FORT WAYNE, Ind. — The University of Saint Francis School of Creative Arts will be hosting an eight-day campus intensive residency for the new Master of Fine Arts (MFA) degree in Studio Art. The intensive will run from August 25 through September 1.
Each day, MFA students will work with USF faculty and guest artists from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. to develop plans for the following semester’s course work, engage with a variety of artists and artwork, participate in field trips to local and regional institutions/galleries, and discuss opportunities for professional development and artistic growth. Guest artists include: Kristina Paabus (Oberlin College and Conservatory), Heather Wetzel (Memphis College of Art), Steve Nyktas (Butler University), Karen Bonderchuk (Western Michigan University) and Stephanie Sinclair, the keynote speaker for the MFA residency.
Stephanie Sinclair is a documentary photographer whose subjects include the occupation of Iraq, the war in Afghanistan and the ongoing brutality faced by young girls around the world. Her images have been widely published and she has shepherded her “Too Young to Wed” photo series into a nonprofit organization with the official mission to protect girls’ rights and end child marriage. This lecture is generously supported by the Cannon Explorers of Light Program. The lecture will take place on Friday, August 31 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. in the USF North Campus Auditorium, 2702 Spring Street, and is free and open to the public.
Under the direction of Monika Meler, the new MFA in Studio Art is a 60-credit low-residency program. The program focuses on independent, creative practice that is rooted in traditional studio arts and welcomes a wide range of approaches to classic and contemporary art making. Specifically designed for students looking for an innovative approach to graduate study with a flexible work structure, the MFA program creates an artistic community that is rigorous, challenging and immersive.
The University of Saint Francis is fully accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD).
Founded in 1890 in the Catholic Franciscan tradition, the University of Saint Francis offers more than 70 undergraduate, graduate and doctoral programs through the School of Health Sciences, School of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Keith Busse School of Business and Entrepreneurial Leadership and School of Creative Arts. In addition to its traditional programs, USF designs focused curricula for working adults in Fort Wayne, Crown Point and online. In 2016, the University of Saint Francis expanded its presence to downtown Fort Wayne. USF Downtown houses the university’s business and music technology programs while offering enhanced internship and networking opportunities for students. The University of Saint Francis campus experience includes 16 athletic programs boasting two individual and four team NAIA national championships, and is recognized as an NAIA Five-Star Champion of Character institution. Approximately 2,300 students from a broad geographic region attend USF.