Distinctions
Modern Visual Arts Complex
Our Visual Arts complex — one of the most cutting-edge in the California State University system — features light-filled galleries, high-tech classrooms, and singular resources for artistic discovery and meaningful engagement with the arts.
Grammy Award-Winning Faculty
Students in the School of Music are taught and mentored by Grammy Award-winning artists who bring their passion and expertise to the classroom.
Nationally Recognized Dance Program
Over the past decade, students in our program have repeatedly been chosen to perform at the American College Dance Association Festival at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. This impressive record demonstrates the strength, intensity and depth of our program, faculty and students that continue to shape the future of dance.
Alumni Success in Theatre
Our theatre alumni are currently performing on Broadway and in New York City in such shows as “Hadestown,” “Smash,” “Six” and “Hamilton.” On television, our alumni appear in “Stranger Things” and “Criminal Minds.”
State-of-the-Art Performance Spaces
From classroom instruction to rehearsals and opening nights, our students learn and perform in professional theatre spaces. Nationally recognized for its architectural design, the Clayes Performing Arts Center sets the stage for student success and professional development.
Faculty in the Industry
Our faculty have appeared in Hollywood on the big screen, composed award-winning musical pieces and performed on stage alongside popular artists. As educators, they bring that real-world experience back to students, preparing them to connect with casting agents, master their artistry and succeed in the performing arts.
Career-Launching Opportunities
Fourth-year musical theatre students travel to New York City every year to perform on Broadway for agents, managers, casting directors and alumni. Art students exhibit their work professionally, create designs for companies, and land internships with such companies as Epic Games and DreamWorks Animation.
Alumni Networks
Student organizations like Pencil Mileage Club connect you with a strong network of aspiring artists who will become your professional peers. Our alumni have gone on to work with such companies as Disney, Penguin Random House, Universal Studios, NBC, Netflix and more.
Notable Alumni and Faculty
Kathy Baur, assistant professor of art
artist for “The Prince of Egypt” and “The Iron Giant”
Joe Biel, professor of art
artist with work in the collection of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art
Tanya Michnevich Bracco ’95 (B.A. theatre arts)
supervising producer of “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert”
Rubén Carbajal ’15 (B.F.A. theatre arts-musical theatre)
original cast member in the first national tour of “Hamilton”
Maria Cominis, professor of theatre and dance
award-winning playwright, actress in “Desperate Housewives” and “New Girl”
Marc Cherry ’95 (B.A. theatre arts)
creator and executive producer of Emmy- and Golden Globe-winning ABC drama series “Desperate Housewives” and Lifetime’s “Devious Maids”
Brian Crosby '07 (B.F.A. art-illustration)
executive for Marvel Experiences development
Bill Cunliffe, professor of music
Grammy Award-winning arranger and record producer
Svetlana Efremova-Reed, professor of theatre and dance
actress in “For All Mankind” and “Spinning Out”
Erik Elizarrez ’03 (B.F.A. art-entertainment art/animation)
prop designer and character cleanup artist with Disney TV and Warner Bros.
Farnaz Esnaashari-Charmatz ’04 (B.F.A. art-entertainment art/animation)
creator and executive producer of Nickelodeon’s “Shimmer and Shine”
Andrew Feliciano ’08 (B.F.A. art-entertainment art/animation)
animation supervisor for Disney’s “Raya and the Last Dragon”
Josh Grisetti, associate professor of theatre and dance
actor in “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” and “The Good Fight”
Bruce Healey '72 (B.M. music)
former music director/producer for Walt Disney Parks and Resorts Creative Entertainment
Rob Istad ’01 (M.M. music-performance)
professor of music, Grammy Award-winning artist
CJ Jensen ’17 (B.A. dance)
professional dancer that has performed behind such artists as Hailee Steinfeld and Lady Gaga
Hyun Sook Kim, professor of theatre and dance
award-winning costume designer in Prague Quadrennial, World Stage Design, and designer for "The Last Empress," “Camelot” and “Tiger Style”
Julie Orser, professor of art
award-winning visual artist and Lucas Artist Fellow with works at Los Angeles County Museum of Art and The Museum of Contemporary Art
Jesus Ramos ’20 (M.M. music-performance)
English horn musician with the Puerto Rico Symphony Orchestra
Edward Salas ’19 (B.A. dance)
Professional dancer with Kanopy Dance Company
Wayne Unten ’03 (B.F.A. entertainment art-animation)
animation supervisor for Disney’s “Frozen” and “Frozen 2”
Kirsten Vangsness ’96 (B.A. theatre arts)
actress in “Criminal Minds”
Karen Weller ’81 (M.F.A. theatre arts)
former costume designer for Disney Parks, Universal Resorts, co-founder of The Costume Connection
Linda Woolverton ’79 (M.A. theatre arts)
screenwriter for Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast”
