In the News

From poetry inspired by the Great Salt Lake to interactive public sculpture, faculty in Weber State University’s Lindquist College of Arts & Humanities are using their creative work to strengthen communities and bring people together. Ogden Poet Laureate and English instructor Sunni Wilkinson explores the significance of everyday experiences through her writing and recently partnered with visual artist Kellie Bornhoft on a course connecting art, poetry and the Great Salt Lake. Bornhoft, a Utah Artist Fellowship recipient, also collaborated with music faculty Carey Campbell on This Was Water, an installation examining environmental loss through visual art and music. Other faculty are expanding that impact through public art and international partnerships, including Jason Manley’s interactive Key Changes sculpture and Tamara Goldbogen’s selection to the Fulbright Specialist Roster. Together, their work demonstrates how the arts can encourage connection, deepen understanding and give students opportunities to engage with issues extending far beyond the classroom.

A restored vintage cigarette vending machine became the centerpiece of Curio Theatre, a one-night event that brought visual art and live performance together in an interactive experience. Created by art history associate professor María del Mar González-González and theatre associate professor Cully Long, the event invited attendees to select from nine original objects, ranging from small sculptures to stained glass, before attending a 20-minute performance inspired by their chosen piece. Curio Theatre brought together Weber State faculty, students, alumni and community supporters, along with the Concept Center in the College of Engineering, Applied Science & Technology, which helped restore the vintage machine. By pairing tangible works of art with performances that existed only in the moment, the event offered audiences a new way to experience the arts while highlighting the collaborative work happening across disciplines at Weber State. Proceeds from the event also supported scholarships for students in theatre and the Department of Visual Art & Design.

For Weber State University student and Army veteran Tawni Jae Sherlock, returning to art became an unexpected part of healing and reconnecting with herself. Sherlock rediscovered her love of creating through Weber State’s Venture Course in the Humanities, a free evening program that introduces students to college-level learning through courses taught by university faculty. The experience inspired her to begin painting again, including hosting paint nights with her family and participating in a workshop at Ogden Contemporary Arts. There, Sherlock created Betsy, a surreal piece inspired by the Great Salt Lake that combines a buffalo with human and desert elements. Her artwork was later selected to appear on Ogden public transit buses, giving her work a larger audience than she ever expected. As Sherlock continues her education, she credits the Venture Course and its instructors with helping her recognize new possibilities for herself while demonstrating how education and the arts can create opportunities for connection, growth and healing.

A group of Weber State University performing arts students gained firsthand experience in the professional film industry through Pencils Down, a dark workplace comedy that premiered at the Palm Springs International ShortFest and is now screening at film festivals across the country. Filmed over three days in New York City, the production gave five students the opportunity to work alongside professional actors and filmmakers in roles ranging from art department and costumes to production support. Through Weber State's longstanding partnership with the New York City theater company Adjusted Realists, students applied the skills they developed in the classroom while building industry connections and gaining valuable on-set experience. For students like theatre arts major Mei Flint, the experience helped shape future career goals, reinforcing Weber State's commitment to providing real-world learning opportunities that prepare students to succeed in the creative industries.

Weber State University student Olivia Favero is representing the Western lifestyle on a national stage as Miss Rodeo America 2026, traveling across the country to promote the heritage of ranching, agriculture, and the sport of rodeo while serving as the official ambassador for the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association. Raised on her family's farm in Taylor, Utah, Favero has balanced her passion for rodeo with her education, earning two associate degrees at Weber State and working toward a bachelor's degree in communication. Throughout her yearlong reign, she has applied the communication, social media, and leadership skills she developed at Weber State while connecting with communities nationwide, reaffirming her plans to pursue a career in public relations after graduation. Supported by more than $23,500 in scholarships, Favero plans to return to Weber State to complete her degree, demonstrating how the university empowers students to turn their passions into meaningful careers while making an impact far beyond campus.

Weber State University student Tawni Jae Sherlock discovered renewed confidence in her artistic journey through the university’s free Venture Course in the Humanities, leading to her artwork being selected for display on public transit buses as part of a partnership with Ogden Contemporary Arts. A Pacific Islander, Army veteran, and multidisciplinary artist, Sherlock enrolled in the evening humanities program while returning to college, where faculty mentorship and hands-on creative experiences helped her reconnect with her passion for art and envision a new career centered on healing and community engagement. Seeing her work displayed throughout Ogden reinforced her belief in the power of creativity to inspire change, both personally and professionally, as she continues exploring ways to combine art, education, and therapeutic practice. Through stories like Sherlock’s, the Venture Course empowers learners from all backgrounds to rediscover their potential, build meaningful community connections, and pursue new educational and career opportunities.

Weber State University’s Arts in the Parks and Science in the Parks programs are returning to Ogden this summer, offering free hands-on arts and science activities for children at three local parks throughout June. Led by faculty, staff, and student volunteers, the outreach programs coincide with the Ogden School District’s free summer lunch program and provide engaging experiences in visual arts, music, dance, theater, storytelling, and STEM through interactive daily themes. Arts in the Parks encourages creativity through projects families can continue at home, while Science in the Parks introduces children to scientific exploration through playful, curiosity-driven activities that challenge traditional ideas of STEM learning. By bringing arts and science directly into neighborhood parks, Weber State continues to inspire lifelong learning, strengthen community connections, and create meaningful educational experiences for children and families.

Weber State University faculty member and acclaimed sculptor Jason Manley has unveiled a monumental interactive piano sculpture in downtown Salt Lake City, celebrating music and creativity ahead of the 2026 Gina Bachauer International Piano Competition. Manley, a professor of sculpture in Weber State’s Department of Visual Art & Design, was commissioned to create the 9-foot-tall, 13-foot-wide installation from the parts of five reclaimed pianos, inviting visitors to both experience and play the artwork outside Abravanel Hall throughout the summer. Known for his large-scale public art and sculptures across the region, Manley designed the piece to visually express the rhythm, emotion, and intricate mechanics behind music. Through this public installation, Manley is helping bring art and music into everyday community spaces while inspiring creativity, curiosity, and artistic engagement for visitors of all ages.

Award-winning poet and Weber State University faculty member Sunni Brown Wilkinson has been named Ogden’s new Poet Laureate, where she will serve as an ambassador for the literary arts throughout the community over the next two years. Wilkinson, a creative writing professor in Weber State’s Department of English, was selected by the Ogden City Arts Advisory Committee to present poetry, make public appearances, and expand literary arts opportunities for students and residents. An accomplished poet, essayist, and author of three poetry collections, including the award-winning Rodeo, Wilkinson also co-directs Ogden’s Railtown Reading Series, connecting readers with acclaimed writers from across the West. Through her new role as Poet Laureate, Wilkinson will help strengthen Ogden’s vibrant arts community while continuing to inspire students and foster meaningful connections through poetry, storytelling, and creative expression.

Read the Weber State Press Release

Read the Weber State Press Release

Read the Weber State Press Release