Slane College of Communications and Fine Arts at Bradley University

Theatre Arts Associate Professor Dr. Travis Stern's new book, "Ballplayers on Stage: Baseball, Melodrama, and Theatrical Celebrity in the Deadball Era," is now available via the University of Tennessee Press.

The book explores how, since before the turn of the 20th century, baseball greats have captivated audiences both on the diamond and the stage. Gracing the world of melodrama with their theatrical presence during the offseason, their forays into professional theater opened a portal between two distinct worlds of performance and entertainment that would shape the future of both.

The book is available now: https://utpress.org/title/ballplayers-on-stage/.

The Department of Communication rounds out our celebration of 2023-2024 student award winners. Swipe to see who was honored in COM.

Congratulations to all our winners!

Four Theatre Arts students were nominated for the Irene Ryan Theatre Scholarship awarded by the Kennedy Center/American College Theatre Festival.

The Irene Ryan Acting Scholarships provide recognition, honor, and financial assistance to outstanding student performers wishing to pursue further education. The Irene Ryan Foundation awards sixteen regional and two national scholarships annually.

Swipe to see the four nominated students.

Check out the 2023-2024 award winners from the Department of Art & Design. Outstanding students everywhere! 🏆🏆

Here's part two of the 2023-2024 award winners from the Department of Interactive Media. Swipe through to see the standout students in Game Design, Interactive Media, and UX Design and the department-wide student of the year.

Here's our first batch of 2023-2024 award winners from the Department of Interactive Media. Swipe through to see the honored students in Animation and Game Art. More to come from IM!

It's time to celebrate the 2023-2024 award winners across Slane's five departments. Swipe through to see who was honored by the Department of Music. 🏆🏆

Three Sports Communication students recently interned at the NFL Draft in Detroit, the largest in the league's history.

Graduating seniors Miranna Berles (pictured) and Logan Quinn and junior Ben Maenke worked long hours as support staff for the multi-day event, which attracted more than 700,000 fans in the Detroit area.

All three expressed a greater appreciation for seeing the scale of such a large event up close.

"With my role, I got to really feel the atmosphere that the city and the people of Detroit brought to hosting the draft," Berles said. "Working the Draft helps you understand the magnitude of personnel and resources that go into hosting such a large event."

We're just 1️⃣ day from commencement! Today's senior in the spotlight is Graphic Design and Sculpture major Rebekah Emmert. After graduation, Rebekah is pursuing a design opportunity in Springfield, Illinois, and ultimately hopes to explore creative possibilities in the film industry. Swipe through to learn more about Rebekah.

We're just 2️⃣ days from graduation! And we still have CFA celebs to celebrate. Today's senior is AD/PR major Sharlene Aguzar, who hopes to work in PR, marketing, or business administration. Swipe through to learn more about Sharlene!

It's the last day of finals week, which means it's the true end for our amazing graduating seniors. Today's senior in the spotlight is Music Business major Malayah Johnson. After graduation, she hopes to land a job in the booking and touring corner of the music industry. Swipe through to learn more about Malayah.

Organizational Communication major and Music minor Kinzie Johanns is our latest senior spotlight. After graduation, Kinzie hopes to work in organizational development or internal communications in the Chicagoland or Minneapolis areas. Swipe through to learn more about Kinzie!

Happy Finals Week Friday, folks. Today's very-soon-to-be-graduate is Music and Entertainment Industry major John McGee-Day. After graduation, John plans to work with brands to expand their social media. His long-term goal is to create an independent record label.

Swipe through to learn more about John.

Director of Choral Activities Dr. Cory Boulton won Slane College's prestigious Excellence in Teaching Award this week. 🏆🏆🎵🎵

The award honors CFA's best teacher based on nominations from faculty and students every two years.

Dr. Todd Kelly, chairperson of the Department of Music, called Boulton a "game changer" for the department and its students.

"Dr. Boulton is one of those rare teachers who possesses the ability to truly inspire students to achieve beyond their own expectations. She is a community builder. Her teaching is rooted in an affection for her students and a deep commitment to their progress. She followed a highly respected and beloved teacher into this position and was quickly able to create her own culture, one in which students feel valued, respected, and safe. Dr. Boulton is an exemplary role model for her students. She is a brilliant, emotional conductor who invests herself deeply and personally in the musical experience of the students."

One student said, "She never fails to show up for us, even under extreme circumstances. I have never felt so valued by an instructor before. I have never been a part of a choir like this before and I don't know that I will ever find something like it again. Chorale is the highlight of my day every day, if nothing else gets me out of bed chorale does, and I am forever grateful for the time I have been given in this ensemble."

Congratulations to Dr. Boulton!

Music Business major and Interdisciplinary Film Studies minor Aly MacQuarrie is the latest senior in the spotlight. After graduation, Aly plans to pursue a career in music supervision in Los Angeles. Swipe through to learn more about her CFA favs.

Happy last week of classes, CFAers. Graphic Design major and User Experience Design minor Kelly Svetlichniy is today's soon-to-be grad in the spotlight. Swipe through to learn more about Kelly.

Today's Spring 2024 graduate in the spotlight is Graphic Design major Eva Fischer. After graduation, Eva plans to pursue graphic design opportunities in the area and make more time for hobbies that fuel my creativity. Swipe through to learn more about Eva.

Happy Wednesday, folks. Today's Spring 2024 graduate-to-be is Game Design major Kadin White (). After graduating, Kadin plans to pursue game production and project management opportunities, and in a few years, potentially a master's degree in project management. Swipe through to learn more about Kadin.

Q***r Coalition, Bradley's LGBTQ+ Inclusion Training and Advocacy student organization, is hosting Bradley University's second Lavender Graduation on Friday, May 10 at 2 p.m. at the Garrett Center.

Lavender Graduation is an affinity graduation ceremony celebrating LGBTQ+ graduates and their accomplishments. The ceremony is an opportunity to celebrate and acknowledge graduating LGBTQ+ students of all intersecting identities and to recognize their achievements and contributions to the university. You are invited to show your support as faculty and staff members of Bradley's LGBTQ+ students. We would love to see you there rooting for our LGBTQ+ graduates as they enter a new chapter in their lives.

Students, alumni, and supporters can register online. To be recognized as an LGBTQ+ graduate or alum you must register. Supporters can register too, as you will be helping us to estimate attendance.

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfhWeWaBHYth_ar1qish0qm3vvlxHdhq53X2BCDapFUZczUZw/viewform

It's the last full week of class—and the last full week ever for our graduating seniors. Today's soon-to-be grad is TV Arts major John Kasregis, who hopes to land a studio job in broadcast news. Swipe through to learn more about John's CFA favs.

Theatre Performance major Mery Drilling-Coren is our Friday grad-to-be in the spotlight. After graduation, Mery plans to work as a substitute teacher in Chicago while auditioning for performance roles. Swipe through to read a few of Mery's CFA favs.

Music Composition senior Carlos Lalonde took home a Dean's Award at the recent Bradley University Student Scholarship Expo.

The project featured a new musical composition tailored for beginning string orchestras. It was developed as part of an independent with Dr. Lynnsey Lambrecht. Lalonde intends to send the composition out for publication in hopes of reaching emerging string national and international string musicians.

"Showcasing my work to new audiences in an academic setting was incredible, and receiving the Dean's Award was a major highlight of my college career," Lalonde said. "This recognition not only validates my hard work but also sets a precedent for future artists, musicians, and creatives to present their scholarly work at the Expo."

Music Composition major Xavier Chapman is our latest Spring 2024 graduate in the spotlight. After May Commencement, Xavier plans to work as a freelance composer assisting video game developers and filmmakers.

Swipe through to learn more about Xavier, and look out for more senior celebrations to come!

Television Arts major Terri Silva is the next Spring 2024 graduate in the spotlight. After graduation, Terri hopes to return to Los Angeles and work on a creative project with the ultimate goal of directing for film or television.

Swipe through to learn more about Terri.

Zac Zetterberg will deliver the final Visual Voices lecture of Spring 2024 this Thursday at 5 p.m. in the GCC Horowitz Auditorium.

Zetterberg is the Curator Of Art, Folk Art, and The Center For American Decoys at the Peoria Riverfront Museum.

It's ✨ FUSE WEEK ✨

The Department of Interactive Media invites you to explore all the great projects students have been working on. Watch original animations, immerse yourself in new technologies, and explore the future of animation, game art, game design, and user experience.

It all happens this Saturday from 10-5 at the Peoria Riverfront Museum. Admission is 🆓

You can preview all the exhibits online: https://bradleyinteractive.com/2024/exhibits/

Happy Monday, folks. We're less than 1️⃣ month away from May Commencement! But we still have a lot of great soon-to-be grads to highlight in the meantime.

Music Entertainment Industry major Avie Magner is in the spotlight today. After graduation, she plans to return to Chicago and work remotely as an internship coordinator for Next Step Projects. Swipe through to learn more about Avie.

Happy Friday, folks. Game Design major Sam Dwyer is today's May graduate in the spotlight. Sam's post-grad goal is to find a full-time design or programming opportunity in the gaming industry. Swipe through to learn about some of his CFA favs.

5️⃣ days remain to support Media Production students through the 2024 Bradley Day of Giving! Support planned purchases of state-of-the-art equipment, including:

🔴 4K Cinema Camera
🔴 Portable Audio Recorder
🔴 Professional-grade Shotgun Microphone
🔴 Modern Virtual Reality Headsets

Give here: https://www.givecampus.com/schools/BradleyUniversity/2024-day-of-giving/pages/cfa-crowdfunding-project

Advertising & Public Relations major Kailyn Joyce is another soon-to-be Slane graduate. After graduation, Kailyn hopes to find a job in advertising writing, PR, or social media marketing. Swipe through to learn more about her.