Friday, March 29, 2024

UTSA debuts Defining Moments—a live performance to explore COVID’s impact

UTSA debuts Defining Moments—a live performance to explore COVID’s impact

Madeline Herrera's "It's All the Same" was rooted in the isolation she felt during 2020. This print is one of several artworks featured in Defining Moments.

NOVEMBER 17, 2021 — As the world isolated amid COVID-19, a group of UTSA faculty members launched a project to create connections that would have typically happened in-person on campus. The resulting program, called Defining Moments, captures how students experienced 2020 through their respective studies in art, history, English, music, dance and architecture.

Now the UTSA and broader San Antonio community are invited to attend the live debut performance at 7 p.m. on Friday, November 19, in the Buena Vista Theater located at the Downtown Campus. The event is co-sponsored by the College of Liberal and Fine Arts (COLFA) and Academic Innovation. It is free and open to the public.

"Defining Moments showcases UTSA's commitment to ensuring students have a high-quality education that allows them to create transformative connections," said Jodi Peterson, assistant professor of instruction in history and a Defining Moments faculty leader. "And by inviting them to capture their unique perspectives about 2020, it helps remind them of the bold futures they're building even during trying times."


“By inviting them to capture their unique perspectives about 2020, it helps remind them of the bold futures they're building even during trying times.”





The Defining Moments project and performance is an example of how UTSA emphasizes experiential learning and classroom-to-career educational opportunities.

Students worked with faculty in history, English, art, music, dance, and architecture to turn their reflections into creative and expressive works. In this cross-disciplinary process, Academic Innovation and the UTSA Libraries supported the project by helping students and faculty find ways to collaborate in a virtual environment to document and share the work.

“The Defining Moments project and performance vividly portray the ways in which the liberal and fine arts come together and crystallize to respond to our most pressing global and local challenges,” said COLFA Dean Glenn Martinez. “I encourage the members of our community to come and see this powerful performance and to experience the depth and breadth of all that COLFA has to offer.”

As part of UTSA’s commitment to social impact, UTSA is partnering with UT Health San Antonio to offer on-site COVID vaccination at the event to attendees who are interested.


EXPLORE FURTHER
⇒ Learn more about the UTSA College of Liberal and Fine Arts.
⇒ Learn more about UTSA Academic Innovation.

Reservations are recommended to attend the event. A live stream will also be available on the Defining Moments website. UTSA students can access a shuttle from the Main Campus to the Downtown Campus and may be eligible for academic credit for attending.

Brett W. Copeland



UTSA Today is produced by University Strategic Communications,
the official news source
of The University of Texas at San Antonio.

Send your feedback to news@utsa.edu.


UTSA Today is produced by University Communications and Marketing, the official news source of The University of Texas at San Antonio. Send your feedback to news@utsa.edu. Keep up-to-date on UTSA news by visiting UTSA Today. Connect with UTSA online at Facebook, Twitter, Youtube and Instagram.


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UTSA’s Mission

The University of Texas at San Antonio is dedicated to the advancement of knowledge through research and discovery, teaching and learning, community engagement and public service. As an institution of access and excellence, UTSA embraces multicultural traditions and serves as a center for intellectual and creative resources as well as a catalyst for socioeconomic development and the commercialization of intellectual property - for Texas, the nation and the world.

UTSA’s Vision

To be a premier public research university, providing access to educational excellence and preparing citizen leaders for the global environment.

UTSA’s Core Values

We encourage an environment of dialogue and discovery, where integrity, excellence, inclusiveness, respect, collaboration and innovation are fostered.

UTSA’S Destinations

UTSA is a proud Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) as designated by the U.S. Department of Education .

Our Commitment to Inclusivity

The University of Texas at San Antonio, a Hispanic Serving Institution situated in a global city that has been a crossroads of peoples and cultures for centuries, values diversity and inclusion in all aspects of university life. As an institution expressly founded to advance the education of Mexican Americans and other underserved communities, our university is committed to promoting access for all. UTSA, a premier public research university, fosters academic excellence through a community of dialogue, discovery and innovation that embraces the uniqueness of each voice.