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Ricardo Chavez named Outstanding Graduate for School of Art By Charlie Snyder, Arizona Arts

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Wednesday, May 14, 2025
College of Fine Arts, School of Art

Ricardo Chavez has been selected as the “Outstanding Graduate” by the University of Arizona School of Art for the 2025 spring semester.

Here’s a summary of Professor Irene Bald Romano’s nomination letter:

Ricardo Chavez is a gifted art historian and one of the most outstanding graduate students in the Art History program. His research is original, methodical, and deeply interdisciplinary—bridging contemporary Latinx and African American art history with the pedagogical frameworks of traditional art education.

Ricardo Chavez portrait and in the classroom.
Ricardo Chavez is a gifted art historian and one of the most outstanding graduate students in the Art History program.

His dissertation, The Lost Utopian Classroom: Radical Pedagogies in American Art, explores the intersection of art, education, and activism, examining how the social movements of the 1960s continue to influence artistic practice today. A graduate minor in Art & Visual Culture Education (AVCE) aligns his scholarship with socially engaged art education. He is committed to bridging the gap between art history and art education.

Ricardo’s research has earned numerous accolades, including the prestigious Tyson Scholar appointment at Crystal Bridges Museum, the 2024–25 Chancellor’s Doctoral Incentive Fellowship, and multiple research prizes from the School of Art. He has presented nationally and published in Rutgers Graduate Journal.

A Zen-like calm of a true leader

A recognized leader and outstanding teacher, Ricardo integrates an inclusive canon into his courses, spotlighting women, LGBTQ+ artists, and artists of color. He has an amiable demeanor combining the Zen-like calm of a true scholar and the zeal of someone utterly committed to social change.

The son of immigrant parents from Merced, California, Ricardo overcame limited exposure to higher education and has emerged as a serious and brilliant emerging scholar.

How would you describe your experience at the university?

My time in the College of Fine Arts was defined by adaption. Even after adapting to life in Arizona and life as a grad student and teacher, I found that every year brought about new changes. These included, of course, the changes brought about by the COVID epidemic, but also moving through the dissertation process, applying and being accepted to a fellowship that took me away from Arizona for a semester, and currently preparing for wherever my future leads me. 

What’s your favorite memory or experience?

My second semester of teaching, in which I felt more confident and prepared, and therefore like I was able to be more impactful for my students. 

What experiences of leadership were impactful?

I was presented with my first opportunity to be an instructor here at the University of Arizona. I had previously never considered myself as having great leadership skills, and I feel I am still growing in that department, but being a teacher has really allowed me to get comfortable in such a position. I have always tried to be a person with a great level of understanding, and I believe successfully applying that to my relationship with my students has opened my eyes to the potential I possess as a leader/instructor.

How did you get involved in community service?

During the 2022-23 school year, I served as Art History Graduate Representative and Co-Chair of the School of Art Graduate Council. I helped initiate efforts to better communicate the economic stress felt by grad students via surveys and presentations to faculty about the need to reevaluate the financial support being offered. 

What are your post-graduation plans?

I hope to continue teaching by applying to faculty positions and also explore the directions I can take my research as far as publication opportunities. 

Spring 2025 Graduation Awards