Recent news from the College of Visual and Performing Arts faculty
Charles E. Morris III, Department of Communication and Rhetorical Studies
Charles E. Morris III received the inaugural New Horizons Award from the Public Address Division of the National Communication Association (NCA) at its annual conference in November. The award honors a clear and impressive record of scholarly research; the potential to contribute significantly to future directions of public address through scholarship, teaching and/or community-engaged work; and a record of challenging of disciplinary hegemonies and/or expansion of the domain of public address to include diverse, historically marginalized scholars and areas of scholarship that have historically fallen outside of rhetoric’s traditional scope.
Wendy K. Moy, Setnor School of Music
The Chorosynthesis Singers with Wendy K. Moy and Jeremiah Selvey, co-founders/co-artistic directors, has been selected as the winner of The American Prize in Choral Performance, 2024, in the professional division. The American Prize National Nonprofit Competitions in the Performing Arts is the nation’s most comprehensive series of contests in the performing arts. Moy is an assistant professor of music education in the Setnor School of Music and School of Education.
Susannah Sayler, Department of Film and Media Arts
Susannah Sayler, assistant professor of art photography, is one of five artists to be recognized with a 2024 JGS Fellowship for Photography. The $8,000 unrestricted cash grant, administered by the New York Foundation for the Arts, is open to New York State photography artists living and working anywhere in the following regions of New York State: Western New York, Finger Lakes, Southern Tier, Central New York, North Country, Mohawk Valley, Capital District, Hudson Valley and Long Island. The support for this funding is provided by Joy of Giving Something (JGS), a not-for-profit organization dedicated to the photographic arts.
Jody Nyboer, School of Design
Jody Nyboer, associate professor of design studies, co-authored “‘Something Has Changed’–observations of contemporary studio learners and implications for pedagogy” in Arts and Humanities in Higher Education (Sage Publications). The study explores changes in student attitudes, expectations, and preparation in the post-pandemic studio classroom. Using survey data from 64 studio-based educators, the research highlights two key trends: a decline in student engagement and shifts in motivation. The findings suggest a need for educators to reconsider their pedagogical approaches to better meet the evolving needs of today’s learners in higher education.
Erica Murphy, Department of Drama
Erica Murphy, assistant professor of acting, co-authored two articles in the most recent edition of Theater, published on behalf of the David Geffen School of Drama at Yale/Yale Repertory Theatre. In this edition, Murphy contributed to “Forum: Devised Futures,” referencing her article, “Tout Bouge: An Evolution of Lecoq’s Pedagogy,” and collaborated on the roundtable discussion “How Does It Live On?“
John Warren, Setnor School of Music
John Warren, professor of applied music and performance (conducting) and director of choral activities, will receive the Ovation Award from the Syracuse Sounds of Music Association, Inc., at its Music Matters event on Oct. 9 in Syracuse. The award honors Warren’s immense contributions to the Central New York musical community.
Seyeon Lee, School of Design
Seyeon Lee, associate professor of environmental and interior design, co-authored with Suyeon Lee “Rethinking food aid for immigrants and refugees: Insights from Syracuse” in Development Policy Review. Supported by the Lender Center for Social Justice for the research study “Access to Wellness for Women in Diverse Socioeconomic Communities,” conducted from January 2021 to June 2023, this study aimed to explore the alignment between the cultural dietary preferences of refugee and immigrant communities in Syracuse and the offerings of local food aid programs, specifically focusing on culturally appropriate fresh produce.
Mišo Suchý, Department of Film and Media Arts
Mišo Suchý, associate professor of film, along with Guggenheim Fellow, artist, and community college art media instructor Lida Suchý, and award-winning filmmaker, animator, editor, and sound composer Evan Bode G’23, were selected as one of the seven 2024-25 Engaged Humanities Networks (EHN) Cohorts. Their collaborative project, “Teens with a Movie Camera,” is a filmmaking initiative between City of Syracuse teens and local media artists. Supported by a $5,000 grant from the EHN and the Academic Affairs Office of Strategic Initiatives, the collaboration will focus on personal visual storytelling, culminating in the creation of original short films and their public presentation in the communities where they were made.
Wendy K. Moy, Setnor School of Music
Wendy K. Moy, assistant professor of music education, received the Paul and Veronica Abel Award for Choral Performance from Civic Morning Musicals in Syracuse. This annual award recognizes outstanding contributions to the art of choral performance for the community.
