater Magna Cum LaudeAlexandra Elisé Dalli Dance Cum LaudeJonathon Wallace Dawson Music Magna Cum LaudeGregory Nicholas DeAngelis Music Magna Cum LaudeAnthony Jesus Deleon Dance Gabriel Evans Kealakekua DeRego Dance Cum LaudeOwen R. Deroba Visual Arts Rosemary DeSapio Design

Bachelor of Fine Arts and Bachelor of MusicHonors are based on Fall 2017 Cumulative G.P.A.

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Raynishia Diaz Visual Arts Cum LaudeTheresa Anne Dill Design Julia Anastasia DiPietro Visual Arts Summa Cum LaudeFrancis N. Dolce Jr.** Theater Cum LaudeAlexandra Dorschner** Theater Summa Cum LaudeSean Thomas Downey Visual Arts Magna Cum LaudeKyle Edward Duppstadt Music Austin Durham Music Magna Cum LaudeVictoria L. Dyker Theater Megan A. Fernandez Music Magna Cum LaudeTaja Tanee Fooks-Thornton Dance Kiana Fotoohi Dance Elena Freije-Urdaneta** Theater Magna Cum LaudeMarielle Elizabeth Frey Dance Daniel A. Friday** Theater Kristen A. Fry Dance Cum LaudeAidan Joseph Furlong Music Cum LaudeEmily Rose Gaab Music Magna Cum LaudeRaymond R. Gatchalian** Music Andriy Gavrysh Music Cum LaudeSara E. Goltsch** Theater Brian K. Gray Jr. Visual Arts Cum LaudeElizabeth Ann Groden Visual Arts Cum LaudeAndrea Nichelle Gros** Theater Cum LaudeSpencer William Grossman Dance Cum LaudeHarrison Robert Hague Visual Arts Kelly Hain Visual Arts Cum LaudeHannah R. Hale** Theater Magna Cum LaudeRawan Y. Haroun Visual Arts Thomas Charles Harris Jr Design Magna Cum LaudeDouglass Conrad Henry*** Visual Arts Allison Hepple Dance Karina Hernandez Dance Rizalina Carmen Hernández Design Summa Cum LaudeMarissa Hickman Music Cum LaudeChristine A. Hughes Visual Arts David E. Ingersoll** Music Jarrett Jung** Theater Cum LaudeGrace Muthoni Karuga Visual Arts Anysia Brittany Elaine Kelly Dance Chaeyeong Kim Music Merav V. Kleinmann Visual Arts Teresa Y. Lan Visual Arts Camille Elizabeth Lathbury** Visual Arts Magna Cum LaudeJessica Taylor Leake Visual Arts Summa Cum LaudeHaley Victoria Leuth Hamilton Dance

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Melissa N. Lisbão-Underwood Music Magna Cum LaudeZachary Domenick Lorelli Music George J. Malpass** Music Jennifer E. Malvagna Visual Arts Erik O. Marlin Music Joselin Martinez Dance Cum LaudeIsaiah C. Mason Music Cum LaudeSabreen Tatiyana Mateen Dance Audrey Meehan Visual Arts Magna Cum LaudeLeah C. Meszaros Dance Cum LaudeJacquelyn Anne Michaels*** Dance Charles Arthur Milliken Dance Cum LaudeLuciano Minetti Music Summa Cum LaudeDevon E. Monaghan Visual Arts Kennyth Montes de Oca Mercedes Dance Philip Scott Muratore Music Steven Ross Murdoch Design Sean B. Murphy** Dance Jahsiah M. Mussig** Theater Cum LaudeAlessandro S. Natale Visual Arts Christina M. Nigro Music Cum LaudeDana Leigh Nix** Music Cum LaudeJocelyn Briana Orante Visual Arts Magna Cum LaudeSarah Elizabeth Pakay Design Cum LaudeDavid Lee Parker Dance Cum LaudeJonathan Sanborn Parker Design Joseph D. Picciotto Dance Cum LaudeLauren Anne Pitcher Visual Arts Lauren Joy Raffaelli Dance Claire Danielle Reyes** Visual Arts Magna Cum LaudeElleryJane Ring** Theater Magna Cum LaudeBenjamin Justin Rivera Music Cum LaudeAshley Rivera* Visual Arts Cum LaudeNia Akilah Robinson-Pile** Theater Magna Cum LaudeVictoria R. Romano Music Magna Cum LaudeNatalie Dolores Rothweiler Dance Thea E. Sachade Dance Matthew R. Sakasitz Music Cum LaudeMatthew Steven Salisbury Music Cum LaudeJeffrey Sanchez** Theater Celeste M. Sanchez Visual Arts Madison Paige Sawyer Design Magna Cum LaudeMelina Leodas Schmidt** Theater Blair Schwartz*** Visual Arts Stephanie Kathleen Schwiederek Visual Arts Cum LaudeJeffrey A. Sharoff** Music

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Master of Fine Arts, Master of Dance Education,and Master of Music

Karen Eliza Alvarado** TheaterMichael Joseph Avagliano** MusicChristianne Elyse Bakewell** TheaterColleen Mae Billing Visual ArtsAshley P. Bufkin** TheaterRoshan Chakane MusicGabrielle Elizabeth Chaya MusicVeronica Cheeseboro DanceSedrick Chisom Visual ArtsKar-Chun Chiu MusicYu Rim Chung Visual ArtsMary Kaitlin Clohan** TheaterCasey Marie Corvino Music

Margaret Shue Dance Regan R. Sims** Theater Summa Cum LaudeMingyeong Song** Music Magna Cum LaudeJulia Rose Sprung Dance Cum LaudeAlicia Christine Stolarz Visual Arts Magna Cum LaudeCharlotte Virginia Stout Dance Summa Cum LaudeEmma L. Sullivan** Theater Magna Cum LaudeNicole Naomi Sullivan Visual Arts Shárie Lindsay Taluba Dance Cum LaudeLeslie Theseira Music Summa Cum LaudeChevan Ricardo Thomas Music Tyler A. Thompson Dance Cum LaudeDeborah J. Thompson*** Visual Arts Evan E. Tsioni** Music Alexis Marie Veglia Dance Cum LaudeIsabella Randi Vergara Dance Summa Cum LaudeJose E. Vidal Mejias Dance Edward J. Weisgerber Visual Arts Summa Cum LaudeJessica L. Weisser Visual Arts Tennessee G. Westmoreland** Theater Isabella Elizabeth Whittaker-Inserra Visual Arts Justin Benjamin Withers** Theater Zachary John Wroblewski Music Cum LaudeJenna Zielinski Dance

*August Graduate 2017**January Graduate 2018***August Graduate 2018

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Caleb Patrick Cranton MusicEvan Wesley Currie MusicNabila Nasir Dadabhoy Visual ArtsMelissa Denholtz DanceChristhian Camilo Diaz Visual ArtsJay Alan Dubin MusicLuke Richard Finaldi MusicJulian James Gilbert-Davis Visual ArtsThea Grier DancePablo Ismael Hernández II MusicGihee Hong** TheaterNia Imani Jackson DanceRachel Claire Kaufman** TheaterWenjia Li Visual ArtsBrent Mah MusicRyan Mantell MusicJake Anthony Mariani** TheaterSara Martino DanceSusan Elizabeth Miller MusicRenana Neuman Visual ArtsBeatrice Orlandi Visual ArtsKaitlin Michele Ormerod** TheaterDemitrios Papadopoulos MusicDaniel James Parente* MusicTaylor Lynn Pico** TheaterLindsay Aileen Recknagel** TheaterAlexander Thomas Rensink* MusicBrant Edward Roberts MusicJoshua Schwartz MusicStephany Elizabeth Sheppard** TheaterHelen Snelgrove DanceJoseph Michael Sponseller** TheaterJohn Joseph Stapleton MusicJett Gordon Strauss Visual ArtsChristina Trautwein DanceCatalina Tuca Visual ArtsAndrew Warden Jr.** TheaterJohn David Warner Visual ArtsColin Russell Williams MusicStephen C. Williams Visual ArtsChristina Marie Woolard** Theater

*October Graduate 2017** January Graduate 2018

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Mi Jung ChoDoctor of Musical Arts in PianoMajor Professor: Min Kwon

Jaeyeun Kim ChunDoctor of Musical Arts in VoiceMajor Professor: Frederick Urrey

Thomas Joseph Cunningham IVDoctor of Musical Arts in Orchestral ConductingMajor Professor: Kynan Johns

Eric Christopher Davis**Doctor of Musical Arts in HornMajor Professor: Douglas Lundeen

Christopher Joseph DelgadoDoctor of Musical Arts in TrumpetMajor Professor: Kenneth DeCarlo

Frances Catharine Marie DuffyDoctor of Musical Arts in HarpMajor Professor: Andre Tarantiles

Yuri Kwak Park Doctor of Musical Arts in VoiceMajor Professor: Nancy Gustafson

Min Ji Kwon**Doctor of Musical Arts in FluteMajor Professor: Bart Feller

Ka Catherine Lam**Doctor of Musical Arts in PianoMajor Professor: Daniel Epstein

Alexander Wook Lee*Doctor of Musical Arts in VoiceMajor Professor: Frederick Urrey

George LykogiannisDoctor of Musical Arts in PianoMajor Professor: Paul Hoffman

Reid Alan MastersDoctor of Musical Arts in Choral ConductingMajor Professor: Patrick Gardner

Brian Kenneth McBrideDoctor of Musical Arts in TubaMajor Professor: Alan Baer

Jessie Lee MersingerDoctor of Musical Arts in French HornMajor Professor: Richard Deane

Alison J. MingleDoctor of Musical Arts in Music EducationMajor Professor: Stephanie Cronenberg

Sixto Federico Montesinos Jr. Doctor of Musical Arts in Wind ConductingMajor Professor: Darryl Bott

Dena OrkinDoctor of Musical Arts in ClarinetMajor Professor: Jessica Phillips & Maureen Hurd

Doctor of Musical Arts

Lauren Rose BarchiArtist Diploma in Voice/Opera Major Professor: Eduardo Chama

Artist Diploma

Jean Anne Gould Artist Diploma in ClarinetMajor Professor: Maureen Hurd

*October Graduate 2017** January Graduate 2018

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Joshua DruckenmillerMaster of Arts in Musicology

Chung Eun Kim**Doctor of Philosophy in CompositionMajor Professor: Christopher Doll

Daniel Libin**Doctor of Philosophy in MusicologyMajor Professor: Floyd Grave

Jill Meehan*Doctor of Philosophy in MusicologyMajor Professor: Floyd Grave

Martin Sedek*Doctor of Philosphy in CompositionMajor Professor: Robert Aldridge

David Wolfson**Doctor of Philosophy in CompositionMajor Professor: Robert Aldridge

*October Graduate 2017** January Graduate 2018

School of Graduate Studies

Solim ShinDoctor of Musical Arts in ViolinMajor Professor: Todd Phillips

John Allen Wolfe Jr.**Doctor of Musical Arts in OrganMajor Professor: Renée Louprette

Nicole WrightDoctor of Musical Arts in ViolaMajor Professor: Choon-Jin Chang

Sae Rom YooDoctor of Musical Arts in ViolinMajor Professor: Todd Phillips

Haewon Yoon**Doctor of Musical Arts in CelloMajor Professor: Jonathan Spitz

*October Graduate 2017** January Graduate 2018

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Mason Gross School of the Arts AdministrationGeorge B. Stauffer, Dean

Lisa Baratta, Associate DeanMandy Feiler, Dean of Students

Linda Christian, Associate Dean for Advancement

Department of Dance

Barbara Bashaw, Interim Chair and Artistic DirectorKeith Thompson, Associate Chair

Frederick Curry, Interim Director, Ed.M. ProgramJeffrey Friedman, Director, M.F.A. Program

Department of Music

William Berz, Interim DirectorRebecca Cypess, Interim Associate Director

Ellen Leibowitz, Coordinator of Undergraduate StudiesChristopher Wickham, Interim Graduate Director

Department of Theater

David Esbjornson, ChairBarbara Marchant, Associate Chair, Head of Acting, and Head of Rutgers

Conservatory at Shakespeare’s GlobeKevin Kittle, Associate Head of Acting

R. Michael Miller, Head of Design/Set DesignerValerie Marcus Ramshur, Head of Costume Design

Don Holder, Head of Lighting DesignLeslie Lyter, Head of Stage Management and Production Supervisor

Kathleen Tolan, Head of Playwriting Marshall Jones III, Head of B.A. Program

Department of Visual Arts

Gerry Beegan, ChairNatalie Bookchin, Associate Chair

Jacqueline Thaw, Interim Director of Undergraduate StudiesHanneline Røgeberg, Director of Graduate Studies

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Mason Gross School of the Arts

Executive Committee

George B. Stauffer, DeanLisa Baratta, Associate Dean

Mandy Feiler, Dean of StudentsLinda Christian, Associate Dean for Advancement

Robert E. Mortensen, Representative, Board of TrusteesBarbara Bashaw, Interim Chair and Artistic Director, Dance Department

William Berz, Interim Director, Music DepartmentDavid Esbjornson, Chair, Theater Department Gerry Beegan, Chair, Visual Arts Department

Ruqqayya Maudoodi, Director, Rutgers Arts OnlineNicolas Pereda, Director, Rutgers Filmmaking Center

Division Directors

Nicolas Pereda, Director, Rutgers Filmmaking CenterRuqqayya Maudoodi, Director, Rutgers Arts Online Christopher Kenniff, Director, Extension Division

Randolph Hemminghaus, Master Printer, Rutgers Printmaking Studio

The State Theatre is operated by the State Theatre Regional Performing Art Center at New Brunswick, Inc., 11 Livingston Avenue, New Brunswick, New Jersey, a non-profit

corporation of the State of New Jersey.

Food and beverages may not be taken into the audience chamber. Your cooperation will help prolong the quality and atmosphere of the theater.

Fire regulations strictly prohibit smoking in the State Theatre. Smoking is not permitted anywhere inside the building.

FIRE NOTICE: The red exit sign nearest your seat is the shortest route to the street. In an emergency, please do not run.....Walk to that exit.

Latecomers will be seated at the discretion of management. Theater policy is to begin performances at the advertised time.

The management is not responsible for personal property of State Theatre patrons.

Congratulations! You are now one of more than 500,000 alumni worldwide—a global community that is scarlet forever. Your membership in the Rutgers University Alumni

Association starts now, lasts a lifetime, and gives you access to:

Visit Ralumni.com/commencement18 to learn more ways to stay scarlet forever.

Follow the RUAA social media channels today for a chance to win a $100 gift card to RutgersAlumniShop.com.

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C O N V O C A T I O N

May 2018

RUTGERS, THE STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW JERSEY

Convocation_cover_2018.indd All Pages 3/19/18 10:37 AM