ALABAMA SCHOOL OF FINE ARTS
SPRING/SUMMER 2023
POWER
MAGAZINE
VOLUME 2 / ISSUE 1
Editor
Katie Roach Dudley ‘97
Art Director
Kelsey Crafton
Designer
Tania Maria Roulston
Contributing Writers
Audrey McDonald
Atkins, Lujue’la
McEntyre ‘24
Contributing Editors
Jaronda Little ‘88
Kimberly Wilson
Photographer
Kelsey Justice
Alabama School
of Fine Arts
1800 Rev. Abraham
Woods Jr. Blvd.
Birmingham, AL 35203
Alumni: Please send
address changes and
updates to Beth Mulvey
bmulvey@asfaschool.org
ASFA ADMINISTRATION
2022-2023
President
Dr. Tim Mitchell
Director of Curriculum
and Instruction
Dr. Brad Hill
Chief Financial and
Operations Officer
Jamie Plott
Director of Student
Support Services
Kim Strickland ‘93
Director of Development
Beth Mulvey
Director of Marketing
and Communications
Katie Roach Dudley ‘97
Creative Writing Chair
TJ Beitelman
Dance Chair
Wes Chapman ‘83
Math-Science Chair
Hungsin Chin
Music Chair
Alex Fokkens
Theatre Arts Chair
John Manzelli
Visual Arts Chair
Darius Hill ‘85
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
President
Dr. Tommy Bice
President-Elect
Warren Whatley
Past President
Robert Raiford
Development
Committee Chair
Pat Taylor
Shahar Abrams ‘10
Jeff Davis
Brian Edwards
Dan Frederick
Gracie Goodrich
Lisa Paden Gaines ‘72
CeCe Lacey Kennedy
Gianna Mandich
Javan Patton ‘02
Jonathan Phillips
Mark Robertson
Kim Savage
John Sellers
Jean Shanks
Valerie Thompson
Hunter Williams
Dr. Tim Mitchell, ASFA
President
Dr. Ba-Shen Welch
‘93, Board of Trustees
Chairman
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Chairman
Dr. Ba-Shen Welch ‘93
Vice Chair
Allison Dillon-Jauken
Secretary
Mary Hubbard
Treasurer
Steve Nelson
Kelly Allison
Dr. Vincent J. Brewton
Dr. Maria Calhoun
Charlton
Dr. Erinn Fears Floyd ‘87
Dr. Michael Han
Elias Hendricks Jr.
Lorelei Lein
Andy Meadows
Steele T. Marcoux
Dr. Webb Robertson
Dr. Sally P. Salter-
Blackwell
Billy Sanford
Nelvin Short ‘87
Dr. Tommy Bice,
Foundation President
CONTENTS
SPRING/SUMMER
2023
PRESIDENT’S
LETTER
Dr. Tim Mitchell asks
what each of our
superpowers is
3
STUDENT LIFE
From Science Bowl, to
Broadway conductors,
to a student created
performance; ASFA
students have
had a semester
full of exceptional
opportunities
11
ALUMNI FEATURES
Take a peek at some
of the cool things
ASFA alums are doing
31
DEPT. DISPATCH
Each of the
six specialty
departments have
been rolling out
new programs
36
UPCOMING EVENTS
Mark your calendar
for ASFA alum events
16
STRATEGIC PLAN
ASFA unveils its new
strategic plan in this
special section
26
STRONG
FOUNDATIONS
Academic faculty at
ASFA provide engaging
and challenging lessons
STUDENTS NOW
HAVE MULTIPLE
FILM CLASS
ELECTIVE OPTIONS
TEACHER ANNEMARIE
GRAY HELPS LAY
THE FOUNDATION
FOR EXCEPTIONAL
STUDENT OUTCOMES
DIGITAL MEDIA IS
AN IMPORTANT
COMPONENT
OF THE NEW
STRATEGIC PLAN
ON THE COVER
"The Magic Words" by Erin LeAnn Mitchell '07
WHAT’S YOUR
SUPERPOWER? Is your
power agile thinking, or is
it storytelling and public
speaking? Is it empathy?
Are you good at empowering
others or motivating
different personalities?
Can you be counted on to
resolve conflicts? Are you
full of courage and often
take meaningful risks? Are
you the one who asks the
right questions? Are you the most passionate in the
room with endless energy? Are you an optimist when
the going gets tough? Are you good at doing a lot of
computational and algorithmic thinking? Is your power
breaking orthodoxies through your work? How about
self-leadership vs. leadership among peers? These are
just some of the superpowers that students at the
Alabama School of Fine Arts are discovering within
themselves daily — developing and building them.
These are the superpowers an education inspired by
the arts and rooted in a deep dive, including math-
science, gives our students.
Our recently completed ASFA Strategic Plan appears
in this magazine! It was an incredibly satisfying
process reflecting on who we are, and what we do,
and planning our collective hopes and dreams for
ASFA’s future. Over 80 students took part, as well
as representative parents, alums, trustees, ASFA
Foundation directors, and all full-time faculty and staff
at different times throughout a deliberative process.
It’s been a great example of what I call “power with,
instead of power over,” because we were intentionally
inclusive and took our time to set strategic priorities
from many voices. We did this authentically and kept
our focus on design thinking to lay out the course
for what our future will look like. Each year we will
assemble a congress of our administrators and others
to assess our progress and to make our plan nimble
and responsive to emerging needs and opportunities.
There is no doubt that our plan’s timeline depends
on receiving public and private support, especially
when it comes to purpose-built dedicated
facilities for the arts and math-science.
Support from across our community will be
our superpower as a school!
Dr. Tim Mitchell
A NEW
STRATEGIC
PLAN
Planning is powerful, and all the voices
in our community who contributed to
ASFA’s Strategic Plan have turned it into a
superpower for ASFA’s future.
PRESIDENT’S LETTER
It’s been a great example
of what I call “power with,
instead of power over,” because we
were intentionally inclusive and took
our time to set strategic priorities
from many voices.
SPRING/SUMMER 2023
S T U D E N T L I F E
SPRING 2023
Students have
been scooping
up awards in the
math-science
department,
created cross-
departmental
productions for
Black History
Month, been
taught by
working artists
and written lots
of poetry. Check
out some of
the work in the
following pages.
STUDENT
LIFE
POWER
“Power is not something you learn, it is something you are born with—no matter if you
chose to embrace or neglect it.” —Mattie Morris, Dance, 7th grade
ASFA MAGAZINE
SPRING/SUMMER 2023
POWER OF
PERSISTENCE
STUDENT GROUP SPOTLIGHT SCIENCE BOWL
M CALLING THEM. They’re calling me over the
weekend. We’re meeting on Zoom.” It sounds like
working at a tech startup, but this is how ASFA
faculty member Dr. Susan Lagrone describes
preparing students for science competitions. Lagrone
coaches ASFA’s high school Science Bowl, works
with the Science Olympiad teams, and coaches the
younger competitors in the Alabama Junior Academy
of Science (AJAS) research competition. Her Science
Bowl teams have won the state championship with
an all-expenses paid trip to nationals in Washington
D.C. four times out of the past seven years.
She says, “It takes a lot to win. It takes a lot to
beat all the other teams. Students are self-motivated—
studying in their own time, studying online, and then coming
in to practice after school.”
Junior math-science student Cynthia Liu says, “Our Science
Bowl teams are all made up of incredibly passionate and
intelligent students that put
in countless hours of work to
prepare for the competition.
However, I think our success
is equally attributed to the
teamwork and cooperation
within the team. After so
many years of being close
friends and teammates,
we have all learned to
communicate and coordinate
our answers without ever
saying a word out loud, which
is crucial when we only have
six seconds to answer a toss-
up question.”
Part of Lagrone’s job as a
coach is to teach students
how to communicate with
each other, with the judges,
and understand the rules.
Speaking about Science
Bowl Lagrone says, “When
I’m coaching them, I’m
giving them tools they need
to be successful in the
competition. Because once
we get to the competition,
coaches can’t say a word.
Any challenges have to come
from the team.” A “challenge”
is where the team captain
appeals a judge's call for
awarding points.
“Our students are taught
to be so respectful, but
sometimes that means
they don’t feel comfortable
speaking up. An important
part of coaching is teaching
them that they have to ask
for a challenge. This year, the
team called a challenge and
was awarded points they
would not have otherwise
received. Those points ended
up making the difference on
us playing for first or second
place instead of third or
fourth place.”
Lagrone manages the
coaching and mentoring
outside of her regular classes
which include AP Chemistry,
Research Fundamentals, and
AP Seminar. She has a Ph.D. in
physical chemistry from Rice
University, one of the most
prestigious universities in the
U.S. At Rice she was taught
by Dr. Richard Smalley, who
the U.S. Senate called the
"Father of Nanotechnology”
and graduated as a student
of Dr. John L Margrave.
In addition to her talents
in chemistry and teaching,
Lagrone is a choralist who
is currently singing with the
Alabama Symphony Orchestra
Chorus. This year she
performed in its productions
of Handel’s Messiah and
Holst’s The Planets. She
will not be in their next
performance though,
because she’ll be traveling to
accompany a student to the
nationals of AJAS! But, she
will be on stage soon with the
ASFA chorus for the Music
Department’s production of
Carmina Burana in May.
ASFA Math-Science faculty member Dr. Susan
Lagrone and her students focus on their
passions inside and outside the classroom
“
Students are
self-motivated–
studying in
their own
time, studying
online, and
then coming
in to practice
after school.”
—Dr. Susan Lagrone
JUNIOR MATH-
SCIENCE STUDENT
CYNTHIA LIU
SPRING/SUMMER 2023
ASFA MAGAZINE
STUDENT LIFE
STUDENT LIFE
THE TEAM
PRACTICING FOR
BUZZER BEATERS
DR. SUSAN
LAGRONE
THE STATE
CHAMPIONSHIP
TEAM WITH BANNERS
FROM PAST YEAR
WINS, AND COACH
DR. SUSAN LAGRONE
ASFA MAGAZINE
SPRING/SUMMER 2023
GUEST ARTISTS
ENRICHING
CURRICULUM
DEPARTMENT SPOTLIGHT
DEPARTMENT SPOTLIGHT MUSIC DEPARTMENT
SFA MUSIC DEPARTMENT Chair Alex
Fokkens believes in the importance of
exposing students to a wide range of
musicians and musical professionals,
“Each of these musical experts has a
story to share with our students that can
make an enormous impact on a student’s
journey and individual success.” Fokkens
regularly invites renowned guest artists
to conduct masterclasses, performances,
and interviews with ASFA students.
Carlos Izcaray:
Venezuelan
conductor
and Alabama
Symphony
Music Director,
shared his
wealth of
knowledge in
classical and
orchestral
music.
Darla
Brooks: The
international
opera singer
provided
students with
insights into
the world of
opera and her
journey from
Alabama to
the European
stages.
Yakov Kasman:
Russian pianist
and Cliburn
Medal Winner
offered his
expertise
in piano
performance
and the world
of classical
music.
Kat Sherrell:
music director/
conductor
on the
national tour
of Hamilton
who has
also worked
on various
Broadway
shows,
television
programs, and
musicals. As
one of the few
female music
directors,
she offered
valuable advice
on navigating
the industry.
Brian Raphael
Nabors:
Birmingham
native and
up-and-coming
composer,
whose work
has been
performed
by various
symphonies
and in
numerous
events across
the U.S. Nabors
combines Jazz
Funk, R&B,
Gospel, and
contemporary
classical
music in his
compositions.
He provided
a unique
perspective on
the creative
process.
ASFA Music students learn from expert faculty, receive
weekly private lessons from local educators and
professional performers, and also have access to
masterclasses from diverse music professionals.
SOME OF THE DISTINGUISHED GUEST ARTISTS FROM
AROUND THE GLOBE THAT STUDENTS HAVE OR WILL
GET TO WORK WITH INCLUDE:
SPRING/SUMMER 2023
STUDENT LIFE
STUDENT LIFE
Amari Ansari: ASFA Class
of 2010 music alum and
saxophonist, who has toured
with Stevie Wonder, St. Paul &
the Broken Bones, John Batiste,
and Dee Bridgewater. Ansari
regularly returns to ASFA to
collaborate on performances
and teach masterclasses.
NEXT YEAR:
Anton Nel: South African world-
class pianist, renowned for his
mastery of classical piano and
vast repertoire of works for
piano and orchestra. He will
perform at ASFA’s DJD Theater
as part of the ArtWorks@
TheDJD performance series on
September 7, 2023, and will
offer masterclass sessions to
music students on campus.
Get tickets to see him perform
at www.DJDTheater.com.
“It’s such a wonderful
opportunity to be able to learn
from successful mentors in
our specialty. It is inspiring
to know that my dreams
and goals are possible and
attainable,” says junior
bassoonist Lu’Juela McEntyre.
With the upcoming
renovations to ASFA’s Hess-
Abroms Recital Hall, the music
department will soon have an
even more elevated space for
masterclasses, recitals, and
music performances.
LEARN MORE ABOUT THESE
RENOVATIONS ON PAGE 24!
It’s such a wonderful opportunity
to be able to learn from successful
mentors in our specialty.”—Lu’Juela McEntyre
ASFA MAGAZINE
10
SPRING/SUMMER 2023
STEPPING
INTO THE
SPOTLIGHT
STUDENT GROUP PERFORMANCE SPOTLIGHT
SFA’S BLACK STUDENT UNION hosted
a “Black History Throughout the Arts
and Sciences” showcase in honor
of Black History month in February.
Students created the showcase to
learn and share their insights on
culture and diversity. The performance
highlighted advancements,
achievements, and adversity by
highlighting important Black figures
and their impact on our society today.
The Black Student Union created an arts and
sciences showcase for Black History Month.
By Lu’juela McEntyre ‘24
A highlight of the performance was three step
dance pieces. Students explored the expression and
representation of step dance throughout history.
Stepping is a form of dance that originated in
Africa. Stepping has been used to tell stories and is
now predominantly done by Black Greek fraternities
and sororities. “It is a huge part of Black culture and
expression,” says BSU President, Justin Duncan, who
choreographed the step routines and produced the
showcase. "It wasn't easy creating the program at
all. I had to plan every aspect of the program from
the concept, rehearsals, roles, etc.” This was the
first on-stage, student-led Black history program
ASFA has had in 13 years.
The program also presented a cross-departmental
collaboration of performances in honor of Whitney
Huston, August Wilson, and other prominent
Black artists and intellectuals. Students from
every department participated. “I think the Black
Student Union as a whole is always doing things
outside the norm. From our carnival booths to our
roundtable discussions, we're always trying to do
something outside the box and something new;
this program definitely proves that. I'm so grateful
for the effort of our members. The BSU was founded
over Zoom back in 2020, and we've done some
outstanding work in just 3 years. This is only the
beginning!" says Duncan.
BSU PRESIDENT
JUSTIN DUNCAN
REHEARSING A
STEP DANCE
MEMBERS OF THE
BSU WORKED
TOGETHER
TO PLAN THE
SHOWCASE
SPRING/SUMMER 2023