Milinda Weeks, BYU Faculty, Honored With ‘Rising Alumni’ Award from Snow College
Brigham Young University’s Milinda Weeks, associate professor of scenic design in the Department of Theatre and Media Arts, was recently honored by Snow College as the inaugural recipient of its Rising Alumni Award. The distinction recognizes graduates from the past two decades who have made a meaningful impact in their professions and communities. For Weeks, who began her higher education journey at Snow as a hesitant freshman before finding her footing in theatre design, the award serves as both a homecoming and a reminder of how far mentorship and perseverance can carry an artist.
Weeks provided a look into her work and this award.
Q: Please introduce yourself!
Weeks: I am an associate professor of scenic design in the Department of Theatre and Media Arts at BYU. I have a Master of Fine Arts in theatre arts with an emphasis in scenic and lighting design from the Caine College of the Fine Arts at Utah State University. At BYU, I teach courses in scenic design, scenic art, stagecraft and act as a design mentor to students pursuing scenic design. I am also currently serving as the associate program head for theatre arts studies.
Beyond the classroom, I design professionally, most recently with Sundance Summer Theatre, Utah Valley’s Noorda Center, Circus Juventas in Minnesota, and The Lyric Repertory Theatre Company. I am also a national board member for the United States Institute of Theatre Technology and the president of the regional chapter. Most importantly, I’m a wife and a mother to three wonderful kids.
Q: What were the qualifications for getting this award from Snow College, and what was the process like?
Weeks: I was honored to be named the inaugural recipient of the “Rising Alumni Award” from Snow College, which is where I began my undergraduate studies, graduating with my associate degree. The award recognizes a graduate from the past twenty years who has made a meaningful impact in their professional field and community.
This award is especially significant to me because it came from the place where my entire career began. I didn’t arrive at Snow College with a grand plan — I arrived as a nervous, unsure freshman. But I was met by mentors who saw something in me and who stayed with me far beyond the classroom. They challenged me, encouraged me and handed me the tools I needed to grow into the artist and educator I am now.
When the college president called to tell me about the award, I was surprised — and deeply moved. It reminded me how important our influence as educators can be and how it can linger long after a student has left our classrooms.
Q: How did you become interested in set design, and what has your journey looked like?
Weeks: I started in performance, but with the opportunities that I was presented with at Snow, combined with my love for storytelling and problem-solving, I eventually moved toward design. There was something about the intersection of visual imagination and emotional resonance that I was really drawn to. The funny thing is, I was not naturally gifted, and another professor encouraged me to find a different avenue for my profession. I am glad that both my stubbornness and the support of my Snow College professors got me through that. I eventually cultivated the skills I needed to be a successful designer, but it was a challenging process for a few years.
After earning my MFA in Theatre Arts, I returned to Snow College — first as an adjunct, then later as full-time faculty and eventually as the head of theatre design and technology. That was where I really cut my teeth as both a designer and an educator. I worked on over fifty shows at Snow while also having the privilege of mentoring students who were just beginning to explore their creative voices.
Coming to BYU has been a pivotal chapter in that journey and one of the hardest decisions I have ever had to make. It was hard for me to say goodbye to Snow College, but I know that the Lord led my family and me to BYU. Here, I’ve had the opportunity to expand both my creative and academic work, as well as find opportunities for service at the regional and national level. I also get to continue mentoring student designers on full-scale productions, which has always been one of my favorite things about my job.
Designing “Crazy for You,” “The Secret Garden” and “Great Expectations” at BYU has been especially meaningful. When I first made the change, I felt a little bit alone and isolated from the department, and for a while, I was really lonely. Once I got the chance to start collaborating with my colleagues on the work that we do in theatre, I was able to foster a robust working relationship with the department in a way that has been incredibly meaningful and rewarding to me. The entire department is supportive, and it is a privilege to work with everyone as we combine student mentorship, professional-level theatre and stories with truth and heart.
Q: What advice would you give to students hoping to follow in your path of set design, academia, and theatre?
Weeks: Be curious. Be collaborative. And don’t be afraid to take opportunities that stretch you — even if, or especially if, they take you out of your comfort zone. Work hard, say yes to opportunities that stretch you and trust that your path doesn’t have to look like anyone else’s.
Also, find mentors. When the time comes, become one. That cycle of learning and giving back is at the heart of what makes theatre and life so meaningful.
Q: Is there anything else you would like readers to know?
Weeks:
I believe the arts are more essential than ever, and the parallels between theatre and the gospel of Jesus Christ are profound. Both invite us to listen with compassion, to see one another as Children of God, to collaborate in unity, and to envision a more hopeful world. Whether you feel called to be an artist, musician, designer, educator, or simply a devoted lover of the arts, these gifts will bless your life and the lives of those around you.
To my students, past and present: thank you. Your curiosity, courage, and creativity are daily reminders of the divine light within each of you, and they continue to inspire me in my own journey.