Fine Arts Division - Alumni

Dear Alumni,
Welcome to the Fine Arts Division website. We are glad you are taking time to visit our pages. There are many exciting things happening in the Fine Arts area that we want you to know about.

  • We are now a full Division that includes Art, Dance, Music and Theatre.
  • We offer BFA degrees in Visual and Studio Art, Musical Theatre, Performance and Technical Theatre.
  • We now have a Dance major and newly renovated dance studio (J&D Morris Dance Studio).
  • We now have a Music major and were recently approved by DESE to offer K-12 certification for both choral and instrumental.
  • We now have a Drumline, a Jazz Band and a Concert Band.
  • We have a professional art studio: Morris Comtemporary Art Gallery.
  • We now have real windows in the Morrison Fine Arts Building. (For those who have been gone a while, the "old gym" is where the music and dance departments are housed.)

Our Fine Arts faculty are caring, experience, professional individuals who are making a real difference in the growth and development of the Division. You, our alumni, are also an important part of the development and growth of this Division. Utilizing your education in your profession, sending recruits our way, talking about your MVC experiences to others, or providing monetary support helps us grow and develop. We truly appreciate your support and your contributions.

This webpage is for you to share memories of your MVC days, to share what you're doing now, to stay connected with other alumni and to keep up with what's happening in the "arts" at MVC.

I hope you'll take a minute to fill out the online Alumni Registration form. It's good for our current and prospective students to know what our graduates are doing. We invite you to come visit us. I think you would be surprised at all the renovations around campus. We look forward to hearing from you.

Diana Malan
Chair, Division of Fine Arts


Alumni

NAME: Jessica Shobe
Email: shobie06@msn.com
Degree: BS in Dance and Business Marketing
What are you doing now: I am the head dance and cheer coach at Concordia University of Nebraska. I am getting married to soon-to-be alumni Austin LaRue in June 2011.

NAME: Katie Kufall
Email: kt2006grad@yahoo.com
Degree: BS in Human Service Agency Managment and Recreation Administration
What are you doing now: I have been working full time for the Girl Scouts since 2007 as a Community Development Manager. I also work part time at a Dance Studio in Wildwood Missouri and loving every moment of both jobs!

NAME: Genie Haggard
Email:geniesinger@hotmail.com
Years Attended: 2004-08
Degree: B.A. in Business Administration - Management
What are you doing now: Currently, I am working for Starlight Theatre in Kansas City, MO.  I am the donor concierge in the ticket office, and I love it!

NAME: Lisa Beke
Email:scaducky@yahoo.com
Years Attended: 2006
Degree: B.F.A. in Technical Theatre
What are you doing now:I am currently Stage Managing for St. Louis Shakespeare. In the past year I have designed costumes for Muddy Water Theater and Smoking Monkey Theatre, Ran lights for St. Louis actors Studio and St. Louis Shakespeare and run my own custom costuming Business Black cat
Fashions based at the greater St. Louis Ren Faire.

NAME: Glenn Kesse
Email: gkesse@kc.rr.com
Years Attended: 1971-1975
Degree: B.S. Theatre
What are you doing now:Marketing/sales, Gladstone Theatre board member, youth sports.

NAME: Hilary Ford
Email: hilary_ford@hotmail.com
Years Attended: 2001-2005
Degree: B.F.A. Theatre Performance / Mass Comm
What are you doing now: I am currently the Marketing Associate for the Merry-Go-Round Playhouse in Auburn, NY. I manage all of the marketing, promotions, and development for the largest regional, professional theatre in Upstate New York.
I worked as House Manager and Box Office Assistant at the Arrow Rock Lyceum Theatre and served as the the Assistant Educational Coordinator for the Four Rivers Performing Arts Center in Paducah, KY.
I have worked as professional actor throughout the United States in MN, WI, IA, ND, SD, MO, KY, IN, and NY. My primary focus has been Theatre for Children.

NAME: Christine Petrie
Email: christine_492001@yahoo.com
Years Attended: 2002-2007
Degree: B.S. Business Admin, Music Theater & Choir Participant
What are you doing now: I just recently had my third son on Feb 18, 2008.
Otherwise I am still searching for a job that is willing to give me a chance.
Having no experience is getting in the way but one day I will overcome and prosper.

NAME: Lacey Preston
Email: LeiCK55@aol.com
Years Attended: 2002-2005
Degree: B. A. Psychology/ Minor Theatre

NAME: Amanda Schuster
Email: schustera@umkc.com
Years Attended: 1995-1999
Degree: B. A. Theatre Management
What have you been doing since you left MVC?
I have been at the University of Missouri at Kansas City since fall of 2001. I am the Assistant Manager of the UMKC Central Ticket Office. We are a ticket agent that sells for UMKC Athletics, UMKC Conservatory of Music and Dance and the UMKC Department of Theatre. We also sell for other small fine arts producers of Kansas City. Before working at UMKC I worked at the Arrow Rock Lyceum Theatre from fall 1999 to October 2001, where I was the House Manager and Assistant Box Office Manager.

NAME: Michael Amoroso
Email: michaeljamoroso@yahoo.com
Years Attended: 2001-2005
Degree: B. F. A. Theatre
What have you been doing since you left MVC?
I just finished a year long contract with Playhouse on the Square in Memphis, TN and I'm planning on traveling to New Hampshire to work for the Hampstead Stage Company where I will tour from New England all the way to the West Coast.

NAME: Marylynn Gwatiringa
Email:gwattyem@yahoo.co.uk
Years Attended: 2003-2007
Degree: B. F. A. Musical Theatre / Minor in Dance
What have you been doing since you left MVC?
I am working at an Educational Theatre in Minneapolis, and I will be here until May 2008.

NAME: Samantha Narron
Email: jo_sammy14@hotmail.com
Years Attended: 2003-2007
Degree: B. A. Theatre
What have you been doing since you left MVC?
I am currently living in the central valley of California.  I am an intern at Playhouse Merced and will be for the next eleven months.

NAME: Darci Ward
Email: dkdancepro@yahoo.com
Years Attended: 1997-2001
Degree: B.S. Business / Minor in Dance
What have you been doing since you left MVC?
Currently working for Anheuser Busch in St. Louis as a Wholesaler Routing Consultant and owner of DK Dance Productions.

NAME: Jocelyn Bell
Email: dimplegirl2@hotmail.com
Years Attended: 1988-1993
Degree: B.A.
What have you been doing since you left MVC?
I am a high school teacher in Theatre, Dance and Vocal Music. My son, Andrew, is now fourteen years old and attends the high school where I teach!

NAME: Ashley McKay
Email: ashleysmckay@yahoo.com
Years Attended: 2002-2005
Degree: B.F.A. Musical Theatre
What have you been doing since you left MVC?
Performing at regional theatres, and recently signed my third contract for Disney Cruise Line as a main stage performer!

Name: Renee Hand (Tettaton)
Email: rhand@northwest.k12.mo.us
Years Attended: 1991-1995
Degree: BA Theatre, BA English
What have you been doing since you left MVC?
Taught English, Speech and Theatre at the high school level. I am now a K-12 librarian. I direct school plays and help with the speech team. I am a member of STAM and The Marshall Community Theatre.