Alumni Archives - BYU College of Fine Arts and Communications Wed, 02 Mar 2022 18:50:24 +0000 en hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.8.2 From the ice to the broadcast booth: BYU grad Kate Hansen in Beijing for Winter Olympics https://cfac-archived.byu.edu/alumni/from-the-ice-to-the-broadcast-booth-byu-grad-kate-hansen-in-beijing-for-winter-olympics/ Wed, 16 Feb 2022 21:56:02 +0000 https://cfac-archived.byu.edu/?p=57195 The post From the ice to the broadcast booth: BYU grad Kate Hansen in Beijing for Winter Olympics appeared first on BYU College of Fine Arts and Communications.

]]> Like Father, Like Son: Art Rascon Steps Down as Son Jacob Rascon Steps Up to Fill His Position as News Anchor https://cfac-archived.byu.edu/college/like-father-like-son-art-rascon-steps-down-as-son-jacob-rascon-steps-up-to-fill-his-position-as-news-anchor/ Wed, 09 Feb 2022 18:35:55 +0000 https://cfac-archived.byu.edu/?p=57130 Jacob Rascon takes the place of his father Art Rascon after 36 years in the journalism business, looking forward to filling the shoes his father wore so well Courtesy of Art Rascon News anchor, Area Seventy, BYU Comms alum and father Art Rascon has recently passed the torch to his son Jacob Rascon as he took over the anchor position at ABC13 in Houston, where Art Rascon has spent much of his career. On January 3, Art and Jacob Rascon shared the anchor desk as they were respectively working their last and first days on the job. It was a bittersweet day for the news team as they welcomed Jacob Rascon and bid farewell to Art Rascon. With a total of 36 years in journalism reporting on events in some 80 countries, Art Rascon worked for CBS NEWS and spent 28 years at ABC NEWS, anchoring many of those years in Houston. Art Rascon is the recipient of 19 Emmy Awards, two Edward R. Murrow awards, a Rotary International award and other notable recognitions. He has been serving since 2020 as an Area Seventy for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Courtesy of Art Rascon For the Rascons, journalism is a family affair. Art Rascon’s sons Jacob and Matt Rascon, as well as his brother Dan Rascon are all School of Communications alumni — evidence that the talent and passion for storytelling and love for BYU runs in the Rascons’ blood. As an Emmy- and Edward R. Murrow-award recipient, Jacob Rascon is an accomplished journalist in his own right. His career travels have taken him to places like Egypt, the Middle East, the Caribbean, Asia and all 50 states. He has covered such major events as the 2016 Presidential campaign — including conventions and inauguration — the X Games and the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympics. Jacob Rascon remembers visiting the ABC13 station as a child and looks forward to following in his father’s footsteps. He said it is an honor to take on this new role and that the opportunity to succeed his father, “who is the consummate journalist and an even better person,” makes him immensely proud. Courtesy of Art Rascon

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]]> Notes From the Editor: Journalism & The Church https://cfac-archived.byu.edu/alumni/notes-from-the-editor-journalism-the-church/ Mon, 08 Nov 2021 20:28:30 +0000 https://cfac-archived.byu.edu/?p=56778 Meet the editor in chief of the Church News and learn about her vigor for the field of journalism  The Church News headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah is a “living record of the restoration” of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Like any organization, there is a leader at the helm looking over everything, getting things approved and keeping projects in motion. So who is it at the Church News? None other than one of BYU’s own: Sarah Jane Weaver, a graduate of the School of Communications’ journalism program.  Even as a little girl, Weaver said that journalism was always the goal. “I declared my major before I went to BYU and I never changed it,” said Weaver. After decades of being in the business, the editor is still just as in love with journalism now as she’s always been. “I love the profession. I love everything about it. It connects people to their world, to their government, to their church, to their families.”  Weaver never wavered. What she never expected, however, was the opportunity to report on the leaders of the LDS Church and see how they carried themselves and a global religion.  “Early on, I wanted to be a political reporter. I did the Washington Seminar and did an internship with the Deseret News Washington Bureau,” said Weaver. It was through the Washington Seminar that she was able to meet editors at the Deseret News who would later suggest she apply for a position at the Church News.  “Once I went to work at Church News, I felt very strongly about its mission and I really wanted to amplify the voices of prophets and apostles,” she said. “I loved the Church and I enjoyed telling stories about the lives of church members and all the good they do around the world.” Weaver has loved telling stories about the Church’s humanitarian efforts, as well as Church education, welfare services and temple dedications. “Suddenly, I was seeing this really beautiful picture of the Church unfold and that was very fulfilling to me to be able to be a part of telling that story for other Church members,” said the editor.  She began her Church News career in 1995 and has had the unique opportunity to cover the Church under the leadership of three different prophets. Presidents Gordon B. Hinckley, Thomas S. Monson and Russell M. Nelson.  “People say, ‘What’s it like to travel with the Prophet?’ I say, ‘I don’t travel with the Prophet, I follow him.’ It is a really profound privilege to observe prophets with the people,” she said.  Weaver describes her job as no different than any other member of the Church. “We do, however, get to view the Church from a very unique perspective. I always call it, ‘the Church News window,’” she said. “There’s access that we have because of our job because we have a charge to amplify the words of prophets and apostles and to connect them to Latter-day Saints. And that is a beautiful view.” In a world that now presents news and information vastly different than how it did in the early aughts of 1995, the BYU alum has seen the role of journalism in the past and is still firm in her convictions about the importance of news today.   “The industry is just as important now as it was then. In fact, it’s more important because people are desperate for information and they need to get it from a credible source,” said Weaver. “Information is empowering. It helps [people] make better decisions.”  Weaver has navigated the two spheres of religious and world news through the Church News organization.  “It is a great blessing to write about something that you care about and I cannot think of a greater cause in this whole world than the cause of Jesus Christ and the church he established,” she said.  Even 26 years later, Weaver is still so grateful for the career life has given her. “Every day I wake up and pinch myself. I think, ‘How did this happen? How did I get the opportunity to write about something that I care about so much?” 

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]]> Two College Anchors Find Their Way to the Same Anchor Desk 12 Years Later https://cfac-archived.byu.edu/alumni/two-college-anchors-find-their-way-to-the-same-anchor-desk-12-years-later/ Fri, 03 Sep 2021 18:18:53 +0000 https://cfac-archived.byu.edu/?p=56043 From college to KUTV 2News, these two journalists have come up together through their careers of broadcast journalism  When they graduated from the broadcast journalism program in 2009, Mallory Minster (now Moore) and Daniel Woodruff didn’t know that their careers would be intertwined throughout the course of their lives.  On June 27, 2021, twelve years after anchoring together on BYU’s then broadcast journalism program, BYU Daily News, Moore and Woodruff found themselves once again side-by-side at the anchor desk. This time with a higher rank and viewing platform. Today they are paid television journalists working for Utah’s CBS affiliate, KUTV 2News.  “This was our first time working together since we graduated. We’ve gone our separate ways, but we’ve definitely kept in contact over the years,” Moore said.  Contemplating on his years at the Y, Woodruff revealed that he thinks about his time there “quite a bit.”  “It shaped my career,” he said. “It was very helpful in preparing me for the real world. We were able to do stories, we were able to be players in the media market. I was at press conferences with reporters from all the local stations. So coming into the field of journalism, I didn’t feel at all unprepared.” Over the course of their careers, it hasn’t been all studio lights and teleprompters. Both Moore and Woodruff have had their stints outside the broadcast market, taking time to explore other career options and enjoy family life.  Mallory Minster Moore Moore (then Minster) was driven to succeed. The summer following graduation, she got an offer to be the main nighttime anchor for a small station in North Dakota. Determined to be a reporter, Moore decided to move 1035 miles away and go for it.  It wasn’t three months before Moore decided this might not be for her. She broke her contract and returned to Utah. Her news director said she’d never work in news again.  Back home in the beehive state, Moore found work producing for KSL’s lifestyle show. She produced for a year and half before moving out of state with her husband. With motherhood waiting in the wings, Moore always knew what her priorities were. “Our perspective was that we want to focus on his career. If we can make it work where I could work too, obviously that’s ideal, but I always wanted to have the option,” Moore said.  Since having kids, Moore has been on the inside and outside of the business. “People say it’s so hard to get back into it once you’ve left, but I just knew that my focus was my family and if it’s gonna work out, it’s gonna work out. And it’s always worked out along the way, but it hasn’t been the conventional way of doing it,” she said.  Moore built up her resume by working in both the Ohio and Phoenix markets. Eventually, her family made it back to Utah. She was able to snag a gig filling in for another Salt Lake station during their morning broadcast. However, not long after, she got a message she did not expect.  “The news director here [at KUTV] texted me and said, ‘Could you come talk to us about opportunities?’ I was so shocked and surprised,” Moore recalled. Moore was at channel 5 for a month before making the jump to channel 2.  Daniel Woodruff After graduation in April, life took Woodruff to Indiana, where he was a one-man-band reporter for two years. This led to a three-year run as a primary anchor in Wisconsin. In 2014, Woodruff saw an opportunity to move his family back to Utah. Being a northern Utah native, the position of reporter and fill-in anchor at KUTV 2News in Salt Lake City felt like the perfect fit for him.  Woodruff was at the station just shy of four years before he got another opportunity to explore. He accepted a position doing public affairs for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. “During that time I had some great experiences, but ultimately, I missed news,” he said.  Turns out, Woodruff had been missed in his absence and was able to make a comeback to channel 2.  Woodruff loved the idea of being part of the community he grew up in and raising his family with that hometown feel. The reporter doesn’t rule out the potential of a higher market someday, but ultimately says that this is where his family is grounded. “I have those moments where it’s tempting and I think, ‘Wow, that would be fun. And who knows what the future will hold,” he said.  Woodruff commented that it was easier to move around to different markets when his children were younger. But now they’ve settled in and their kids have established friendships, schools and extracurricular activities.   “As an adult, that’s what makes life what it is,” he said. “It’s harder to think about uprooting and just jumping to the next thing. Plus, KUTV has given me great opportunities and experiences. I have been able to report all over the country and even internationally,” said Woodruff.  Old Friends Reunite  It was during Woodruff’s time with the Church that Moore made her KUTV debut. When word circled that the former reporter would be returning, the station was abuzz. “Everyone told me, ‘You’re going to love Daniel!’ and I said, ‘Oh, I’ve known him longer than you have,’” Moore recounted with a smile.  Both journalists have had tremendous success in the industry, from college to present day. Both were recipients of the Arch Madsen scholarship and completed internships in Washington D.C. and New York respectively, Woodruff with CNN and Moore with NBC’s The Today Show.  Reflecting on their time in broadcasting, they had some advice to journalism students: “Whatever your career goals are, don’t feel like you have to do it by the book. Give yourself some space to figure it out along the way and if you get into a spot where it doesn’t feel right, you can always make your way back,” said Moore.  Woodruff chimed in with, “Know why you want to do it because journalism is not easy. It’s fun, it’s rewarding, it’s exhilarating, it’s front and center, but it’s not easy. Know why you want to do it and have that philosophy guide you. Allow yourself to enjoy the journey and to adapt [...]

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]]> Design Alum Claire Forste Talks Life and Education in Harlem https://cfac-archived.byu.edu/alumni/design-alum-claire-forste-talks-life-and-education-in-harlem/ Thu, 02 Sep 2021 21:21:34 +0000 https://cfac-archived.byu.edu/?p=56016 BYU grad Claire Forste hopes to change the art education curriculum by showcasing the art created and curated in the diverse neighborhood of Harlem, New York Claire Forste, a Utah native, graduated from the design department’s illustration program in 2019. Since graduation, Forste has gone on to move cross country to the nation’s creative playground: New York City.  When asked in an interview, “Why New York?” the young artist responded, “New York attracts people from all over the world. A friend of mine always jokes, ‘Every person I’ve met in New York is the most interesting person I’ve ever met.’ And I think there’s some truth to that. The space is incredibly energizing and motivating.”  Forste continued, “[New York] gives me new ideas. I think about things in ways I wouldn’t have before. Being able to go to the Met or the MoMA and be able to study these works of art in person is really remarkable.” She added that there has never been a dull moment since she moved to the city. “I think I’ve had more ideas, more opportunities and there are more chances for diversity of thought.” Although she admitted that having a formal degree for a career in design isn’t necessary, Forste said the skills she learned during her time at BYU are “invaluable.”  “I would not be as talented of an artist as I am without that training. And I think most importantly is the cohort, the BFA program has about 40 people in it and we’re all very close and tight-knit,” she said.   Three months after receiving her degree, Forste took the leap of faith and moved to the City That Never Sleeps — without a job lined up. She has made her living by doing side jobs and freelance work.  One of her freelance projects was to create the artwork for the New York version of the card game “Love Letters.” “A graphic designer at Squarespace wanted to buy her own copy but realized it was out of print. So she decided to just make her own New York version. She asked me to make all of the illustrations for it. It’s in that kind of that art deco, New York speakeasy kind of theme. We call it, ‘Telegraphs on Fifth,’” said Forste. Forste dove deep into her research to produce an authentic product. “It was fun to illustrate within that specific style and make something that’s so New York specific. I was able to explore all the different character designs and try to find real people who lived in the city to base it on,” she said.  This fall, Forste will be given a new opportunity to share the light and beauty that art can bring.  This time, however, it won’t be on a canvas. Come September, the artist will start her new position as a teacher for the Harlem Children’s Zone, a charter school system designed for and focused on child success and college acceptance. Children enroll in kindergarten and stay through high school at Harlem Children’s. The school’s unique system works with the children throughout their education to help graduates go on to enroll in colleges and universities. These schools are placed in areas with predominantly high dropout rates. Prenatal classes are offered to mothers who are pregnant so they can learn the fundamentals of early childhood development. These classes lead the child to be more prepared come time for kindergarten.  “It’s just an incredible model because it shows that it’s not the kid’s fault, it’s not their parent’s, it’s not that there’s something wrong with them, it’s just the structure. And when you give them that consistency, they’re able to achieve anything. I really admire the program,” Forste said.  The teacher-to-be has been hard at work trying to figure out how to teach and change the art curriculum system. “I’ve been doing a lot of research and looking into creating a curriculum that is reflective of just how diverse the art world actually is. It’s discouraging the way our education teaches it. Elementary school through college is exceptionally Eurocentric. There are so many wonderful artists throughout the rest of the world that just go unnoticed.” Forste said that since most of her students in Harlem will be people of color, she wants to teach them that there were great artists that also came from Harlem. “I want their role models to be the artists who are doing work now and that did work in the past that look like them.” Forste will be creating her own multicultural curriculum and teaching art to third, fourth and fifth graders.  

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]]> Lifelong Learning: BYU Comms Alum Rebecca Irvine Reflects on Her Education and Career https://cfac-archived.byu.edu/alumni/lifelong-learning-byu-comms-alum-rebecca-irvine-reflects-on-her-education-and-career/ Thu, 02 Sep 2021 14:36:27 +0000 https://cfac-archived.byu.edu/?p=55511 The post Lifelong Learning: BYU Comms Alum Rebecca Irvine Reflects on Her Education and Career appeared first on BYU College of Fine Arts and Communications.

]]> Arts & Comms: Behind the Cameras https://cfac-archived.byu.edu/college/arts-and-comms-behind-the-cameras/ Tue, 24 Aug 2021 22:29:38 +0000 https://cfac-archived.byu.edu/?p=55801 The post Arts & Comms: Behind the Cameras appeared first on BYU College of Fine Arts and Communications.

]]> Friday Night Footlights: How Theater Bonds a Colorado Town https://cfac-archived.byu.edu/alumni/friday-night-footlights-how-theater-bonds-a-colorado-town/ Fri, 13 Aug 2021 23:13:22 +0000 https://cfac-archived.byu.edu/?p=55572 Silver mining may have disappeared, but Creede Repertory Theater has been an economic and cultural boon to its community for 50 years CREEDE, Colo. — Perched at 8,900 feet in the San Juan Mountains, five hours from the nearest major airport and near the Rio Grande headwaters, Creede is a town of around 350 full-time residents, with one grocery store, one gas station and a fast-rushing flume. A traffic light? Now you’re asking for a lot. What it does have, most surprisingly, is an ambitious theater that has been running for 56 years. I had never heard of Creede Repertory Theater until the name came up after Googling “most remote theater in the United States” one day. My curiosity was piqued. Ask the Tony- and Emmy Award-winning actor Mandy Patinkin, a company member in 1971 and 1974, who ended up building a home here in Mineral County. “Paradise was defined for me and birthed in me by the theater of Creede, Colorado,” he said by phone recently. “It taught me what the theater was truly about: everyone working together to bring people together.” In some ways, the town has been a living lab experiment since 1966. It has had to figure out how to address cultural and community change — preferably amicably, since it is a very small place — while grappling with economic upheaval. The successful bonding agent has been not church or sports, but theater: Creede is the triumph of the Friday night footlights. Read the full story by Elisabeth Vincentelli in the New York Times here. 

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]]> Dance of Recovery: Resilience and Healing Through Art https://cfac-archived.byu.edu/alumni/dance-of-recovery-resilience-and-healing-through-art/ Fri, 09 Jul 2021 16:22:49 +0000 https://cfac-archived.byu.edu/?p=55065 The post Dance of Recovery: Resilience and Healing Through Art appeared first on BYU College of Fine Arts and Communications.

]]> A BYU Dancer’s Fall from Grace and Her Triumphant Climb Back to the Top https://cfac-archived.byu.edu/alumni/a-byu-dancers-fall-from-grace-and-her-triumphant-climb-back-to-the-top/ Mon, 28 Jun 2021 18:35:51 +0000 https://cfac-archived.byu.edu/?p=54959 BYU Dance alum Kaley Jensen was on cloud nine with the many accomplishments and successes coming her way, until one day it all came to a crashing halt  It has been six years since Kaley Jensen, then Kaley Johnson, closed the chapter on her BYU experience. Graduating with a BFA in dance, Jensen went on to have an incredible career—although not without its unexpected trials and hardships.  After dedicating all four years of her undergrad education to BYU’s Theatre Ballet company, Jensen followed up by cementing her status as a dancer by performing with San Francisco Conservatory of Dance, Ballet North Texas, Bruce Wood Dance, and Ballet Dallas.  A Bump in the Road It was June of 2016. Jensen was a newlywed of only three weeks, was attending University of Arizona for her Masters and had been accepted into the San Francisco Conservatory of Dance set to start the next month. The BYU grad was thriving. She could not have anticipated how her life would take a mighty turn.  Jensen was driving with her husband from New Mexico to California on their way to a friend’s wedding. Jensen fell asleep as her husband drove. It was on a dark unlit highway that the couple was hit head on by a drunk driver who didn’t have their headlights on. Her husband suffered minor injuries while Jensen’s injury resulted in a broken back. In hindsight, Jensen says, “There were a lot of miracles, it just could have been so much worse.” On the Mend Jensen was in a brace 24/7 and could only bend at the waist. She required the help of her mother-in-law to do basic household tasks, like getting dressed. When she started doing pilates based physical therapy, she was finally able to push herself and see results.  “I remember my physical therapist saying ‘You have to approach dance like you’re eight years old again, learning the basics,’” quoted Jensen.  By February of 2017, less than a year later, miraculously Jensen was able to perform again. “My teachers said, ‘Kaley, you’re strong. We’re gonna put you in.’ So I was able to perform this beautiful piece that meant so much to me and that was really special.” Although Jensen was able to dance and perform again, throughout her recovery she questioned if pursuing an education in dance and choreography was really what she was meant to do. “I could have just stopped, but in me I realized I couldn’t. I had to do whatever it was going to take to get back. I was like, ‘This is who I am and I’m going to do it,’” she said.  Jensen said she certainly had ‘why me?’ moments, but it was in those months of downtime, recovery and reflection that lit a fire of appreciation within her. “It was a hard summer. I should have been at this internship in California, dancing, but instead I was just sitting in an apartment,” she said. “I really just tried to focus on the ‘What am I to learn from this?’ because what happened, happened.” Jensen said she knew if she just pushed through, she would be able to make it back.  Mindset to Movement Making a full recovery, Jensen was able to go back to dancing, but she wanted to do more than that. She wanted a way to give back.  During the pandemic-fuelled quarantine summer of 2020, Jensen got an idea.  “I love dancing, I love teaching, I love coaching. And when quarantine hit and I wasn’t able to go drive and teach and everything became virtual, I saw this opportunity to build an app. I thought, that way I can reach more people and be able to still coach,” she said.  Building a virtual coaching program allowed Jensen the freedom to keep doing what she loves while creating something of her own. The first virtual program launched spring 2020 and since she has rolled out more classes with about 10-12 participants per class. Jensen likes to keep her classes small so that she can have individual relationships with all her students.  After receiving her bachelors, MFA and pilates certification, Jensen felt she had valuable information to share and wanted a way to share her knowledge without requiring a formal education. Creating an online program allows her to teach about the body, movement and dance while providing the opportunity to connect with dancers and movers from all across the nation and even abroad.  Jensen’s “Mind to Movement” programs teach body movement, pilates, dance and even nutrition, thanks to the help of a nutritionist Jensen has partnered with.  Jensen lights up when talking about her program and her life post accident. She strives to bring her love, drive and passion for dance, her dancers and her program everyday to the “office.” 

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