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Â鶹ÊÓƵ is pleased to announce that Dr. Golden Wright ’22, professor and department chair for the Department of Theatre & Dance, has accepted the appointment to the position of Interim Dean of the College of Fine Arts and Communication.

Dr. Brenda Nichols, Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs announced to the college’s faculty and staff on Wednesday, June 1, “The interview process has concluded for the role of Interim Dean of the College of Fine Arts & Communication and I would like to thank the five candidates for applying, sharing their ideas and thoughts with all of us. I am pleased to announce that Dr. Golden Wright has accepted my invitation to serve in the position of Interim Dean of the College of Fine Arts and Communication beginning immediately for the academic year of 2022-2023.”

Wright, who has a Doctorate in Educational Leadership from Â鶹ÊÓƵ, started his career at Â鶹ÊÓƵ 16 years ago as a visiting lecturer. He has served as the department chair for the Department of Theatre & Dance for the past seven years and is a tenured professor in dance with training in classical ballet, modern dance, partnering and choreography.

“I am extremely excited to lead the College of Fine Arts and Communication as Interim Dean,” he said. “This is a wonderful opportunity to serve the talented faculty, staff and students in a time of transition.”

Wright has an extensive professional background in fine arts and dance having showcased his choreography at multiple dance festivals including the Bailando Dance Festival, American College Dance Association – South Central Regional Conferences and Exchange Dance Festival in Tulsa, Oklahoma. His most recent work, “Fragmented,” was selected to be performed in the Gala performance by three adjudicators. His work “Tell me and A Different Kind of Canvas” was invited and performed at Tainan University of Technology in Tainan and Kaohsiung, Taiwan. At the Bailando Dance Festival in Corpus Christi, he and his dance partner were chosen by adjudicators to perform “Tell Me” in the Gala Production. 

Through developing a relationship with the Department of Dance at Tainan University of Technology, Â鶹ÊÓƵ’s Department of Theatre & Dance has hosted TUT twice and traveled on two study abroad trips to Taiwan. Wright and Â鶹ÊÓƵ students were able to take classes, learn choreography, perform and experience cultural activities and food. In 2017, he choreographed and performed his works “Tell Me” and “A Different Kind of Canvas” in Tainan and Kaohsiung, Taiwan.  

Wright served as conference coordinator for the 2018 and 2022 American College Dance Association South-Central Conference, which took place on the Â鶹ÊÓƵ campus. Each conference hosted more than 325 college faculty and students who took and taught classes and presented choreographed work to be adjudicated. Â鶹ÊÓƵ hosted Tainan University of Technology as the guest artist for the 2018 ACDA South-Central Conference. 

Wright also was a recipient of the Friends of the Arts 2019 Innovation and Excellence Award for his integration of technology in his choreographic works.