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Christina Rupsch will assume leadership of the new School of Fine and Applied Arts at Â鶹ÊÓƵ on June 1, 2016. She will begin her role this summer after more than seven years at Tidewater Community College where she is a Professor of Art and Director of the Visual Arts Center. Prior to that she was Associate Professor of Art and Chair of the Department of Visual Art at Chowan from 1994 -1998 and 2003-2008.

Rupsch holds a B.S. in Visual Art from the University of Wisconsin – Stevens Point, an M.F.A. in Drawing and Painting from Southern Illinois University, and an Ed.M. in Special Education from the University Illinois – Champaign-Urbana.

As Director of Tidewater Community College's Visual Arts Center, Rupsch oversaw all arts programming and exhibitions, directed all hiring of faculty and staff, and led innovative efforts in revising the curriculum and its delivery. She provided college-wide leadership in the arts and served at the state level as a member of the Virginia Community College System (VCCS) Administrative and Professional Faculty Development, Evaluation and Recognition Model Plan Committee and the 2016 VCCS Annual Plan Committee.

The School of Fine and Applied Arts will include the Department of Communication Arts, the Department of Music, and the Department of Interdisciplinary Studies. In addition, the Department of Communication Arts, which currently offers majors in graphic communications, graphic design, and studio art, will expand to include a minor in drama and course offerings in communication.

“Chris is a very talented educator and leader, and has great experience fostering interdisciplinary relationships between departments and disciplines," said Danny Moore, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs. "Her approach and leadership experience will serve the new school and the university well and help us to expand opportunities for our students and advance the mission of the university. I am delighted that she has accepted our offer to be the dean.”