Dr. Joan Ashcraft, a three-time graduate of the School of Music, will deliver the keynote address at the College of Fine Arts’ 2024 Fall Graduation Convocation.
The ceremony is Thursday, Dec. 17, 7p, at Crowder Hall.
She holds a Bachelor of Music, a Master of Music Education, and a Doctorate in Music Education, all from the University of Arizona. Since obtaining her degrees, she has dedicated herself to advocating for the arts, both in educational settings and within the community. Her commitment to integrate arts into K-12 education has transformed the experiences of countless students and educators alike.
Her accolades include the Arizona Music Educator of the Year and the Governor’s Award for Arts in Education.
Currently serving as the director of fine and performing arts for the Tucson Unified School District, Dr. Ashcraft will discuss the four key life skills that have guide her journey as a performing artist, educator, researcher, administrator, and arts advocate.
Dr. Joan Ashcraft Bio
Dr. Joan Ashcraft serves as director of Fine and Performing Arts for Tucson Unified School District where she oversees arts educators and teaching artists, provides training and mentoring, supervises multicultural resources, provides musical instruments for students, and administers the Arizona Seal of Arts Proficiency for qualified high school seniors. She is the co-creator and director of Opening Minds through the Arts (OMA), recognized nationally for its integration research and student achievement results. The model has been featured in several national publications. OMA Schools have been observed by numerous institutions, as well as visiting educators from China.
- Served on the Kennedy Center Partners in Education Advisory Committee
- Participated in the Metropolitan Opera and Smithsonian Institution Education programs
- Was a cadre member for the U.S. Department of Education’s Teacher-to-Teacher Initiative
- Earned the Doctor of Musical Arts degree in 1986 from the University of Arizona
- Studied piano at the Paris Conservatory in Fontainebleau, France
- Studied pipe organ in Salt Lake City and at Westminster Choir College in Princeton, New Jersey
Dr. Ashcraft has received the University of Arizona Faculty of Fine Arts Distinguished Alumni Award, was named the Arizona Music Educators Association Music Educator of the Year and Music Administrator of the Year and twice received the Governor’s Arts in Education Award. OnMedia Productions presented her with the Arts Hero Award, and the Rotary Club of Tucson honored her with its Four Way Test “Service Above Self” Award.