Georgia Southern theatre majors Mary Flott (senior) and Joey Hukin (sophomore) traveled to the nation's capital the week of April 16th to attend the National Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival. Both women were a part of the theatre program's award-winning fall production of "Emilie: The Marquise Du Chatelet Defends Her Life Tonight" by Lauren Gunderson.

The Georgia Southern University Betty Foy Sanders Department of Art (BFSDoArt) will present the "BFA/BA 2018 Senior Exhibition" April 30 - May 7 at the Center for Art & Theatre's Contemporary Gallery on the Statesboro Campus. The reception will be held May 4 from 5 to 7 p.m. Light refreshments will be served, and the public is invited to attend. The exhibition will showcase the portfolios and capstone projects of Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) and Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) graduating seniors in a variety of media including ceramics, digital and traditional painting, graphic design, mixed media, photography, printmaking, sculpture and video. The senior Bachelor of Fine Arts, 2D and 3D Studio Art majors are enrolled in the BFA Portfolio course taught by Professor Marc Moulton, MFA, who is also the graduate program director. "This is a wonderful opportunity for our fine arts students to present their concepts and professional works to the campus community. It has been my pleasure to help these students turn their creative ideas into reality," said Moulton. The exhibit also will feature work created by students enrolled in Associate Professor Elsie Hill's, MFA, Capstone in Studio Art course. The students were asked to design visual art projects inspired by research of the corridor between campus and downtown Statesboro, specifically the Blind Willie McTell Trail and Highway 301. Each student designed a project that employed their studio skills, historical research and visual mapping to depict elements from this area. The projects, all inspired by locations on or near the Blind Willie McTell Trail, range in subject matter from the Cretaceous Period to the civil rights era. "This year, Megan Winters, a BFSDoArt alumni and current graduate student in public history, worked with the Capstone in Studio Art students to develop their Statesboro research," said Hill. "The connections between the artwork and the research are stronger than ever thanks to this collaboration." Students displaying their work in this exhibition include: Kala Akins, Emily Bendin, Kenton Booker, Kristen Daniel, Paige Dixon, Khalil Ford, Jazmine Hicks, Gabrielle Kastner, Charles Brandon Kilgore, Savannah Knauss, Isabel Massell, Lyanna Mitchell, Keyanna Palmer, Lexi Plourde, Reagan Rowland, Mallory Morgan Sahle, Deante Simms and Hannah Smith. "The BFA and B.A. exhibitions are always exciting, as we see a kind of hinge point where the students sum up what they have done during their studies just as they are looking forward toward the beginning of their professional lives," said BFSDoArt Gallery Director Jason Hoelscher, MFA. "This is the first time the BFA and B.A. exhibitions have been combined, however, so I look forward to seeing how the work of the two student groups operates and converses with one another. Between the explorations of ideas and forms on the one hand, and the grounding of ideas into the spatial and social fabric of Statesboro itself on the other, it should make for a very compelling exhibition."

The Georgia Southern University Betty Foy Sanders Department of Art (BFSDoArt) will host "Portfolio Reveal," an annual exhibition of senior graphic design work, from April 12 to 24 in the Contemporary and University Galleries at the Center for Art and Theatre on the Statesboro Campus.

The Georgia Southern University Betty Foy Sanders Department of Art (BFSDoArt) is presenting its annual Form & Content Exhibition at the Center for Art & Theatre's University Gallery on the Statesboro Campus March 30 - April 6. "Form & Content" features Art Foundations-level student work from classes Drawing I, 2D Design, 3D Design and Digital Foundations. The exhibition was juried by Michael Marks, an associate professor at the South Carolina School of the Arts at Anderson University. Winners were announced at a reception on March 30. Madison Pleasant was awarded First Place. Second Place was awarded to Brandon Narsing and Olivia Mainor received Third Place. Tanner Maxey received the Juror's Choice award. Morgan Carr and Peyton Butts each received Honorable Mentions. Other students with work accepted into the exhibition are Patrick Brownlee, Seantrei Burgess, Taylor Carter, Daniel Castro, Emily Coats, Andrew Cobb, Naya Crutch, Paige Distler, Patricia Elliot, Cathy Estes, Jessica Goodlin, Jasmine Griggs, Andrea Guzman, Sabrina Hill, Erin Ibrahim, Kristin Johnson, Mackenzie Kurt, Alex Long, Connor Mappin, Aminatta Mbow, Heidi McClain, Taylor McMahan, Pardiss Moazzam, Ashley Pantalone, Kennedy Pleasants, Janesha Rhodes, Phillip Eric Riggs, Hardijah Robinson, Briyanna Ruff, Christy Starling, Jackson Sweat, Megan Tanner, Kaleigh Todd, Andrew Wiggins, Austin Williams, Alexander Wolf, Janell Wright, Megan Yawn.

The Georgia Southern University Betty Foy Sanders Department of Art (BFSDoArt) is hosting "Juried 2018," an annual showcase of undergraduate student artwork, in the Center for Art & Theatre's Contemporary Gallery on the Statesboro Campus, March 30 - April 6. The exhibition features a variety of media the department teaches such as drawing, painting, jewelry, multimedia, mixed media, photography, printmaking, sculpture, and ceramics. The exhibition was juried by Ashley Zelinskie, an internationally-exhibited artist based in Brooklyn, NY. Kristen Pritchett was awarded Best in Show for her ceramic work, "Brick." Elaine Ball received the award for Exceptional 2D Design for "Self-Portrait" while Marian Trainor received the award for Exceptional 3D Design for her work "You Fool, I Will Not Die with You." Charlynne Crutcher received the Juror's Choice award for "The Delivery" and Soleil Collins received an Honorable Mention for "Untitled." Other students whose artwork is featured in the exhibition were Rachel Borkowski, Paige Dixon, Allison Exley, Elaina Frampton, Thyatira Grant, AnnaBrooke Greene, Savannah Knauss, Erin Maurer, Tommy McMillan, Lyanna L. Mitchell, Abigail Morgan, Mallory Morgan Sahle, Raven Waters, Gherri Weekes-Garnette, Krisann Wellington and Sydney Wright.

The Betty Foy Sanders Department of Art (BFSDoArt) presented its annual Juried Undergraduate Exhibition, a showcase of artwork from undergraduate students, in the Center for Art & Theatre's Contemporary Gallery from March 31 - April 7. The show offers students an opportunity to highlight their work and gain professional experience in a formal setting. Winners, selected by Augusta University's Department of Art Chairman Scott Thorp, were announced at the opening reception in March. This year's winners included: Best in Show: Katie "Xed" Blankenship, "Roach Motel" Juror's Choice: Emily Oren, "Borderline" Honorable Mention: Marian Trainor, "Fibula" Honorable Mention: Chloe Coulibaly, "Meditation" Blankenship and Oren will each receive a solo exhibition at the Averitt Center for the Art, Legends Gallery during the 2017-2018 school year. Other students with work selected for Juried 2017 were Soleil Collins, Charlynne Crutcher, Anna Currence, Allison Exley, Alex Furlough, Rikki Hagerty, Jessie Hamner, Tanner Higgs, Carter Jackson, Jennie Klabnik, Savannah Knauss, Denson McLain, Kimberly Powell Page, Keyanna Palmer, Ray Pettit, Kasey Roberts, Raegan Rowland, Allyson Schuman, Madeline Shelor, Sarah Shepherd, Virginia Skinner, Dylan Stembridge, Tanner Tracey, Stefani Waters, Shelby Whitaker, MacKenzie Willard. "The BFSDoArt is an interdisciplinary program, a fact readily apparent through the great diversity of styles, media and disciplines on display in this year's 'Juried Undergraduate Exhibition,'" said Jason Hoelscher, BFSDoArt gallery director and assistant professor. "The compelling quality of our students' work, along with the discerning eye of our visiting juror, artist and scholar Scott Thorp, combined to make this dynamite exhibition."

This August, thirteen Georgia Southern University students and faculty member, Lisa Abbott, took their production of "Do Not Open," a student devised piece, to the International Fringe Festival in Edinburgh, Scotland. The show was nominated for the Fringe Sustainable Practice Award based on a review of the content of the show and responses to a questionnaire.

The Georgia Southern Chorale and the Southern Gentlemen won in competition at the "Laurea Mundi Budapest" Festival of Choral Music, held in Budapest, Hungary, July 9-13. The Georgia Southern Chorale won the Grand Prix in the mixed choir category and the spirituals category. The Southern Gentlemen won the open category in pop music and was invited to sing against the Georgia Southern Chorale in the Grand Prix.

The Georgia Southern University Betty Foy Sanders Department of Art (BFSDoArt) presented its annual undergraduate student exhibition, Form & Content, in the Center for Art & Theatre's University Gallery, March 30 - April 7. The exhibition honors the rigorous work of students in art foundations courses, such as Drawing I, Drawing II, 2D Design, and 3D Design. Art foundations courses provide students with the fundamentals of art and create a solid infrastructure that is needed for a career in fine arts. Form & Content was juried by national artist and University of South Carolina Professor of Sculpture Naomi Faulk. Winners from Form & Content include: 1st Place: Bailey Cawthon, "Camera" 2nd Place: Elaine Ball, "Reflective Objects" 3rd Place: Marian Trainor, "Kills Two Birds With One Stone" Honorable Mention: Paige Dixon, "Trip" Honorable Mention: Gherri Weekes-Garnette, "Value" acrylic paint Each received a gift bag from Blick Art Supplies. Other students with work selected for Form & Content were Jenna Bloser, Shelby Bragg, Rakel Brown, Peyton M. Butts, Emily Coats, Soleil B. Collins, Charlynne Crutcher, Kristen Daniel, Lindsey Dalton, Anna DeLoach, Paige Distler, Lisa Edwards, Juanita Fludd, Lauren Friedlander, AnnaBrooke H. Greene, Gabrielle Kastner, Samantha Lanza, Ryan Lee, John R. Lewis, Maya Malins, Isabel Massell, Tanner Maxey, JD McCarthy, Anna Merritt, Stefan Olsson, Caleb O'Neill, Madeline Owens, Adam Sapp, Caitlin Shelby, Allison Vagase, Clint Wells, Andrew Wiggins, and Jodie Wisner.

The Georgia Southern University Betty Foy Sanders Department of Art (BFSDoArt) recently collaborated with the Augusta University Department of Art to present "Trifecta," an exhibition juried and curated by Georgia Southern M.F.A. students Jessamy McManus and Courtney Ryan, on display at Augusta University's Mary S. Byrd Gallery of Art.

Georgia Southern University's Betty Foy Sanders Department of Art presented a multimedia exhibition, exploring College Street and the west side of downtown Statesboro, by students in the undergraduate studio art capstone class, on April 29. neighborhood's buildings, lots, green spaces, occupants, history, politics and demographics.

The Georgia Southern University Betty Foy Sanders Department of Art presents "B.F.A. Senior Exhibition" May 2 - 6 in the University and Contemporary Galleries at the Center for Art & Theatre.This exhibition features work from senior 2D and 3D studio art majors, enrolled in the BFA Portfolio course taught by Gallery Director Jason Hoelscher, and pursuing their bachelor of arts degrees.

Six Georgia Southern students took home awards at the local level of the 2016 American Advertising Awards (ADDY) in Savannah this month. Sixteen students from Georgia Southern and 50 students from Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) participated in the student competition in categories such as mobile app, packaging, integrated campaigns, posters, brochures and logo designs.

"Twelfth Night," a classic Shakespearean comedy centered around love and mistaken identities, is one of the University's Theatre and Performance program's four mainstage productions of the 2015-2016 season that gets full funding, technical and design support.

Georgia Southern University's choral groups Southern Chorale and Fermata the Blue returned recently from the International Anton Bruckner Choral Competition and Festival in Linz, Austria. The Chorale received gold diplomas in the compulsory and sacred divisions, Fermata the Blue was honored with one gold diploma and both groups earned second-place finishes. Southern Chorale, the University's premier choral ensemble, took second place in the "Mixed Choirs Compulsory" category, finishing less than one point behind winning choir Coro Siamo, from Austria. Fermata the Blue, the 12-member contemporary ensemble comprised of Chorale members, finished second in the "Vocal Ensemble" category to the grand prize winning five-voice male ensemble from Germany. Twenty-two choirs from 14 nations participated in the competition, and Southern Chorale was among only six invited to compete for the Anton Bruckner Prize, the competition's highest honor. Interkultur, the competition sponsor, scores choirs on intonation, sound quality, fidelity to the score and overall artistic impression. A choir's numerical score determines whether it receives a gold, silver or bronze diploma, and only ensembles that receive gold diplomas are eligible for the grand prize. Georgia Southern received a special invitation to compete in the final round. "The competition in Linz provided Georgia Southern and the Department of Music an opportunity to be showcased on the international stage," said Shannon Jeffreys, D.M., conductor of Southern Chorale and Fermata the Blue, and director of choral activities. "The visibility we have and will continue to receive from this experience will greatly benefit our recruitment and retention of both undergraduate and graduate students. This is the first step in putting the Georgia Southern choirs on the world rankings list." After the competition, Southern Chorale went on an eight-day tour of Italy. The trip began with a celebration on Mt. Lussari in the Julian Alps and continued to Florence. The Chorale performed with the Corale Puccini in Camigliano, Italy, and shared in a homemade dinner and sing-along following the concert. The group also visited Pisa and Lucca and sang in the Basilica of St. Francis in Assisi. The tour culminated with mass at the Vatican, where Southern Chorale sang in service. Many American visitors greeted the Chorale after the mass, and the music director of St. Peter's Basilica said that Southern Chorale was one of the best choirs he had ever heard. Chorale members hailed the experience as an eye-opening international tour and said they enjoyed the opportunity to engage with students and singers from different countries. "This trip was definitely the highlight of my undergraduate career," said Natasha Martin, who graduated in May after majoring in music and international trade and minoring in French. "It was a cultural plunge as we found ourselves sitting next to a person from Hungary and on the other side a person from Singapore. This trip really proved to me as a student and devotee of music, that music itself eradicates boundaries and allows people to understand each other regardless of their differences in language and backgrounds. As a result of the hard work and dedication of both our choral director, Dr. Jeffreys, and our tour manager, Dr. Carolyn Bryan, Southern Chorale truly roamed throughout Europe as ambassadors of our University and came home with unforgettable memories and new friendships."