Engaged learning opportunities abound in The School of the Arts at UVU! These opportunities allow students to interact with, ask questions of, and perform alongside seasoned professionals in their chosen field, providing a distinct advantage to advance their careers when they graduate.
Art & Design students and faculty have collaborated for years to create a series of published art books. These projects offer students opportunities to participate in engaged learning experiences, develop portfolio pieces, build relationships with faculty, and travel for artistic inspiration. Previous students have navigated across the Western Front, toured national parks in Utah, chased the Arthurian legend throughout the United Kingdom, surveyed American sites connected to the Civil War and civil rights, and explored the fairy-tale road of the Brothers Grimm in Germany.
"There’s only so much you can learn in the classroom. Having these opportunities to work with the press, collaborate with other artists, as well as do work for real companies has really been a bridge that connects what I’ve learned in the classroom to the real world. Engaged learning takes away a lot of the anxieties that come with the transition from education to the workforce."
Mynoa Williams (Student)
Dance students at UVU have the opportunity to gain real-world experience by working with professional artists. Professional guest choreographers set works on our companies ever year. Recent guest artists include Ailey II, Louis van Amstel, Justin Bass, Laura Brick, Stacey Calvert, Mike Esperanza, Bill Evans, Carl Flink, Francisco Gella, Michele Gifford, Maria Gillespie, Joni Judd, Kumiko Kashiwagi, Liz Lerman, Anna Mansbridge, Andy Noble, Jennifer Scanlon, Kim Strunk, Natosha Washington, and Nina Watt. In addition, our companies regularly collaborate with professional companies like the Ririe-Woodbury Dance Company, Repertory Dance Theatre, DIAVOLO | Architecture in Motion, and many more.
"We are taking our feet and putting them into the shoes of professionals. It’s something I never would have thought I would experience as a dancer in college."
Ethan Pitcher (Dance Student)
UVU music students regularly work with award-winning music professionals via performances and masterclasses. Our students have performed on stage with Jason Alexander, Time for Three, Marina Costa-Jackson, and many others. Music students have participated in masterclasses with Joshua Bell, Sō Percussion, Audra McDonald, and the list goes on.
"Being in this production of La Bohème is literally a perfect example of engaged learning. Having this opportunity to work with professionals side by side has been amazing, and I’ve learned so much from it."
Linnea Minor Mott (Student)
"It’s just a fantastic opportunity to be able to get off the stage advice and to actively work and learn together."
Joshua Scribner (Student)
UVU theatre students regularly work with award-winning artists through masterclasses. Previous guests include Jason Alexander, Sierra Boggess, Pasek and Paul, Sean Astin, and Audra McDonald.
The UVU Department of Theatrical Arts has partnered with the Sundance Resort since 2008. Students work with industry professionals as actors, assistant designers, and technicians to produce these nationally recognized musicals at the Eccles Outdoor Sage at Sundance.
"This experience has contributed a lot to my growth as a student and an actor. The expectations for the process were a lot more stringent than the typical school production I’d been in. Memorized on almost day one was expected and that was very helpful for me to really set a standard early and hold me to it. It’s been wonderful acting with other people that are so talented. It’s helped me to learn a lot from them."
Brendan Hanks (Student)
