"Being an artist is all about being excited about lots of little things. I feel like my truest artist self when I see beauty in a piece of trash on the street or witness a funny interaction at the gas station- most of all it Is about being an active observer."

Jessica Jensen Walker from Cache Valley, Utah graduated with a BA in dance education in April. She was chosen to speak for the spring 2021 convocation on behalf of the BYU Department of Dance.

The final Listen Up! event of the Winter ‘21 semester featured professor Nyama McCarthy-Brown from The Ohio State University

"When I was a freshman in High School, I knew exactly what I wanted to study and how long it would take me to graduate. Well, to my surprise, God had different plans for me. I didn’t get into the major I wanted, and after getting rejected time and time again, I finally declared a degree in Music Education. Realizing that that degree also wasn’t for me, I created my own: the Bachelor of Arts with an emphasis in Contemporary Voice Performance. It is now an official major that anyone can apply to, and I am very proud of that."

New leadership will oversee the School of Communications and the Department of Theatre and Media Arts

“I think being a BYU student has helped give me some clarity on what I actually want to do in my life. It’s been a blessing because I’ve taken so many different classes, that I’ve been able to see trends and things that I enjoy and help develop myself as a person.”

Several students received recognition for their work in the Department of Theatre and Media Arts

Meet Fiona Barney, another recent graduate with a BA in art. Barney was one of two students who represented @byuart in the 2021 CFAC convocation. During her experiences studying at BYU, Barney had several opportunities to step out of her comfort zone. From traveling to Scotland to teaching high schoolers, her education has truly followed the BYU motto “The world is our campus.”

The BYU Art Department announced student recipients of scholarships and awards on April 8

Rachel Allen Everett recently graduated with a BFA in illustration. As a child, Everett struggled with reading. Her strong visual leanings kept her away from books until she found collections of graphic novels on the bookshelves of her junior high classroom. Clive Barker’s ‘The Thief of Always,’ and Jeff Smith’s ‘Bone’ became cherished literature.

Cash prizes will be awarded to students who submit works that showcase successful experiential or remote learning

Gwen Davis-Barrios is a recent BYU graduate from @byuart who doesn’t remember a time when art wasn’t a part of her life. “Art has been a guiding hand ever since I can remember,” she said. “I think it’s a good companion to help me process the world, life and relationships.”