Sophomore piano performance student Jason Simon was the first place winner at the statewide competition for the Indiana Music Teachers Association (IMTA) Hoosier Auditions, Collegiate Division (ages 19-22) held at Butler University on Saturday, May 19. As winner of this competition, he will be performing at the IMTA state conference in the fall. Simon is from the studio of assistant professor of piano Hamilton Tescarollo and has completed his second year at IPFW. Simon also studied with Tescarollo through the Community Arts Academy during high school. For more information about the Community Arts Academy private music instruction call Melinda Haines at 260-481-6025.

Assistant professor of music therapy Linda M. Wright-Bower is the 2012 recipient of the Friends of the University Outstanding Teacher Award. The award carries a stipend of $1,500. Ms. Wright-Bower has taught at IPFW for 25 years. Her philosophy of teaching encompasses the idea that students learn best when they first experience music before learning musical concepts such as pitch and rhythm, and that the teacher's role is to constantly look for ways in which the students can actively work with concepts to deepen their understanding.  

Over the years, Wright-Bower's introductory music therapy course has become less about careers in music and more about using music to promote health and wellness. Students now create their own CD covers, make mandalas, write songs, study guided imagery, meditate with music and write critical thinking journals. Linda is a founding CELT advisory board member and recipient of the CELT Luminary Award.

Assistant Professor of acting, movement and voice Jeffrey Casazza received a $1,000 Grant-in-Aid from Office of Research and External Support (ORES) to support his work in Spain with Kristin Linklater during June. Kristin Linklater is a Scottish vocal coach, dialect coach, acting teacher, actor, theatre director, and author. She is currently Head of Acting in the Theatre Arts Division of Columbia University. Linklater has trained many well-known actors including Patrick Stewart, Donald Sutherland, Alfre Woodard, Mary Tyler Moore,

Bill Murray, Angela Bassett, Sigourney Weaver and Bernadette Peters.

The New York Times (NYT) has published a photograph by VCD imaging and photography student Swikar Patel. An employee of the Journal Gazette, Patel was covering the  win by Richard Mourdock in defeating incumbent Indiana Republican U.S. Senator Richard Lugar in the recent primary election. The photograph was accessed by NYT via the Associated Press (AP).