"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.”

Amanda Lund just graduated last week with a BFA in graphic design, yet she already has quite the jump start on her career. Lund has worked with e.l.f. Cosmetics to create designs featured on the shelves of Target and is currently an intern for Javas Lehn Studios, a design firm based in New York City working for hotels and publications.

It is an honor to announce the next director of the Brigham Young University Museum of Art: none other than our own Dr. Janalee Emmer! As the first woman to lead the Museum, she will officially begin in her new role on April 26. Jana has been with us since 2014, when she was hired as one of our curators and the Head of our Education Department. Last year she was appointed Associate Director of Exhibitions & Programming. She holds a PhD in Art History from Pennsylvania State University, as well as Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees from BYU, and is an expert in the work of women artists. Her career includes work at distinguished museums and universities including the Getty, the Palmer Museum of Art, Ohio Wesleyan University, the University of Tennessee, and Bucknell University. Here at the MOA, Jana has curated numerous exhibitions, including Embracing Diverse Voices: A Century of African American Art; Patrick Dougherty: Windswept; Danae Mattes: Where the River Widens; A Studio of Her Own: Women Artists from the Collection; and Far Out: The West Re-Seen, Photography of Victoria Sambunaris (on view until May 1). She has championed campus outreach by increasing the number and frequency of MOA educational programs, and she recently addressed the University as part of its weekly, campus-wide devotional series, wherein she discussed the transformative power of art. “I am incredibly honored to be stepping into this new leadership role at the Museum,” Jana said. “The BYU Museum of Art has a rich history of exhibitions and programming, and tremendous potential for the future with our dedicated staff, donors, and visitors.” Read the full article by Riley Lewis at moa.byu.edu.

The College of Fine Arts and Communications celebrates the graduating class of 2021 with student speakers and performers through virtual convocation