Student Advisory Boards

TJ Edwards

TJ Edwards graduated from Tennessee Technological University, where he received his BFA in ceramics with honors in 2008. As a graduating senior he was a recipient of the Windgate Fellowship. He used this award to travel to China as an artist in residence at the Sanbao International Ceramic Art Institute in Jingdezhen in 2009. In 2008 he was granted employment in Vanderbilt University's art department as the Shop Technician for sculpture and ceramics. During 2008, the Tennessee Arts Commission purchased one of his works for their permanent collection. In 2010 he was awarded the Baden-Wurttemburg Stipend for Vocationally Qualified People, and was able to spend two months in an internship with a German ceramicist. He is currently in his first year of the MFA program for ceramics at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

Shadé Ayorinde

Shadé is pursuing an MA in Art History with an emphasis in Modern and Contemporary art and a specialization in African American Studies. She is also the Hixson-Lied Fellow to the Sheldon Museum of Art where she works with the Education Department and as a liaison between the museum and the Department of Art and Art History. She is originally from Lincoln and is a graduate of UNL, where she received a Bachelor of Science in International Business.

Matt Rightmire

Matt is pursuing his MFA in Stage Design with an emphasis in Technical Direction at the Johnny Carson School of Theatre and Film. He has served on several other committees including candidate searches, educational programming, and marketing during his time working for the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, the Chippewa Valley Theatre Guild, and the Eau Claire Regional Arts Center. He is honored to serve on the Advisory Board for the Dean's Office and hopes that his experience and influence will help the Hixson-Lied College grow in its mission to serve his fellow students.

Michaela Stein

Michaela Lynne Stein is pursuing her Masters of Fine Arts in Scenic Design in the Johnny Carson School of Theatre and Film. Stein received her Bachelors of Fine Arts degree from Stephens College in Columbia, Mo., where she studied Technical Theatre with an emphasis in Scenic Design. She has worked for the Merry-Go-Round Playhouse, Okoboji Summer Theatre, Southwest Shakespeare Company, Theatreworks (Peoria, Ariz.), Stageworks and the Phoenix Metropolitain Opera.

In the last three years she was the scenic paint charge and resident Theatre for Young Audiences scenic designer for the Arizona Broadway Theatre. Her previous scenic designs include "Anastasia," "Steel Magnolias," "Grease" and "The Celebration of Christmas" at Phoenix First Assembly of God. Stein will serve as the Scenic Charge Artist for the JCSTF and will be designing "Candide" this year. In addition to painting and scenic design, she also is a freelance electrician, seamstress, scenic carpenter and foodie.

Steven Kaup

Steven Kaup is a second year doctoral student in pursuit of a Doctorate of Musical Arts degree in composition. He received his Masters of Music degree in music theory at the University of Nebraska, and a Bachelor of Arts degree in music at Nebraska Wesleyan University. He is currently teaching written theory and aural skills courses as a Graduate Teaching Assistant. As a graduating senior at Nebraska Wesleyan University, he was the recipient of the 2009 Presser Music Scholarship Award. While there, he also performed the role of Stanly Kowalski in the Midwest premier of Andre Previn’s opera, "A Streetcar Named Desire." He is presently the composer and pianist for the Star City Kochavim, a klezmer band based in Lincoln. In addition, he continues to compose for choral, small chamber, and wind ensembles, and solo instruments. Steven’s research interests are in cognitive music as it relates to music pedagogy methods. He also teaches private lessons and tutors for music theory and musicianship skills.

Talea Bloch

Talea CMS Bloch is earning her Doctorate of Musical Arts degree in vocal performance at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. She holds a B.A. from Nebraska Wesleyan University in Music, Theater, and History Education. After teaching social studies at Millard Central Middle School, Bloch returned to Lincoln to complete her M.M. in vocal performance from UNL. As a graduate teaching assistant, she teaches Applied Voice and a variety of other courses including Vocal Pedagogy, Italian and English Diction, German Diction, and Graduate Diction. As a performer, Bloch has many credits to her name. Her most recent roles include Alexandra in "O Pioneers!," Countess in "Le Nozze di Figaro," Margaret in "Light in the Piazza," Mother in "Amahl and the Night Visitors," Rosalinda in "Die Fledermaus," Katisha in "The Mikado," and Ruth in "Pirates of Penzance." Bloch has been a member of Opera Omaha's Chorus for 6 seasons, performing in over 12 productions. In addition to teaching at UNL, she runs a small private voice studio for high school and college students, volunteers for City Impact as an interest mentor, teaches at her church, and serves on the Friends of Opera Board.