Originally published on November 03, 2025.
Anne Maria Jacobson, like many a product of SUU’s Department of Theatre, Dance and Arts Administration, lives with a sense of resourcefulness and accomplishment that serves her enormously well in her chosen field.
Her chosen field happens to be higher education, and the lessons she learned here via SUU’s strong faculty and staff guide her on a daily basis in her position as associate director of academic ceremonies at Northeastern University’s Seattle campus.
“Being in the drama department taught me so many life lessons that have made me who I am,” she says. “My determination, commitment, ability to dig deep, be resourceful and ensure the show goes on all came from my time in Cedar City.”
She admits that she has always been somewhat of a party planner and felt up to the task of coordinating nine commencement ceremonies across seven states and two Canadian provinces. And, she looked upon the challenge from a unique perspective: “Graduation is one of life's ultimate parties.”
Anne Maria was brought in to set up Northeastern’s then-new campus in Seattle and ran operations and events for nine years before taking over management of commencement and convocation ceremonies for the institution’s regional campuses outside of the main campus in Boston.
“I love that I get to put my theatre education to work producing the ceremonies and stage managing them. As hard as the work is, when you see the joy on the graduates’ faces and their happy families it is all worth it,” she says.
And, she continues to pay tribute to SUU for preparing her well.
“The teachers, and mentors I was blessed to be nurtured by were some of the most impactful influences that shaped who I have become,” she says. “The friends I made, though I don't connect with regularly, are deep in my heart so that I still feel tied to them. I am so grateful to everyone I met, learned from and grew with. And all against the stunning backdrop of Southern Utah, there are memories I will hold close to my heart forever more.”
In addition to being the President of the Puget Sound Dahlia Association, Anne Maria also serves as co-chair of the Federation of NW Dahlia growers education committee and she founded the Dahlia Legacy Project, an online archive of dahlia information and personality profiles.
Among her other positions over the years have include the 2002 Winter Games, as she notes that she “loved working the Olympics and US Speedskating team and the races at the Utah Olympic Oval.” Over the years, she also served an 18-month stint at Jim Henson Productions, among other exciting posts.
