Arts Administration Graduate Student Orientation
August 28-29, 2023
Welcome to the official page of the Arts Administration Orientation, a two-day event held annually at Southern Utah University. Based on the Mission and Learning Outcomes of the Arts Administration program, the goal of this orientation is to provide a practical programmatic foundation so they are adequately prepared for the scope and culture of the Arts Administration Program at SUU.
This page includes the conference schedule, descriptions of events, and the RSVP (please note that the RSVP to the SUMA Lunch requires a separate RSVP). We look forward to seeing you all in September!
NOTE: To view SUU campus policies in regards to the safety of our students, employees, and guests, visit suu.edu/coronavirus. Additionally, SUU is following the procedures outlined by the State of Utah, which can be viewed at coronavirus.utah.gov.
Monday, August 28
09:00 am - WELCOME
All AA faculty, students, and mentors will meet together for introduction, activities, snacks, and instructions regarding the orientation process. (50 minutes)
The Burch Mann House (BMH) Backyard - 90 South 200 West
10:00 am - SESSION 1
IT & Canvas Help: Members of the SUU IT team will check all things IT-related for students, including logins and passwords, and SUU Canvas staff will walk through a basic Canvas training for those unfamiliar. Please bring your own laptop or tablet. (50 minutes)
The Southern Utah Museum of Art (SUMA) Classroom
11:00 am - SESSION 2
Q&A Panel with the Director and Associate Director of the AA Program: Please come to this session having read the AA Handbook (found under the MFA and MA Information drop-downs for the respective degree track) and prepared to ask questions about the Arts Administration Program. (50 minutes)
The SUMA Classroom (MFA Students)
The BMH Classroom (MA Students)
12:00 pm - LUNCH at SUMA
Join the staff at Southern Utah Museum of Art (SUMA) for a complimentary lunch and opportunity to meet other program mentors and assistantship supervisors from SUU. Vegetarian options will be available. (80 minutes)
The SUMA Classroom
NOTE: This is a separate RSVP from the full orientation RSVP.
01:30 pm - SESSION 3
DBT Training [MFA Students]: In this session, students will learn how elements and principles of dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) can guide classroom interaction, critical thinking, and provide a framework for balancing school and life. This session will be guided by a mental health professional with specific DBT training. (80 minutes)
The SUMA Classroom
Program Culture [MA Students]: This session will focus on developing a positive learning culture for all members of the Arts Administration program. We will discuss how culture develops, how our values inform our choices and interactions, and ideas, tools, and application on building culture intentionally. (80 minutes)
The BMH Classroom
03:00 pm - SESSION 4
DBT Training [MA Students]: In this session, students will learn how elements and principles of dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) can guide classroom interaction, critical thinking, and provide a framework for balancing school and life. This session will be guided by a mental health professional with specific DBT training. (80 minutes)
The BMH Classroom
Program Culture [MFA Students]: This session will focus on developing a positive learning culture for all members of the Arts Administration program. We will discuss how culture develops, how our values inform our choices and interactions, and ideas, tools, and application on building culture intentionally. (80 minutes)
The SUMA Classroom
04:30 pm - BREAK
05:00 pm - AA POTLUCK SOCIAL
All AA faculty, students, mentors, and family members are invited a casual get-together in the backyard of the Burch Mann House, home of the Arts Administration Program at SUU.
The BMH Backyard
07:10 pm - USF Greenshow: From the USF website: "Leave the noise and stress of the world behind as you prepare for the evening’s play with our free outdoor entertainment: The Greenshow."
The Ashton Family Greenshow Commons
08:00 pm - USF Performance of A Midsummer Night's Dream: The Arts Administration Program has secured one (1) complimentary ticket per orientation attendee for this performance. Additional tickets can be purchased at a reduced rate of $15. From the USF Website: "This luxurious tale of fairies, dreams, and moonlight is Shakespeare’s most popular comedy. “The course of true love never did run smooth” and when the feuding king and queen of the fairies interfere in the mercurial romances of mortals, the result is magical mayhem. Leave it to the roguish Puck, impish fairies, young lovers, and bumbling would-be actors to create pure pandemonium!"
The Engelstad Theatre
Tuesday, August 29
09:00 am - SESSION 5
SUMA Tour: Students will be guided on a behind-the-scenes tour of Southern Utah Museum of Art by the Executive Director, Jessica Kinsey. (50 minutes)
Meet in the SUMA Lobby
10:00 am - SESSION 6
USF Tour: Students are invited on a walk-through of some of the spaces of the Utah Shakespeare Festival, led by current MFA-track students working in assistantships at USF. After the USF visit, MA students will be released, and MFA students will be taken to SUU Human Resources to fill out their employment paperwork. (50 minutes or 80 minutes)
Meet on the Sam & Diane Stewart Family Foundation Plaza (The Patio), SUMA
11:00 pm - BREAK
12:30 pm - SESSION 7
Capstone Presentations: Over the summer, graduating students have linked theory with practice through a Capstone Project. Upon completion of these projects, students return to Cedar City to give a presentation on the experience and how it all relates back to the AA program. This is also a wonderful opportunity for incoming students to see what the end of their tenure in the program could be like. (2.5 Hours) Join Live Stream (passcode:060260)
The SUMA Classroom
02:30 pm - SESSION 8
Alumni Panel: An informational panel discussion of alumni from both degree tracks, facilitated by Josh Stavros (Director). (50 minutes) Join Live Stream (passcode:347792)
The SUMA Classroom
03:30 pm - FAREWELL
Closing remarks from Josh Stavros (Program Director), Brian Swanson (Department Chair), Shauna Mendini (Dean), and James Sage (Associate Provost). (30 minutes)
The SUMA Classroom