NEA chairman Jane Chu to speak at University of Michigan School of Music, Theatre & Dance commencement April 29, 2016 in Power Center for the Performing Arts

                                                                             

Jane Chu
(Photo by Strauss Peyton Studios)

ANN ARBOR—Jane Chu, chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts, will deliver the commencement address at the University of Michigan School of Music, Theatre & Dance' 2016 graduation ceremony in late April, the school has announced.

This marks the first time in the school's 136-year history that an NEA chairman has addressed the graduating class. The SMTD ceremony takes place April 29 at U-M's Power Center for the Performing Arts.

With a background in arts administration and philanthropy, Chu is also an accomplished artist and musician. She leads a dedicated and passionate group of people to support and fund the arts and creative activities in communities across the nation.

"We are absolutely thrilled to have Jane Chu address our 2016 graduating class in April," said Aaron Dworkin, dean of SMTD. "She has such a deep understanding of how critically important the arts are to creating thriving communities. I know that her message will inspire our students, as they embark on their careers, to share their incredible talents in a way that will make a positive difference to our world."

Chu, the daughter of Chinese immigrants, was born in Oklahoma and raised in Arkansas. She studied music growing up, eventually receiving bachelor's degrees in piano performance and music education from Ouachita Baptist University, and master's degrees in music and piano pedagogy from Southern Methodist University. Additionally, Chu holds a master's degree in business administration from Rockhurst University and a Ph.D. in philanthropic studies from Indiana University.

In addition to awarding nearly $220 million in grants during her tenure to-date, Chu has issued new research reports on arts participation and the impact of the arts and cultural industries on the nation's gross domestic product; has made hundreds of trips to communities across the nation to see first-hand how the arts are impacting people and places; and launched the Tell Us Your Story project that demonstrates the importance of the arts in our lives.

Established by Congress in 1965, the NEA is the independent federal agency whose funding and support gives Americans the opportunity to participate in the arts, exercise their imaginations and develop their creative capacities. Through partnerships with state arts agencies, local leaders, other federal agencies and the philanthropic sector, the NEA supports arts learning, affirms and celebrates America's rich and diverse cultural heritage, and extends its work to promote equal access to the arts in every community across America.