Theatre, Dance, & Arts Administration Alumni

Welcome to the Theatre, Dance, & Arts Administration alumni page! We know that our alumni are engaged in countless activities around the world. We'd love to hear from you! Please contact us and let us know what you are doing so that we can stay up to date on your accomplishments.

We are so proud of all of our alumni, and we love seeing you do great things as you pursue your dreams. As such, we want to strengthen and organize our network as we continue to provide you with opportunities to grow. You know what they say: Learning Lives Forever.

Congratulations, Graduates!

These are our outstanding graduates from the class of 2026:

University Valedictorian

Emily Sage Wheeler, from Grace, Idaho, has earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Musical Theatre, and is the first-ever University Valedictorian from the College of Performing & Visual Arts. During her time on campus, Emily has balanced a demanding rehearsal schedule with rigorous academic research, including an acting fellowship with the Utah Shakespeare Festival, where she appeared in 93 performances. Beyond the stage, she served as a student employee in the TDAA costume shop and conducted innovative research exploring the intersection of psychology, neurology, and theatrical performance. Following graduation, Emily will move to Boise, Idaho, to pursue a career in education before applying to graduate school.

College Valedictorian

Kira Wootton, from West Bountiful, Utah, will be graduating with majors in Theatre Arts and Communications and a minor in Psychology. While at SUU, Kira founded the Playwrighting Club, which hosted several staged readings. She enjoyed writing, composing, and directing The Pirate Lord. Performance highlights include playing Emily in Roe and acting on the Shakespearean stage in Julius Caesar. Other accomplishments include winning First Place in SUU's speech contest, presenting in the research symposium, and running social media for a political candidate. She is incredibly grateful to everyone who supported her along the way, especially her girlfriend. Kira plans to continue her education and to become a professor.

Dance

Tyrese Sheriff, from South Jordan, Utah, is receiving a Bachelor of Science in Dance, with minors in Interpersonal Communications and Organizational Leadership Enrichment. Tyrese has proudly served as Artistic Director of the Southern Utah University Dance Organization (SUUDO) for the past year and represented SUU at the American College Dance Association (ACDA) Conference in 2024, 2025, and 2026. Following graduation, he will relocate to South Jordan and continue his endeavors as a performer, choreographer, and instructor while pursuing administrative work for arts-based nonprofit organizations in the Salt Lake and Utah County areas.

Theatre

Malin Sender, an international student from Hamburg, Germany, is graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre Arts and a minor in Creative Writing. At SUU, she contributed to various mainstage productions, including costume designing Roe, Sweet Charity, and The Rocky Horror Show. She published two short story collections—one placing in the top 100 of the Young Storyteller Award in Austria, Germany, and Switzerland—and a poem in Kolob Canyon Review. She also danced with the SUU Ballroom Dance Company, worked as a Teaching Assistant, and tutored in the Writing Center. After graduation, Malin will join the MFA Costume Design cohort at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.

Arts Administration

An avid museum and library lover, Julia Dixon is a creative and collaborative museum professional who is receiving her Master of Fine Arts in Arts Administration. She earned a BFA in English from Brigham Young University and has worked with organizations including the Bean Life Science Museum, The Wordsworth Trust, Harold B. Lee Library, and Granary Arts. During her time at SUU, she worked as the Content Manager in the Marketing Department of Southern Utah Museum of Art (SUMA), where she chaired the content committee, a student-run team responsible for the museum's social media content. After graduation, she hopes to continue building her career in the Arts.

Alumni Spotlights

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