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South Carolina Governor’s School for the Arts and Humanities • Alumni Newsletter • Spring 2016
… 1
Alumni Spotlight … 2
Contents
From the President
Keep Your Eyes on These Govies
… 4
Tribute to Sherwood Mobley … 4
Class Notes: Where Are They Now?
Greetings from the
Office of Admissions
… 4
Get Your Govie Alumni T-Shirt Now
… 4
Outreach Spotlight:
Kingstree Partnership
7
Foundation News… 8
Visual Arts Update . . .
… 5
… 6
… 9
10 Ways You Can Show Your Support … 10
Summer 2016: On the Horizon
From
the
President
Dear Alumni,
Greetings from the Governor’s School and the amazing city
of Greenville! It seems like only yesterday that we began the
current school year and now we find ourselves at the end
of another great year. I trust that your semester has been as
eventful as ours has been and that you’ve been able to keep
up with all of the great accomplishments on the campus
and throughout the state.
Consistent with the awards that our students have earned
throughout the year, students most recently earned over
180 gold, silver, and bronze keys at the 2016 Southeast Region-at-Large Scholastic Art & Writing competition. Seven
dance students also won multiple scholarships for collegiate tuition and summer programs at over a dozen summer
programs at the 2016 National High School Dance Festival
in Pittsburgh this semester. In addition to these accolades,
approximately 30 Music students were selected to participate in the South Carolina All-State and Regional Bands
and Orchestra.
As we began the spring semester, we welcomed Mr. Tim
McClain as the new Executive Director of the GSA Foundation. Having served most recently as Director of Development at Mars Hill University, his career includes various
advancement-related positions at the University of North
Carolina-Asheville and Penn State University. Mr. McClain is
Spring 2016
also a proud veteran of our armed forces, serving 11 years
in the United States Air Force. You’ll be pleased to know
that he has hit the ground running and is working closely
with me in strengthening our connection with alumni, and I
hope that each of you has the opportunity to interact with
him in the very near future.
I’ve been pleased to meet so many of you throughout the
course of this year at the alumni events that we’ve hosted,
and I thank you for taking time out of your busy schedules
to participate. Your success beyond the walls of the Governor’s School is a true testament to the great work that has
been a part of the Govie experience since the beginning,
and I want you to know how much your success stories
inspire our current students to take advantage of each opportunity that is presented to them while in residence with
us. I look forward to meeting even more of you at the next
alumni event and especially at our alumni weekend celebration this summer.
As always, I thank you for your continued support and involvement with the Governor’s School and I wish you the
best of success in your outstanding careers.
Sincerely,
Cedric L. Adderley, D.M.A.
President
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Spotlight
Alumni
Where were you born? I was born in Charleston, South
Carolina.
What one thing really makes your day? When my students stay late after school or miss their buses to hang out
and talk with me about science and art.
Are you an introvert or an extrovert? I’m a high-energy,
over-caffeinated introvert. I fire on all cylinders when I’m
teaching and working, but whenever I need a recharge, I
definitely have a tendency to self-exile and retreat to quietude.
Is your desk messy or neat? My desk is insanely messy,
but I know where everything is! It’s also covered in fun stuff
like drone parts, a 3D printer, and a Sci-Fi short story about
black holes that a student wrote and wants me to proof.
What was your first job? I dressed up as those giant costumed characters that you see in parades and at private
birthday parties. It was an awesome job. I made really good
money, I kept in good shape, and I could dance like a fool
at birthday parties without ever being self-conscious about
the whole thing.
What is your pet peeve? Close-mindedness. Also, when
students twist the little middle part of the three-hole-punch
that retracts the center-hole punch. That’s really irritating.
What is your favorite thing about Greenville? I love the
continual evolution of the community, the support, and the
overwhelming investment in the arts that’s blossomed over
the last 20 years. It feels like there’s a sea change happening in Greenville, and it’s a very exciting place right now.
What was your first car? I drove a tiny, maroon 1988 Honda Civic dubbed “the Wombatmobile.”
What was your major in college? I majored in Psychology,
specifically concentrating in neuroscience and comparative
psych.
What book is on your nightstand? I’m a big reader, so
there are a few. Beautiful Evidence, by Edward Tufte; Amphigorey Too, by Edward Gorey; The Diaries of Paul Klee.
What is your favorite comfort food? Fettuccini alfredo.
Nothing destroys the blues like a massive bowl of fettuccini
alfredo.
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After graduating from SCGSAH (Visual Arts; Inaugural Class, 2001), I attended Furman University and began
studying neuroscience, the brain, and
animal behavior. I received my bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Furman in 2005. After Furman, I headed
to the University of Vermont for graduate school to pursue a master’s and
a Ph.D. in Biobehavioral Psychology,
but after two years in the program and
teaching undergraduates, I decided my
true calling was in getting people interested in science — particularly young
people ­— and transferred programs at
UVM to earn my master’s degree and
licensure in teaching.
What is your idea of a dream vacation? An unlimited
spending cap, a car, and a semi-permanent flat in Edinburgh, Scotland.
What store would you choose to max out your credit
card? Amazon. And I would max it out FAST.
What’s the “coolest” Govie experience you ever had?
It’s hard to pick just one, but I remember the first time we
stepped into our permanent classes on campus after being
off campus for the beginning of inaugural year. A bunch of
us walked in together and it was like being trnasported to
another dimension. That was pretty special. It was quite a
transition from where we’d been, and it felt like home.
I’ve been teaching science for fouryears in Vermont, and for the last three
years, have chaired the science department at a small, progressive, project-based school called Cabot School.
I teach a number of classes on a rotating basis: Earth Science, Physics,
Biology, AP Biology, AP Environmental
Science, Chemistry, and Statistics and
Probability. All of my projects focus on
the convergence of the arts and sciences, teaching design principles and
aesthetics alongside science content
and the philosophical interdependence
of these disciplines.
What was your favorite subject in school? I feel really
fortunate to enjoy learning across all subjects, but the sciences are (and always will be) where I find my center. It’s like
breath for me.
What advice would you give to a current Govie? Embrace
criticism; take yourself seriously, but not too seriously; extend yourself beyond the comfortable.
What type of music do you most enjoy? I think indie and
experimental music has the most creativity and inspiration
going for it right now, far more than any of the stuff that
can be heard on the mainstream radio. My interests run the
gamut within that category, but I’m a big fan of down-tempo
and ambient stuff. I can’t live without Elliott Smith, Iron &
Wine, Sigur Ros, and Brian Eno, though.
Are you a good dancer? I’d like to think so. I was forced
into cotillion when I was in middle school and hated it at
the time, but I still remember all of my steps. Now that I’m
an old man, it’s turned out to be remarkably useful for weddings and contra dances.
Do you prefer the mountains or the beach? Mountains.
Sunburns are the pits.
What do you miss most about SCGSAH? I miss having
all of my best friends in one place. These days we do a
pretty good job of keeping in touch through social media,
but obviously it’s hard to grab a cup of coffee or art show
together when we’re scattered to the four winds. Once a
Govie, always a Govie, though; it just takes a few minutes
to catch back up when we do run into each other, and it’s
like we’ve never been apart. There’s some kind of spiritual
bond, or something.
SCGSAH Alumni Newsletter
MICHAEL
Greenville and SCGSAH will always
be my home, and the experiences I
had at the school totally changed the
way I think about the world and set
me on a the path to where I am today.
Its importance in my life really cannot
be overstated, and I hope to get back
to Greenville in the next year or so to
participate in the community events as
an alumnus/community member on a
more regular basis.
HENDRIX
Spring 2016
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Class
Notes
Where Are They Now?
Govies Mourn
Sherwood Mobley
KEEP YOUR
Danielle Brooks (Drama, 2007) and
Kristine Kruta (Music, 2008)
These two alums performed together for Broadway Sings Whitney
Houston! April 10, 8:00 pm, at Highline Ballroom in New York.
Congratulations to 2008 Music alumna Kristine Kruta! Kristine was chosen
to write and record original music for the Black Women in Hollywood Essence
Awards hosted by Oprah Winfrey on her network, OWN.
Atlantic Theater Company has announced casting for its upcoming
production of Adam Rapp’s The Purple Lights of Joppa, Illinois. The cast will
include 2001 Drama aluma, Susan Heyward.
ON
THESE GOVIES!
2013 Dance alumnus, Anson Zwingleberg, was recently on campus
working with our Dance students. Anson shared the Cunningham and Limon
Dance Technique he has studied at Juilliard. Anson is currently in his third
year at Juilliard and plans to graduate next year.
The South Carolina Academy of Authors has announced the
this year’s fellowship competitions in fiction and poetry which
expanded to include student awards. Our alums won both the
poetry! Congratulations to Grant McClure (Creative Writing,
McKayla Conahan (Creative Writing, 2014).
Cameron Messinides
(Creative Writing, 2015)
Cameron speaks about his journey
in finding his passion for writing
during this Ted Talk in Washington.
winners of
have been
fiction and
2015) and
Jacob Perkins (Drama, 2007) has been accepted as a member of the 2016
Project Y Playwrights Group, a select group of emerging and professional
playwrights that meets twice a month to share and discuss work and develop
their plays with peer support.
Mahalia Mays (Dance, 2010) will be joining the cast of the Broadway
musical After Midnight with Norweigian Cruise Line.
Life Events
Births
Congratulations to Brian and Sarah (Crosby) Horn on the birth of their
daughter, Adeline.
In February, the Governor’s School joined the
Greenville arts community in mourning the
passing of Sherwood Mobley, Executive Director of the Greenville Symphony Orchestra
Association and former SCGSAH percussion
instructor. Sherwood was a great friend of
the School, the Symphony, and all who knew
him. To read more about Sherwood and his
career, click here.
Deaths
Luke Hodges
(Creative Writing, 2011)
Luke Hodges isn’t waiting until he
graduates to pursue his ambitions in
the film industry. More here.
Gabriella Lott
(Creative Writing, 2015)
Click here to find out what moving
to the North taught Gabriella
about being a Southern Black
woman.
Robert Young (Music, 2002)
2002 Music alumnus, Robert Young,
has recently accepted the position
of saxophone professor at the
University of North Carolina
School of the Arts.
Danielle Brooks (Drama, 2007)
Is Danielle Brooks the hardest working
woman in showbiz?The New York Post
seems to think so! Read more about
Danielle’s work schedule here.
Emily Fletcher (Creative Writing, 2003)
Napoleon Kofi (Music, 2005)
Calhoun Truluck (Music)
Greetings from the
Office of Admissions
It has been a very busy recruitment and application season, and we are
pleased to announce that we had another banner year. We received over
1100 applications from across the state. In February, we had four auditions
that were very successful, and our faculty have just completed the process
of making final decisions. Applicants received their decision letters the first
week in April. We would like to personally thank you for your help in referring students and families to explore our Summer and Residential High
School Programs. As we begin to prepare for the 2017-2018 recruitment
season, please feel free to make suggestions to the Alumni Committee
about ways we can make sure all students are aware of the wonderful opportunites here at SCGSAH.
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Get your
Govie Alumni T-shirt today!
$17 (includes shipping)
Many Sizes
To order:
[email protected] or 864.282.3724
SCGSAH Alumni Newsletter
Dylan Magruder
(Creative Writing, 2013)
A great interview with George
Singleton written by 2013 Creative Writing alumnus
Dylan Magruder.
Spring 2016
Jessie Peterson (Visual Arts, 2002)
“Peterson’s paintings reflect her ability
to capture that natural Southern light
and weave it into her portrayals of
Island life, evoking a certain romance
for the South’s righ and layered
history.” Read more about
Jessie’s work here.
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Outreach Spotlight:
Kingstree Partnership
On Monday, March 14, our Senior Creative Writers hit the
road! As part of SCGSAH’s ongoing partnership with Kingstree Middle School/Williamsburg County Magnet School
for the Arts, our students participated in an outreach project designed to cultivate Creative Writing as a valued arts
discipline.
Our 14 Govies arrived around 10:30 a.m. and were partnered with a budding middle school creative writer from
Kingstree. They spent the day getting to know each other
and working through writing prompts intended to help Kingstree Middle produce its first literary magazine. The project
will continue throughout the months of March and April as
the students work together to finalize and publish original
works.
In addition to the Creative Writing partnership, SCGSAH
Service Learning and National Honor Society students
spearheaded efforts to donate more than 1,000 canned
goods for Kingstree families displaced by the flood during
the holiday season. These efforts were supported by a significant donation from Aramark, our dedicated cafeteria
staff at SCGSAH, who donated ten cases of non-perishable
foods, including items specifically needed for holiday meal
preparation.
We are also pleased to announce that the SCGSAH Library
is working to provide a significant donation of new and/or
gently used books and other arts-based library and media
resources. These donations will assist the Kingstree Middle
Library staff in providing books and other media needed to
help support its growth as an arts focused school.
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√
√
√
√
Want
to
participate?
Collect Box Tops!
Our dedicated Service Learning Students are
collecting Box Tops for Education to send directly
to Kingstree. Put those cereal boxes to good use by
sending in your box tops!
Support our Library Donation! Do you have new
or gently used plays, books, educational DVDs,
sheet music, instruments, or art supplies? Anything
appropriate for a middle school setting is appreciated.
Cash Donations! Our Foundation is gathering
donations to off-set the expenses incurred for this
partnership. Checks can be made out to: GSA
Foundation (subject line Kingstree Partnership).
Keep an Ear Out! The Office of Outreach is working
with the Alumni Office on a project specifically for your
involvement. More details on that to come…
Contact Anna King at [email protected]
to submit donations or to learn more!
SCGSAH Alumni Newsletter
VA
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The Visual Arts department has been busy since our last
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update in October! In what will be familiar news to VA alumni,
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our focus has been on student work as we have navigated
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milestones including National Portfolio Day in Charlotte, first
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semester juries, and the new slate of courses for the spring.
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Along the way, Governor’s School artwork has been visible
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all
across the Upstate in a number of venues, most notably in our
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Lipscomb Family Foundation Gallery where we held the Annual
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Mid-Year Exhibition from January through February. Prior to
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that, current VA seniors had two exhibitions active in downtown
Greenville with work at McMillan Pazdan Smith and the NEXT
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Innovation Center.
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Apri ing Plates omb Gall
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For the remainder of spring, we’ll be putting our best foot forward in
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settings such as the Upstate High School Art Exhibition sponsored
4:30
arty
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th
,
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by Greenville Technical College, the Converse Young Women in Art
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Exhibition, and the National K-12 Ceramic Exhibition before returning
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t
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d
Davi
for our 16th Year-End Exhibition! This year’s show is scheduled for the
and
weekend of May 15. Alumni, if you’re in the Greenville area, we hope
you’ll mark the weekend for Artisphere and some great year-end events
day d
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5
on campus!
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If you’re hoping to catch up with some Visual Arts faculty members, we
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recommend keeping an eye out on the greater arts community! Carlyn Tucker
nn
was helping coordinate workshops at the Society for Photographic Education
begi
conference, Marty Epp-Carter was once again a Greenville Open Studios
sday
r
u
h
artist, and both Marty and David Gerhard have been exhibiting work and joining
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in panel conversations as artists in the Shifting Plates II exhibition. Meanwhile,
Ma g Art S Confere
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Elaine Quave ‘01 most recently exhibited work at Franklin Park Conservatory and
Spri ’s Cente
r
Botanical Gardens in Columbus, Ohio, and Paul Yanko will be exhibiting at both
Visito s TBA
Asheville’s Blue Spiral Gallery and Ann Connelly Fine Art in Baton Rouge this July
l
i
Deta
after having work on display at Columbia College earlier this winter. (Can’t make
those? Keep a lookout for a showing at Francis Marion University in September!)
In closing, art still abounds at Governor’s School – we had Academy Award-nominated guest artist Nina Rosenblum to start the year and are looking forward to animator
Signe Baumane on March 30. The halls are overflowing with great work, and we;ll be
continuing to post our current highlights online. Alumni, we’ve been enjoying hearing
about your continued journeys, and we hope to see you soon!
Spring 2016
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Foundation News
Hello, I’m Tim McClain, the new Executive Director of the Governor’s School
for the Arts Foundation. I am thrilled to be at a place where young people are
learning and crafting their “Art.”
I look forward to getting out of the office and meeting as many of our alumni
as I can, just as soon as I can. So if you happen to come to an Alumni event,
please introduce yourself, if I don’t get to you first.
Also know the Foundation exists to support the students of this school as they
become the best artists and people they can be.
Summer
2016
ONTHEHORIZON
Thursday, April 14 • 5:30 pm
Friday, May 27
We are charged with sharing the message what the Governor’s School does
across the state and the nation.
TI M
Mc C L A I N
Artists in Bloom
The Governor’s School for the Arts
Foundation is proud to honor two Govie
alumnae at this year’s Artists in Bloom
event! Rachel Inman (Visual Arts, 2008,
on left) and Uchechi Kalu (Creative
Writing, 2010) are the 2016 President’s
Thank you one and all for being fine representatives of and advocates for the
South Carolina Governor’s School for the Arts and Humanities!
Bricks are still available!
Click here for more information or to place your order.
Wednesday, May 25
The GSA Foundation
2015 Annual Report is Online
The 2015 Annual Report features alumni quotes and perspectives. Find out what
we’ve been doing here in the GSA Foundation. Click here to read it!
Show your Govie Support and
Make a Donation today!
August 5-7
The Governor’s School needs your help to support the programs that the
state budget does not fund. This includes the Guest Artist program, Meal Plan
Scholarships, Professional Development for Faculty, and the Medici Fund that
helps students who are struggling financially to pay for things like flu shots,
performance attire, eye exams, and bus tickets home for the holidays. Click here
to make a contribution today!
Alumni Award winners. They will be on
campus April 27 for master classes
with students in their respective art
areas and will be at Artists in Bloom
that evening to accept their awards.
You are cordially invited to the
Class of 2016
Senior Send-Off
We hope you will join us at Artists in
Bloom to celebrate Rachel and Uchechi
and support the Governor’s School!
Wednesday • May 25 • 5 - 6:30 pm
SCGSAH Courtyard
A special ticket price of $50 is
available to SCGSAH alumni. To
purchase your ticket(s), please visit
the Foundation website at www.
gsafoundation.net.
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2016 Govie Alumni Reunion Weekend
SCGSAH Alumni Newsletter
Spring 2016
9
SCGSAH is life changing
—you’ve said it yourself.
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Show your support.
Advocate for the school. Contact your member of the state
legislature and the governor and share what the Governor’s
School means to you and our state. Not sure who to contact?
Check out our website for contact information.
Join the Party. Our summer reunion and regional events are
great ways to celebrate with fellow Govies.
Serve as an alumni representative. Help us stay connected
with your class.
Attend a current event. Come back, reminisce, and support
current Govies. A performance calendar is on the website.
Spread the word. Be a proud Govie. Your success illustrates
the impact of arts education.
Help find a future Govie. See a Govie. Know a Govie. Refer a
Govie.
Update your alumni contact information. How can we tell
you what’s happening here if we can’t find you?
Join the alumni community and help reach others. The
official SCGSAH Alumni Group is up and running on social
media. India to California, we’ve got the Govie World covered—
but only if you are in it.
Donate to the GSA Foundation. Give small, give big.
Everything donated directly helps fund artists, activities, and
students.
Fill in the blank. With a creative, diverse group of alumni, new
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ideas for involvement are always developing; share them!
SCGSAH
Anna King, Alumni Coordinator
864.282.3724 • www.SCGSAH.org
[email protected]
GSA Foundation
Tim McClain • Executive Director
864.282.1570 • GSAFoundation.net
[email protected]
We are so proud to have you as alumni of the Governor's School and to have
an opportunity to hear from you and share information with you.
Please let us know news, updates, and celebrations by sending them to [email protected].
For ongoing news and updates, please check the SCGSAH Official Alumni Group on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter.
Like us on Facebook • View our profile on LinkedIn • Follow us on Twitter
15 University Street, Greenville, SC 29601 • p 864.282.3777 • www.SCGSAH.org