College of Fine Arts

The innovative, interactive "Choir for Good" virtual concert weaves together music and social justice—an effort to give back while also giving students a meaningful experience in uncertain times. In order to ensure the safety of students, Kimberly Dunn Adams, director of choral activities, divided her classes into eight smaller chamber ensembles. Each group was given a different repertoire and charged with researching the composer, text and historical context of each piece. They then identified a societal issue connected to the piece—topics like hunger, racism, LGBTQ+ equality and access to clean water—and a nonprofit organization to highlight.

Alumnus and former instructor John Kollig is helping Western inventory more than 200 of his paintings and sketches that date back decades.

The pandemic thrust the world into a new era of digital connection, from remote work and virtual learning to family gatherings via computer screen. The evolution of communication in the pandemic inspired assistant professor Kelsey Paschich's piece "Recode," which she choreographed for Western students to perform at the annual Winter Gala Dance Concert.