The College of Fine Arts will celebrate its brightest stars on Oct. 25 at the Arts Oasis for the 2024 Achievement Awards, where students will be honored for their achievements in academics and the arts.
This annual event recognizes creative students who exemplify excellence in their respective fields in and out of the classroom.
Students are recognized for ‘Highest Academic Distinction,’ ‘Academic Distinction,’ ‘Dean’s List with Distinction,’ ‘Dean’s List’ and the coveted ‘Creative Achievement Awards,’ given to those whose artistic innovation and dedication have made a lasting impact on their schools and the broader arts community. These awards recognize not just talent but also a passion for pushing creative boundaries and a commitment to mentorship and community engagement.
- 2024 Achievement Awards
- Academic Distinction … By School
- Creative Achievement Awards … 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020
2024 Creative Achievement Award winners
- Ben Davis and Tucker Grams | School of Art
- Gianna Diaz and Carissa Campbell | School of Dance
- Dane Carten and Jordan Figueroa | School of Music
- Haiden Pederson | School of Theatre, Film & Television
SCHOOL OF ART
Ben Davis
Graduate, Studio Art (Photography, Video & Imaging)
Artist Website
Ben Davis, a third-year graduate student studying Photography, Video & Imaging at the School of Art, continuously produces work that engages with complex themes. His most recent work, Dredging, unfolds the lyrical narration and haunting visual exploration of memories and an unreliable image-maker. The project repurposes personal, vernacular imagery to activate an evolving archive.
Davis has had his work shown in regional and national exhibitions, earned a scholarship from the Arizona Artist’s Guild in Phoenix and received a Research and Project Grant from the university’s Graduate Student Council.
As a Medici Scholar, he produced a photo installation that started as 73 sun-exposed, blue photographic prints. He scanned and edited the images into a digital video sequence on 16mm film, which plays on a loop and represents the distortion of memory and history.
Outside of the classroom, Davis volunteers to orient new graduate students and promotes the program to prospective students. His technical expertise across multiple creative processes makes him a great mentor and instructor.
Professors Sama Alshaibi, Marcos Serafim, Martina Shenal and David Taylor said in their nomination letter that his resilience and dedication over the last three years have made him a model of perseverance and integrity, transforming adversity into powerful creative expression.
Tucker Grams
Undergraduate, Studio Art (Photography, Video & Imaging)
Tucker Grams, a BFA senior in studio art, has an ability to deal with the deep existential problems — the natures of consciousness and thought — and to represent it.
He has had work exhibited internationally at the ALC Videoart Festival at the Museo de Arte Contemporaneo Alicante, Spain, and at School of Art exhibitions. His projects have been screened at The Loft Cinema and the Marroney Theatre.
Grams is an undergraduate research assistant with Assistant Professor Marcos Serafim, working on Serafim’s “Membrana Semipermeable” project, mastering complex technologies, learning programming languages and developing a deep understanding of creative coding.
He has multiple appearances on the Dean’s List with Distinction and has earned back-to-back “Academic Year Highest Distinction” awards.
Nominators Professors Sama Alshaibi, Marcos Serafim, Martina Shenal and David Taylor predict a bright future for Grams’ practice, engaging with the contradictions and challenges of the human experience.
SCHOOL OF DANCE
Gianna Diaz
Graduate, Dance
Gianna Diaz’s commitment to her roles as a teacher, professional and artist is truly exceptional. As a second-year graduate student in choreography, she approaches choreography with a deep investigative process with her students, making sure they are fully invested in the creative journey.
Her choreographed works, “One Acceptance” and “Hip Hip Chin Chin,” have been showcased on the Stevie Eller Dance Theatre stage. She has also performed in Professor Sam Watson’s solo, “Variations,” at the Dance Springs Eternal concert.
Later this year, Diaz and her colleagues will present at the National Dance Education Organization (NDEO) conference in Seattle, discussing their research, “Building Community Through Cohorts,” which highlights the innovative approaches to fostering community and collaboration through dance education.
Her nominator, Associate Director Tamara Dyke-Compton said, “Her resilience, dedication, and outstanding contributions to our program make her a deserving recipient of this recognition.”
Carissa Campbell
Undergraduate, Dance
Carissa Campbell is redefining what it means to be a triple threat, making her a trailblazer. As a senior double majoring in dance and marketing, Campbell’s triple threat lies in dance, business, and digital creativity – skills essential in today’s ever-evolving creative industry.
She serves as the vice president of Dance Collective, a student club within the School of Dance and plays a vital role on the marketing teams for both the school and with the Arizona Arts Digital Storytellers.
As a dancer and choreographer, her impact is felt across the professional and competitive dance worlds. Campbell constantly pushes the boundaries of what is possible, with her performances dazzling an in-person and with online audiences.
Amassing millions of views across multiple platforms, Campbell has established herself online through her YouTube videos (25k followers) and blog, where she shares her insights on dance, entrepreneurship, and the challenges of balancing multiple creative endeavors.
“Carissa exemplifies the fusion of creativity and entrepreneurship, qualities that will continue to shape the future of the dance world,” said her nominator, Assistant Professor Gianni Howell.
SCHOOL OF MUSIC
Dane Carten
Graduate, Musical Arts
Dane Carten consistently shows himself to be an inquisitive, insightful, and passionate musician. Carten, a second-year DMA student in choral conducting, serves as the assistant conductor for Collegium Musicum.
He has presented at the University of Arizona DEI Choral Literature Intensive, and the Washington American Choral Directors Association (ACDA) spring conference and the Arizona ACDA summer conference.
As a conductor and composer, Carten is active on campus and in the community. He’s a founding conductor for the Neoteric Chamber Choir, a semi-professional chorus dedicated to performing newly composed music. His own music has been premiered and performed by the Helios Ensemble.
“He cares deeply for the choral art, for people that surround him, and is, without fail, excited to explore new opportunities,” his nominator, Assistant Professor of Practice Dr. Jeff Vanderlee said.
Jordan Figueroa
Undergraduate, Music Education
Artist Website
Jordan Figueroa, a music education major, performer and composer, has extended his musical talents to film scores. His work has been showcased in two recent School of Theatre, Film & Television student films: Maybe Someday and Sour Lemons. He made his composition debut with ‘Revenant’ with the U of A Tuba-Cat Euphonium Quartet.
Figueroa was the runner-up in the President’s Competition for wind and percussion, served as the principal tuba in the Arizona Symphony Orchestra and principal euphonium in the U of A Wind Symphony. He was the only undergraduate student invited to play in the University of Arizona Student-Faculty Collective at the International Tuba-Euphonium Conference in 2023.
He added conductor to his resume for the Wind Symphony spring concert. Figueroa served as student conductor and premiered his Brass Ensemble piece, a three-movement work, Journey to Clarity. Figueroa also was a founding member of the mixed chamber group, Grupo Arizona, where many of his works have been performed around the Tucson community.
“It’s been exciting to follow Jordan’s progress as a composer and help where I can,” said Dr. Matthew Tropman, associate professor and his nominator. “I look forward to his future work as an educator, performer and composer.”
SCHOOL OF THEATRE, FILM & TELEVISION
Haiden Pederson
Undergraduate, Musical Theatre
Haiden Pederson, a musical theatre major, has a strong presence in the Arizona Repertory Theatre. Recent performance credits include “Sweeney Todd” and “Bright Star.”
She won the National Academy of Television Art & Sciences Student Production Award for College Performer for her role in Fiona Paskoff’s film Something Blue; her role in the film also earned her a nomination for Best Acting Duo at the Los Angeles International Short Film Festival. She also played the leading role in The Veil, a short film by Allie Cincera and Cosmo Brusa Zappellini, which garnered the Best Student Film Award at this year’s Chroma Art Film Festival in Miami.
Outside of the theatre, Pederson is dedicated to serving the Tucson community. She has worked as an election poll volunteer for the 2020 election, and she recently volunteered with Mission for Arizona, an outreach organization created by Senator Mark Kelly, working with local officials and other groups to identify local, state, and national concerns.
Pederson’s motivation to create growth within the community can also be seen within the School of Theatre, Film & Television, where she established the TFTV Coalition, a liaison group that provides resources and mentorship to undergraduate students.
“She sets a high bar for herself and is generous with her time and efforts,” said Associate Professor Christie Kerr, her nominator. “She goes above and beyond what is required and has a genuine love for the art form and the work that is put into creating it.”