College of Visual and Performing Arts (CVPA)

CVPA Announces Recipients of the 2026 Young Alumni Commissioning Project Awards

Emily Schneider — Mon, 02 Feb 2026 16:40:21 +0000

CVPA Announces Recipients of the 2026 Young Alumni Commissioning Project Awards Emily Schneider Mon, 02/02/2026 - 11:40

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�鶹��Ƶ’s College of Visual and Performing Arts (CVPA) announces the recipients of the seventh round of its Young Alumni Commissioning Project Awards.

Two alumni were chosen based on the artistic excellence, career impact, and feasibility of their proposals and will receive financial, marketing, and production support to have their projects presented by the College at a �鶹��Ƶ Arts venue during the 2026–27 season.

“The Young Alumni Commissioning Project is one of my favorite things within the broad spectrum of �鶹��Ƶ Arts. Every year we are lucky to be able to support, from among a very competitive group of applicants, some strong and compelling works of art, and this year’s are no exception,” stated College of Visual and Performing Arts Dean Rick Davis. “They both happen to live in the film area this time, a testament to the vitality and accomplishment of that program and its graduates.”

Kenge BaNikongo (BA Theater, BA Film and Video Studies '21) Photo provided.

Kenge BaNikongo

BA Theater, BA Film and Video Studies ’21

Kenge BaNikongo received the Young Alumni Commissioning Project Award and $5,000 in commissioning support for Wingz. A comedy-drama television series about fairies in the modern world, the script centers on a second-generation fairy grappling with the impacts of her magical abilities on her and her family as they navigate everyday life. The script explores the complexities of family and identity within the immigrant experience through a new lens, while incorporating a lighthearted element of fantasy. A storyteller at heart, BaNikongo wrote and directed three successful short films as a student at George �鶹��Ƶ, including Ring Ring, which was nominated for Best Writer and Best Lead Actress at the 2021 Couch Film Festival. The pilot episode script for Wingz was well-received at numerous industry festivals and competitions and will be filmed with the support of this new funding. Beyond her personal projects, she is currently a Production Coordinator for National Geographic, where BaNikongo collaborates on the development and creation of programming for National Geographic and Disney+. Thinking back about her experiences at George �鶹��Ƶ and what shaped her the most, BaNikongo remembered working to find and then refine her voice in a scriptwriting class with Professor Heather McDonald. “For the first time, I decided to write a dramedy just for fun. To my surprise, Professor McDonald really enjoyed it, and so did my family. I realized I knew what my ‘voice’ was; but I didn't think people would enjoy it. After being turned into a short film, that dramedy went on to do well in competitions and encouraged me to continue my writing journey! Now writing, acting, and directing are my passions as I continue to pursue projects that are true to my ‘voice’.”

Taj Kokayi (BA Film and Video Studies '22). Photo provided.

Taj Kokayi

BA Film and Video Studies ’22

Taj Kokayi received the Young Alumni Creative Development Award and $2,500 in commissioning support for The Ghost Writer, an Afrofuturistic body-horror short film examining the seductive and corrosive influence of generative AI on the creative process. Kokayi’s success in the Afrofuturism genre is well-documented; his 2020 experimental short, Woken From A Dream, won awards for Best Experimental and Best VFX and was selected for 15 international festivals. His follow-up film, White Mirror won awards including Best of Fest, Audience Award, and Best Short Screenplay. Kokayi is a fierce advocate for community and cooperative work, and founded an independent production company and writers group that gives young creatives an avenue to tell their own stories. Kokayi worked at The Daily Show with Trevor Noah before graduating from George �鶹��Ƶ, and followed that role with a stint as an NBC Page working at Focus Features and The Tonight Show. Community was an integral element of Kokayi’s experience of George �鶹��Ƶ, “Whether it was in Black Student Alliance (BSA); the Black, African-Heritage, and Caribbean Coalition (BLACC); the Film Advisory Board; or as a Resident Advisor, I always felt like I had a family on campus. I had countless memorable experiences at �鶹��Ƶ, and it's why I considered campus a second home. That's why I felt strongly about applying to the YACP program. I know that �鶹��Ƶ takes care of their own, whether they're still on campus or not.”

Over the past six years, 20 CVPA alumni have been granted awards anywhere from $2,500–$5,000 to support the creation of a new artistic work for projects in film, dance, visual art, music, and game design. To be considered for this year’s award, applicants must have graduated from CVPA from the class of 2015 and after. Proposals could include original new work in any art form suitable for performance, exhibition, or screening in a �鶹��Ƶ Arts venue. The size, length, duration, magnitude, and content are at the artist’s discretion. Potential venues include George �鶹��Ƶ’s traditional theater spaces, galleries, and cinemas, but proposals for non-traditional venues, including digital spaces, were also considered.

During the 2024–25 award cycle, Brianna Camp (Art and Visual Technology ’23) received the Young Alumni Commissioning Project Award and $5,000 in commissioning support for Flare: Finding a Sense of Place in the Chronically Ill Body. This work will consist of a series of large-scale oil paintings, each accompanied by documentary photographs and poetry and will be exhibited on campus in Fairfax during 2026. Marina Vianello (Dance ’18) received the Young Alumni Creative Development Award and $2,500 in commissioning support for Three Generations of Bach, an intergenerational multimedia dance work. Vianello is working with her mother, Andrea Skowronek, a retired professional dancer, to recreate and blend together inspiration from an original dance work that Skowronek developed early in her career, set to music accompaniment from her own father. A performance of this work will premiere on campus in Fairfax during 2026.

The Young Alumni Commissioning Project is made possible by a generous bequest from the estate of Linda E. Gramlich for the support of young artists, and by donors to George �鶹��Ƶ’s previous Giving Day, including Shugoll Research.

�鶹��Ƶ the 2026 Award Recipients

Kenge BaNikongo(she/her) is a writer, producer, actor, and director who has a deep love of storytelling, which drew her to becoming a filmmaker. She gained a degree in Film Directing and Producing from �鶹��Ƶ in 2021, and her films have garnered her several accolades over the years. Through writing and directing comedy-dramas, she has found her voice in storytelling. Her fiction style is influenced by several directors and writers, such as Issa Rae and Phoebe Waller-Bridge. After graduating from George �鶹��Ƶ, she has been working for National Geographic/Disney, telling dynamic true stories based on history, culture, science, food, and exploration. Her passion for storytelling expands to all aspects of media as a freelance writer, director, and producer. She also works as an interviewer for Young Entertainment Magazine. During her time at George �鶹��Ƶ, she also received her Bachelor’s in Theatre Performance - Acting, and continues to act in short films and do voiceovers. No matter what, she is always creative!

Taj Kokayi (he/him) Taj Kokayi is an award-winning filmmaker and producer. His 2020 Afrofuturistic short film, Woken From A Dream, made the official selection for 15 film festivals across the world, winning five awards, including Best Experimental Film. His follow-up sociopolitical drama, White Mirror, has won awards including Best of Fest, Audience Award, and Best Short Screenplay. During his time at �鶹��Ƶ, he was a finalist for the Princess Grace Award for Film, was named George �鶹��Ƶ’s Black Artist of the Year (2020) and Social Media Activist of the Year (2021), and in 2022, he received the Spike Lee Directing Award. In 2022, he worked as an Intern and Production Assistant for The Daily Show with Trevor Noah, before becoming an NBC Page at 30 Rockefeller Plaza. He has worked on the sets of features films, documentaries, music videos, corporate shoots, and alongside Academy Award-nominated directors.

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Jeffrey Kenney put himself on display at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts

Katarina Benson — Wed, 28 Jan 2026 14:31:43 +0000

Jeffrey Kenney put himself on display at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts Katarina Benson Wed, 01/28/2026 - 09:31

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Jeffrey Kenney

Jeffrey Kenney is no stranger to showing art in Virginia—he is, after all, an associate curator for �鶹��Ƶ Exhibitions at �鶹��Ƶ. He regularly helps bring together world-class artists and their work in service of the College of Visual and Performing Arts (CVPA) through the six galleries that the �鶹��Ƶ Exhibitions team oversees across Northern Virginia.

Kenney with his work. Photo provided

This time, however, it’s his work in the public eye. As a recipient of a 2025-26 Virginia Museum of Fine Arts fellowship, Kenney’s series of paintings, “Along the Inner Branches,” is on view in the museum’s fine-dining Amuse Restaurant.

“Significant artists over the history of Virginia’s art landscape have won the fellowship,” said Kenney, who joined George �鶹��Ƶ in 2013. “It’s an honor to be grouped in that lineage.”

The VMFA Fellows’ works are featured in many different areas around the commonwealth. Some are in different buildings around the museum complex; others are at Richmond International Airport. Kenney’s location in the restaurant means that he has a great position to capture the notice of high-end art lovers and fine diners.

“I've had a couple people send me notes saying that they saw my work while they were down there unexpectedly,” said Kenney. “They were visiting the museum and having lunch and suddenly like, ‘oh! I know him!’”

Kenney is especially excited about this body of work because it’s a departure from his roots. “I'm sort of an artist that's wandered between mediums,” he said. “I studied sculpture in undergrad and have a master's in photography.”

Seven years ago, however, he was feeling lost in his artistic journey and began playing with linocuts and painted patterns.

“My art has always involved a kind of process where half of the work is me trying to develop ways of working. To me that's the fun—the puzzle-solving of it,” he said. “So if you're looking at my work, you'll see there's a lot of repeated fragments.”

Kenney working on one of his pieces. Photo provided

In the 2022-23 academic year, Kenney won a Robert K. Purks Faculty Enrichment Fund grant from CVPA, a $2,500 prize that helped him develop his current body of work. His art combines painting and printmaking through rhythmic layers that blend a variety of graphic elements, which emerge from the study of diverse sources—historical and contemporary—such as early modern printed books, textiles, cartoons, and scientific diagrams.

“All of this work is new to the public,” said Kenney. “So the fellowship was definitely a boost to my confidence.”

The VMFA fellowship program recognizes some of the commonwealth’s most talented up-and-coming artists. Kenney has, in the past, used the fellowship to help him identify artists to use in �鶹��Ƶ Exhibitions, including Anikó Sáfrán, Sharon Shapiro, and Ricardo Vicente Jose Ruiz.

The fellowship comes with an $8,000 prize, some of which Kenney says he will put back into his studio. But most, he says, he will save for his eight-year-old son’s future.

“When you’re an artist, it can take away from other things that you cherish, especially when you have a full-time job. I see this as a way of paying it forward.”

View more of Jeffrey Kenney’s art here.

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Love, Legacy, and the Arts: How Rick Davis and Julie Thompson are shaping the future of �鶹��Ƶ Arts

ckearney — Thu, 15 Jan 2026 17:39:05 +0000

Love, Legacy, and the Arts: How Rick Davis and Julie Thompson are shaping the future of �鶹��Ƶ Arts ckearney Thu, 01/15/2026 - 12:39

Dean Rick Davis and Center for the Arts Executive Director Julie Thompson joke that, even among their College of Visual and Performing Arts (CVPA) colleagues, some people don’t realize that they are married. Now the proverbial cat is out of the bag.

College of Visual and Performing Arts Dean Rick Davis and Julie Thompson, executive director, Center for the Arts. Photo by Emily Rusch/CVPA

They’re not only married but were college sweethearts, meeting during their undergraduate days at Lawrence University in Appleton, Wisconsin. The arts have played a role in their relationship from the start; Davis chuckled when recalling that their courtship even included a pre-requisite stint at The Troupe of American College Players, Thompson’s father’s summer stock theater in Colorado.

That was back in the 1980s, making it clear that long-term commitments are a hallmark of Thompson’s and Davis’s characters. Davis has been at �鶹��Ƶ for 34 years, serving as CVPA dean since 2015 and as executive director of the Hylton Performing Arts Center since August 2011. Thompson became the executive director for the Center for the Arts on the Fairfax Campus in 2007, but has served in other capacities at the university, including as a faculty member in the graduate Arts Management Program, for nearly 30 years.

They have recently ensured that their longstanding legacies will continue to enhance, nurture, and grow the arts at George �鶹��Ƶ through a planned gift with multiple designations. The $700,000 estimated gift will support the Give Voice initiative for the renovation of the Center for the Arts; Center for the Arts programming; the Hylton Performing Arts Center Endowment; the William Reeder, Founding Dean Endowment in the Arts; and the establishment of the Rick Davis and Julie Thompson Theater Scholarship Endowment.

The main motivator for the gift is the renovation of the Center for the Arts on the Fairfax Campus, “something that Rick and I are emotionally involved in,” explained Thompson. “It’s been there for us all these years as well as for the college and the university.”

The Give Voice initiative is a $35M fundraising effort to renovate and modernize the Center for the Arts, seeking to improve and enhance the venue’s ability to support the needs of artists, audiences, and CVPA students and faculty. It will include technological and acoustical upgrades, improved accessibility and sightlines, additional aisles on the orchestra and balcony levels, a remodeled lobby, expanded teaching and rehearsal spaces, and more.

Davis invoked former university President George Johnson (1978-1996), who asserted that the arts are the front door to George �鶹��Ƶ. “The arts pique the interest of the broader community and give them ways to interact with the university that they otherwise might not have had,” said Davis. The Center for the Arts is the hub of artistic performances, classes, and university events, and Davis observed that it’s “getting creaky” after admitting more than 6.5 million audience members since its doors opened in 1990.

Thompson and Davis agree that �鶹��Ƶ Arts—the community of staff, faculty, students, artists, musicians, and performers and the audience they attract—is one of the tangibles that makes George �鶹��Ƶ “all together different.”

“The arts here are so dynamic,” said Thompson, “we’re not into a set pattern of things. We’re always looking at how to reinvent, and look at things differently, which is exciting. And I think that’s what’s kept Rick and me here much longer than we’ve probably ever anticipated: the fact that [it is] such a dynamic place.”

Both Davis and Thompson were quick to credit Susan Graziano, senior director of development for CVPA, who helped them realize that they could make even more of an impact through a planned gift than they originally thought.

They encourage members of the George �鶹��Ƶ community—whether faculty, staff, alums, parents, or longstanding friends—to consider making a gift to the university. “If you have been paying attention,” Davis said, “you know that �鶹��Ƶ does more with less than many other institutions.

“A philanthropic dollar at George �鶹��Ƶ has so much more immediate impact than a philanthropic dollar almost anywhere else,” he continued. “You see how much good �鶹��Ƶ does for people. You see how you’re changing lives. And we are excited to imagine how our legacy gift will keep that spirit going for a long time to come.”

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Julie Thompson

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Film students spread the mission of a local nonprofit through the power of storytelling

Shayla Brown — Wed, 07 Jan 2026 17:57:37 +0000

Film students spread the mission of a local nonprofit through the power of storytelling  Shayla Brown Wed, 01/07/2026 - 12:57

�鶹��Ƶ film and video studies major Aryaman Kantawala knew that getting real-world experience was an essential part of building his career. But he wasn’t expecting to get as much creative free rein as he did on his most recent project. 

Kantawala is directing a student-produced documentary about  the nonprofit DC Candlelighters Childhood Cancer Foundation, a local nonprofit that supports children with cancer, as well as their families. 

The opportunity to direct the documentary came courtesy of Entertainment 2 Affect Change (E2AC), an organization that provides creative students and individuals the opportunity to use storytelling to share the mission and impact of local nonprofits.

Kantawala working on the documentary film. Photo provided.

E2AC is partnering with chapters from Delta Kappa Alpha (DKA), a national cinematic arts society open to all majors, including the George �鶹��Ƶ  chapter. 

“We talked to [E2AC], and they gave us some guidelines, but mostly they gave us a lot of freedom,” said Kantawala, who is part of the E2AC Student Fellowship program. 

Kantawala has mapped out the arc of the film, which will be shown at a DC Candlelighters’ fundraising event in March 2026. 

“We’re making a narrative of a family whose child was diagnosed with cancer, and our documentary will center on their lives and how they were impacted by this. Then we'll show how they found this amazing organization,” said Kantawala, a sophomore Honors College student and the networking chair for George �鶹��Ƶ’s DKA chapter. 

“We’ll show some of the organization events and then at the end of the documentary, we’ll loop back to the original family to see how the child is doing,” he said. 

Mel Moya-Jaldin is a senior film and video studies major with a concentration in producing and a minor in business who is also working on the film as a producer. She joined George �鶹��Ƶ’s DKA chapter in the fall of 2023 and is now the president.  

“I was very excited to hear about a huge national organization like E2AC wanting to work with young filmmakers and actually taking that initiative,” said Moya-Jaldin. 

Mel Moya-Jaldin (front, center) with other Delta Kappa Alpha members. Photo provided.

“From the first meeting, whether it was with the organization’s presidents or volunteers, I felt like I was connecting with a wider community, which is where you’d start for any kind of project, but especially nonfiction, documentary film work.”

Moya-Jaldin says she hopes to learn more about the logistical and business side of filmmaking as well as improve her public speaking skills so she can become more comfortable pitching films, “and also supporting any filmmakers that might be a little bit shy to put themselves out there," she said. 

“I’ve had two opportunities this semester to make videos similar to the one we’re making for DC Candlelighters. Thankfully, I’ve been able to apply the knowledge I’ve obtained from DKA and my courses to the work I’m doing for E2AC,” she said. “I'm learning about what it takes to work with a nonprofit and make content for them in real time, which is really cool.” 

“The DKA environment is really inspiring. Everyone is so knowledgeable and they really uplift the organization. I decided to focus on producing and hopefully eventually enter a leadership position within the organization and am very happy to have made it this far,” said Moya-Jaldin, who is partnered with Kantawala for the E2AC Student Fellowship program. 

The students say working with E2AC is a really good opportunity for young filmmakers who are trying to get their foot in the door while also supporting an important cause. 

“Their goals are definitely something that's aligned with me personally because I really want to find my footing in the filmmaking industry, but also make an impact on my community,” Moya-Jaldin said. 

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Music alumna returns to the Center for the Arts stage with her students

Shayla Brown — Mon, 17 Nov 2025 18:30:10 +0000

Music alumna returns to the Center for the Arts stage with her students Shayla Brown Mon, 11/17/2025 - 13:30

For more than two decades as a high school music teacher and band director, Melissa Hall has seen a lot of student ensembles come and go—but one remains dear to her heart. 

“I've always kept a strong connection to George �鶹��Ƶ,” said Hall, MM '05. 

It's that connection that led her back to the �鶹��Ƶ’s Center for the Arts for �鶹��Ƶ Bands' 55th anniversary “Celebrations in Motion” concert in September, bringing together alumni, students, and special guests for a night of music and memories. 

Not that Hall was really that far away. For one thing, she's currently the band director at nearby Centreville High School, where she teaches 175 students, and for another, she's never lost touch with her old ensemble. 

“When Dr. [William] Lake became director of concert bands at George �鶹��Ƶ, I reached out about collaborating. We’ve maintained a really good relationship over the past few years.” 

That relationship led to a special invitation. “He told me about the band’s anniversary and invited me and my students to perform alongside them. I was really honored and said yes right away,” Hall recalled. 

Hall has dedicated 24 years to teaching music, starting in elementary and middle schools before taking the helm at Centreville High School in 2007. 

Melissa Hall with her students. Photo provided.

“I oversee the comprehensive band program, which is something I’ve worked toward over the past 19 years,” she said. Her program includes symphonic and concert bands, wind and percussion ensembles, jazz groups, chamber music, and a marching band with color guard. 

Sharing the stage with Hall and Lake were George �鶹��Ƶ Professor Anthony Maiello and Scott Casagrande, son of the late John Casagrande, a former �鶹��Ƶ band director. 

“Professor Maiello is the reason I came from New York to attend George �鶹��Ƶ,” Hall said. “My high school band director introduced us, and I knew immediately I wanted to study conducting with him.” 

Performing with Scott Casagrande also held special meaning for Hall. “It was my way of paying tribute to John, who really taught me how to be a high school band director. Up until he got sick and passed away, there wasn’t a day I didn’t call him for advice,” she said. 

Hall (center) with Tony Maiello and Scott Casagrande. Photo provided.

The Centreville Wind Ensemble performed multiple pieces including “Havana Nights” by Randall Standridge, “Breath of the Mountains” by Cait Nishimura, “Let Freedom Ring” by Ryan Nowlin, “Shenandoah” by Frank Ticheli, and “Tight Squeeze” by Alex Shapiro. Hall said the pieces that book-ended the concert both took the audience to Havana and were uniquely different in their presentation. She chose them to honor a diverse panel of composers and styles.

Hall’s ties to the university extend beyond performance. As a member of the Virginia Band and Orchestra Association, she has hosted the statewide music assessment at George �鶹��Ƶ for the past three years, bringing more than 1,300 students in 25 to 30 bands to campus each spring.

The concert is part of a yearlong series celebrating �鶹��Ƶ Bands’ legacy. 

“Throughout this school year, we’re inviting a different ensemble for each concert—three of which are led by George �鶹��Ƶ alumni,” said Lake. “Melissa was my first ask because she was so open to connecting when I arrived at �鶹��Ƶ.” 

“Our goal this year is to connect with our alumni who are teaching in our area and feature their outstanding work in the classroom by showcasing their performance here at the university,” Lake explained. “When they arrive, they get to see our thriving campus and see themselves in the students.”

Students also participate in K-12 Group Tours through George �鶹��Ƶ’s Office of Admissions. 

Despite the challenge of preparing for a concert early in the school year, Hall said the experience was unforgettable. 

“It all just came together. It was really a special night, and to be able to honor my George �鶹��Ƶ story is something I’ll remember for the rest of my life,” she said. 

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Dewberry School of Music

The Dewberry School of Music Presents the 24th Annual Jazz4Justice Concert: The Latin Tinge

Kirstin Franko — Thu, 30 Oct 2025 18:43:52 +0000

The Dewberry School of Music Presents the 24th Annual Jazz4Justice Concert: The Latin Tinge Kirstin Franko Thu, 10/30/2025 - 14:43

�鶹��Ƶ Reva and Sid Dewberry Family School of Music presents the 24th annual Jazz4Justice™ concert and fundraiser on Friday, November 14 at 8 p.m. at the Center for the Arts.

The �鶹��Ƶ Jazz Ensemble. Photo by Alene Boghosian.

The event raises funds to support vital legal services for low-income Northern Virginians, as well as financial support for the �鶹��Ƶ Jazz Studies department, including scholarships, trips, recordings, and student projects. This year’s concert will feature the �鶹��Ƶ Jazz Ensemble (Director Jim Carroll); the �鶹��Ƶ Jazz Vocal Ensemble (Director Darden Purcell); and special guest conductor, �鶹��Ƶ President Gregory Washington.

James Carroll, professor of Jazz Studies and �鶹��Ƶ Jazz Ensemble director, states, “This concert will celebrate the vibrant rhythms and soulful melodies of ‘The Latin Tinge’—a tribute to the influence of Afro-Cuban, Caribbean, and South American sounds on the evolution of jazz. Guests can expect to enjoy an exciting evening of music infused with clave, montuno, samba, and sabor—featuring student ensembles and dynamic arrangements that highlight the enduring connection between jazz and Latin musical traditions. We are especially excited this year to welcome President Washington as our special guest conductor!”

Director of Jazz Studies Darden Purcell adds, “Funds raised from this this year’s concert will help finance student projects, including a presentation at the American Choral Directors Association Southern Region conference in Memphis, Tennessee and a much-anticipated student recording project in spring 2026.”

The �鶹��Ƶ Jazz Vocal Ensemble. Photo by Alene Boghosian.

Jazz4Justice™ is presented in partnership with Legal Services of Northern Virginia (LSNV), a nonprofit legal aid organization that has served the region for more than 45 years. LSNV is the largest legal aid organization in Virginia and assists thousands of clients every year. “Jazz4Justice™ has proven itself to be an effective way to introduce the work of LSNV to the entirety of the Northern Virginia community. Each year LSNV is honored to partner with the George �鶹��Ƶ Jazz ensemble, as well as the entire George �鶹��Ƶ community, to raise needed funds to provide civil legal assistance to the most vulnerable Northern Virginians who face the loss of a critical need,” affirmed Marcy Kossar, Director of Development for LSNV.

Tickets to the concert at the Center for the Arts (4373 �鶹��Ƶ Pond Drive, Fairfax, VA) are available at the Ticket Office (open Tuesday–Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and two hours prior to ticketed events), by calling 703-993-2787, by or visiting the event webpage.

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At 2025 ARTS by George! donors support George �鶹��Ƶ student artists

kheydt — Wed, 08 Oct 2025 20:31:54 +0000

At 2025 ARTS by George! donors support George �鶹��Ƶ student artists kheydt Wed, 10/08/2025 - 16:31

�鶹��Ƶ’s College of Visual and Performing Arts (CVPA) celebrated the 20th ARTS by George! benefit event on September 27.

From left, College of Visual and Performing Arts Dean Rick Davis and award-winning artist Darren Criss lead a toast at the 20th annual benefit at the Center for the Arts. Photo by Cable Risdon Photography.

Headlined by Tony, Emmy, and Golden Globe Award-winning actor, singer, and songwriter Darren Criss, the evening’s festivities raised more than $289,000 in support for student scholarships in visual arts, dance, music, theater, game design, film, and arts management, as well as for the �鶹��Ƶ Community Arts Academy (MCAA), Green Machine Ensembles, and the Great Performances at �鶹��Ƶ season at the Center for the Arts. This year’s donations and sponsorships bring the total of funds raised through ARTS by George! to more than $4.6 million since its inception in 2006.

“Talent is equally distributed, but opportunity is not, and you all are helping to provide that opportunity. When you support a student here, you support that student, their family, the university, our community, and your region, and I want to thank you,” said George �鶹��Ƶ President Gregory Washington.

The evening featured 18 performances and exhibits by George �鶹��Ƶ students. Photo by Evan Cantwell/Office of University Branding

During the evening, more than 230 CVPA students and faculty presented 18 performances and exhibits for guests to enjoy.

Students and faculty from the Dewberry School of Music performed jazz, opera, piano, and instrumental music in various ensembles and offering guests an exciting sample of upcoming performances on campus.
Students from the School of Theater captivated audiences with an excerpt from their upcoming production of Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812, including the entire cast performing the "Prologue" on the stage of Harris Theater.
School of Dance students impressed guests with their use of bodies in dialogue and the journey of freshman majors since arriving at school four weeks ago.
Student films from graduating seniors and alumni of the Film and Video Studies Program were on display in the immersive screening room.
Guests explored a gallery featuring sculptures created by students and faculty in the School of Art and �鶹��Ƶ Exhibitions. Displays in the gallery also showcased the current exhibitions and events offered by �鶹��Ƶ Exhibitions and the planned Arts District, including an expanded sculpture garden, for the Fairfax Campus.
Guests engaged with a photobooth from the Arts Management Program and created miniature art for the Free Little Art Gallery, created and managed in Arlington, Virginia, by Arts Management alumna Stacey Schwartz.
Students and faculty from the Computer Game Design Program led virtual reality demos in a dedicated gallery space, helping guests to understand the possibilities of the technology for professional training and other serious game innovations.
Talented young students from the �鶹��Ƶ Community Arts Academy performed musical selections on piano, saxophone, and violin, as well as performing "For the First Time in Forever" from their previous production of Frozen, Jr..
Guests, including President Washington and presidential partner Nicole Washington, danced and sang along during a performance from Green and Gold Soul, one of the Green Machine Ensembles. Led by Arts Management alumnus Bobby Lacy, the ensemble created a high-energy welcome for guests entering the Center for the Arts before the evening's headlining performance.

Recent George �鶹��Ƶ alumna Madison Koren had her film "Pas de Deux" screened at the event. Photo by Evan Cantwell/Office of University Branding

In the Center for the Arts, a live Fund-A-Student appeal raised nearly $50,000 in just six minutes toward the total amount raised at the event.

“This outpouring of generosity is really breathtaking,” said CVPA Dean Rick Davis, after the Fund-A-Student appeal. “You are helping the next generation of young artists take flight, and you’ve clearly been inspired by what you’ve seen here tonight.”

In an annual tradition, a distinguished �鶹��Ƶ Arts graduate returned to the stage before the evening’s headlining concert. This year, School of Theater alumna Rebecca Wahls shared the trailer for her film Him and spoke to the audience about how her experiences as a scholarship recipient at George �鶹��Ƶ shaped her life. A dedicated educator and artist, Wahls is a long-time teacher with MCAA, working for her mentor and former professor Mary Lechter, now executive director of MCAA. Wahls also shared how in addition to enriching her career George �鶹��Ƶ is where she met her husband. Wahls said she used her Young Alumni Commissioning Project grant to hire an attorney to support the post-production process of her film, which is available now on multiple streaming platforms.

An Evening with Darren Criss followed, where the songwriter and performer shared songs from throughout his wildly eclectic career on Broadway and TV. The evening’s program concluded with an onstage champagne toast, during which Criss shared his enthusiasm for the cause of supporting arts students and thanked the ARTS by George! guests and supporters for being part of that effort.

For complete information about ARTS by George!, including scholarship stories, a schedule of student showcases, previous ARTS by George! images, and more, visit the event website.

The Presenting Sponsor for ARTS by George! 2025 is Atlantic Union Bank.

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Alumnus uses his creative voice to build connections, honor heritage, and foster peace

Shayla Brown — Wed, 18 Jun 2025 14:09:19 +0000

Alumnus uses his creative voice to build connections, honor heritage, and foster peace Shayla Brown Wed, 06/18/2025 - 10:09

Federico Frum, BA Art and Visual Technology ’05, believes in the power of art to bring people together. Known professionally as MasPaz—Spanish for “more peace”—Frum has spent his career fusing activism and creativity, using bold street murals, community engagement, and cultural storytelling to spread a message of unity.

George �鶹��Ƶ alum Federico Frum with his mural. Photo by Evan Cantwell/Office of University Branding

A multidisciplinary artist based in Washington, D.C., Frum most recently gained national attention for contributing to the design of a stamp for the Art of the Skateboard stamp series for the U.S. Postal Service, a project five years in the making.

“The graphic designer on the project had seen my work at the Smithsonian Folklife Festival and really connected with it—especially coming from a Latino background himself,” Frum said. “When he reached out, I was thrilled. Skateboarding has been a part of my life for years—I even used to have my own skateboard company—so this project felt like home.”

That deep connection to skateboarding culture is more than a personal passion. Frum has worked in skate shops, helped manage an amateur skate team, and continues to sponsor local youth, offering them skateboards bearing his signature artwork.

While Frum’s work often appears on concrete walls, his art is rooted in something older and deeper—his Colombian heritage, Indigenous traditions, and a lifelong reverence for the planet. He draws inspiration from the intricate geometric designs of molas, the handcrafted textiles created by Indigenous peoples in Panama and Colombia.

“Growing up, my mother would hang molas around the house. They became my connection to our land, our ancestry,” Frum recalled. “Now I keep that tradition alive in a contemporary way—using a spray can or a paintbrush but always honoring that cultural lineage.”

His mural work is widely recognized for its themes of earth preservation, Indigenous identity, and community empowerment. But Frum’s impact goes far beyond public art. He visits high school classrooms, co-creating murals with students that are proudly displayed on campus—an invitation for young people to find their voice through art.

“I’ve always felt connected to Indigenous practices and the family dynamic,” Frum says. “And I’ve always respected the Earth. A big part of who I am is about protecting and preserving the planet.”

As a student at George �鶹��Ƶ, Frum studied photography and digital art, with a thesis in 3D animation. He credits classes in web design and printmaking with giving him the technical foundation to support his creative vision. He also found mentorship from School of Art professor Chawky Frenn, a fellow advocate for art as a force for peace.

“My heart is filled with so much joy and gratitude to see that Federico is using his artistic voice for social change,” says Frenn, a two-time Fulbright Scholar whose own work explores art and peace. “As teachers, we never truly know what seeds we’re planting—but seeing Federico’s journey is a beautiful reminder of what’s possible.”

Frum’s work has been featured by ABC News, Telemundo, and The Washington Post, and he has collaborated with major institutions including Nike, National Geographic, Sierra Club, Smithsonian Institution, the National Gallery of Art, and the New Museum.

Recently, Frum returned to George �鶹��Ƶ’s Fairfax Campus to install We All Belong, a 30-by-30-foot tapestry mural on the Art and Design Building. The vibrant piece weaves together earth elements, ancestral motifs, and community imagery to deliver a powerful message of inclusion.

“It’s about showing that we’re all connected—that we matter,” Frum says. “That art can help us remember: We all belong.”

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�鶹��ƵArts Amplified: Watch Visual Voices with MasPaz

Christopher Kardambikis on the Power of Print, Publishing, and Possibility

Lakin Raybuck — Mon, 02 Jun 2025 17:27:21 +0000

Christopher Kardambikis on the Power of Print, Publishing, and Possibility Lakin Raybuck Mon, 06/02/2025 - 13:27

Christopher Kardambikis never set out to create work that would sit behind glass or live in private collections. Instead, he found his voice and purpose through publishing zines, artist books, and prints—things people could hold, trade, collect, and care about without needing a trust fund.

Now an associate professor and director of studio art at �鶹��Ƶ's School of Art, Kardambikis brings that same ethos into the classroom. He teaches printmaking, book arts, and a deeply collaborative publishing minor that opens students up to something much more tangible than the "starving artist" cliché.

"I want the work to be distributed," he says. "I want normal people to actually access it."

It's a perspective shaped not just by art school or gallery walls but by real-world experiences that most students never hear about. Before coming to George �鶹��Ƶ, Kardambikis worked as an artist's assistant and then at an art shipping warehouse in Long Island, New York. His job? Packaging up expensive artwork and preparing it for storage, sometimes indefinitely.

"There's so much work that just sits in crates," he recalls. "These paintings get bought by wealthy collectors, but no one ever sees them. They're not even being enjoyed. They're investments, sitting on shelves."

With print-based art, he found a medium that could move freely, outside the confines of exclusivity.

Christopher Kardambikis of George �鶹��Ƶ's School of Art. Photo provided

His long-running podcast Paper Cuts was born from that same spirit of access. Launched initially during his artist residency at Pioneer Works in Brooklyn, the project started as a way to interview zinesters and small press artists as an excuse to talk to people about the books they make. Over the years, it's grown into a traveling platform for community, collaboration, and archival storytelling.

It also gave him a way to connect. "When I moved to new cities—Pittsburgh, San Diego, LA, New York—I always started a publishing project. That's how I made friends. That's how I met people and became part of a scene."

At George �鶹��Ƶ, he's helping students see how print and publishing can do the same for them.

Students team up with working artists, presses, and organizations across the region through the School of Art's Dynamic Publishing minor. They produce real books, collaborate with local creatives, and watch their work move from concept to finished product—all while developing a skill set that's adaptable, entrepreneurial, and community-focused.

And while he's quick to point out that not everyone needs to start their own press, he wants students to understand the range of what's possible. He introduces them to people building careers through small studios, cooperative print shops, local arts education, and community-centered creative work.

"You're not limited to being in a gallery," he says. "You don't have to wait for someone to give you permission."

One of his goals is to help students see just how resourceful they already are. In his classes, students don't just learn the techniques. They learn how to plan, produce, and problem solve, often using materials or processes far outside traditional expectations. "You learn to do the research, figure it out, and follow your vision wherever it leads. That's not something you can teach in theory. You have to live it."

He also believes deeply in the relevance of physical work in a digital-first world. Books, he says, still matter. Maybe now more than ever.

"Websites disappear. Apps go away. But books can last hundreds of years. They're solid. They hold stories. They're touchable, tangible, real."

It's not about resisting technology. It's about remembering that the physical and the digital don't have to be at odds. In fact, for many of his students, learning how ink interacts with paper changes how they think about design altogether.

"Once they've made something by hand. Once they've printed it, folded it, held it, it shifts how they understand what they're doing," he says. "It gives it weight."

And for Kardambikis, that's the point: helping students create work that carries weight not just on the page but also in the world.

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Boris Willis Is Helping Students Rethink What a Career in Game Design Can Be

Lakin Raybuck — Mon, 02 Jun 2025 17:13:22 +0000

Boris Willis Is Helping Students Rethink What a Career in Game Design Can Be Lakin Raybuck Mon, 06/02/2025 - 13:13

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Boris Willis

For Boris Willis, the future of games has always been bigger than pixels and code. Long before the rise of virtual production and interactive storytelling, Willis was blending technology, dance, and design into new forms of creative expression.

Now, as an Associate Professor at �鶹��Ƶ, he's helping students rethink what a career in game design and creativity can look like.

Boris Willis of �鶹��Ƶ Computer Game Design. Photo credit: Tiffany Richardson

For a long time, those interests lived separately. But over the years, Willis began weaving them together, exploring how technology and the body could speak to each other. Today, as an Associate Professor in �鶹��Ƶ's Computer Game Design Program, Willis helps students see game design as something much larger than entertainment or technology. It becomes a way to tell stories, build worlds, and imagine futures.

"I've always been drawn to the intersection of the physical and the imaginative," Willis says.

That intersection defines everything Willis brings into the classroom. Before arriving at George �鶹��Ƶ, Willis spent years pushing creative boundaries: collaborating on projects that translated dance notation into computer animation, developing live performances enhanced by motion capture, and designing interactive experiences where audiences shaped the outcome of a story. This was long before the words "interactive media" became commonplace.

The thread running through it all is clear. Willis understands that movement, whether physical or digital, is at the heart of every great interactive experience. It's not enough to learn how to program a character. Students need to understand how players feel moving through a space and how story and tension build through choice and motion.

This approach stands apart from many traditional game design programs, where the focus often stays narrowly on coding, engineering, or entertainment. At George �鶹��Ƶ, students are encouraged to see the field through a broader, more creative lens, and faculty like Willis make that difference tangible by opening up new horizons and possibilities.

"The artistic process and the design process are the same," Willis explains. "You have an idea. You test it. You iterate. You revise. Whether you're making a dance, a play, or a game, you're shaping an experience."

In Willis' classes, concepts like "up, down, over, under, around, and through"—terms drawn from choreography—become part of the vocabulary of level design. Students learn that building a world isn't just about filling empty spaces. It's about creating an emotional journey, guiding players the way a choreographer leads an audience through a performance.

Assignments often push students well beyond what they expect. Rather than duplicating popular games, students are tasked with reimagining how games can work: remixing storylines, combining dissimilar concepts, and creating entirely new kinds of experiences.

"I try to get students to move beyond what they know," Willis says. "There are thousands of games made every year. Why not create something no one's seen before?" This emphasis on creative risk-taking is not just academic. It's essential for future careers and can inspire students to push the boundaries of game design.

That creative risk-taking isn't just academic. It's essential for future careers. The industry is evolving fast. Today, game engines are used not only to build entertainment but also to produce films, train healthcare workers, develop educational tools, design virtual museums, and simulate real-world experiences.

Students trained purely in technical skills may find themselves boxed into narrower roles. Like Willis encourages, students trained to think like creators, collaborators, and innovators are prepared for opportunities across industries that barely exist today.

This bigger-picture thinking is part of what makes George �鶹��Ƶ's program distinct. The school doesn't just teach students how to make games. It teaches them to think like artists, designers, and problem-solvers ready to adapt, imagine, and lead.

Willis' own work models that future. His projects range from interactive poetry games to virtual museums of student dance films. He sees games not as isolated products but as evolving conversations between technology, culture, and human experience.

"Games are a text," Willis says. "They're not just about winning. They're about experiencing, connecting, imagining. They're about possibility."

For students at George �鶹��Ƶ, learning from faculty like Willis means more than building technical portfolios. It means leaving with a mindset. One that sees connections where others see limits, one that understands that creativity is a skill as critical as coding.

Willis believes that the future of games will belong to those who can blend disciplines, think across fields, and imagine more. And at �鶹��Ƶ, that future is already being built.

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College of Visual and Performing Arts (CVPA)

College of Visual and Performing Arts (CVPA)

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