Fine arts college announces recognition award winners

Contact: Jeanne Baron
Photo of WMU's Richmond Center for Visual Arts.

WMU's Richmond Center for Visual Arts

KALAMAZOO, Mich.—The College of Fine Arts at Western Michigan University has announced the recipients of its 2013-14 recognition awards.

The awards are presented at the college's annual end-of-the-year reception in April. The six people selected for the honor receive a monetary prize and have their names added to a recognition board located in the lobby of the Dalton Center Recital Hall.

Recognition award recipients

Jane Baas

Baas, chair of the Department of Dance, is the Excellence in Service award winner. Baas led the department of dance as chair five times between 1983 and 2014 and received the 2007 College of Fine Arts Dean's Teaching Award. She also chairs the Media Committee for the International Association for Dance Medicine and Science. In addition, Baas has served on the boards of the Michigan Dance Association and the American College Dance Festival Association as well as the Editorial Board of the Journal for Dance Medicine and Science.

Dr. Lofton L. Durham

Durham, professor of theatre, is the Excellence in Teaching award winner. Durham's articles on medieval performance have won prizes from two different scholarly associations. He currently serves as a councilor of the Medieval and Renaissance Drama Society, as well as on the boards of WMU's Medieval Institute and its University Center for the Humanities.

Kathleen Keckler

Keckler, office coordinator for the Frostic School of Art, is the Outstanding Staff award winner. In addition to her role as office coordinator and budget manager for the art school, Keckler is a successful artist who exhibits locally and has participated as a contestant for ArtPrize Grand Rapids. She retired from WMU in May after 17 years of service to the University.

Sydnee Peters

Peters, instructor of art, is the Excellence in Teaching, Part Time award winner. Peters has been a part-time instructor in the foundations area for the Frostic School of Art since 1986. An image-maker, she thinks of her work as visual poems. She has practiced the craft of writing poetry for more than 20 years, and her current works bring the two mediums together.

Ed Roth

Roth, professor of music, is the Excellence in Creative Research award winner. Roth teaches in the music therapy area and serves as coordinator of clinical experiences as well as director of the laboratory for Brain Research and Interdisciplinary Neurosciences, or BRAIN lab.  He specializes in the application of music in the treatment of neurologic and psychiatric disorders, and his recent research examines the neural correlates and physiology of music improvisation.

Dr. Steve Wolfinbarger

Wolfinbarger, professor of music, is the 2013-14 Greg Roehrick Distinguished Professor. Wolfinbarger was selected as the 2013 Michigan Professor of the Year by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching and the Council for Advancement and Support of Education in Washington, D.C. He also received the 2010 WMU Distinguished Teaching Award.