About
Daniel G. Guyette, Dean
Dean's welcome
Welcome to Western Michigan University's College of Fine Arts. As dean, I am fortunate to lead this magnificent college. We have excellent programs and people here. One of the reasons I came to Western Michigan University is because it is a top-rated institution. It is ranked among the top 100 public universities in the nation. The College of Fine Arts is one of eight undergraduate colleges that make this University a great place to earn an education. For these same reasons, I'm confident you will find our college a professional and stimulating environment.
Western Michigan University is a large institution, having around 16,000 students, yet you would never feel lost in the College of Fine Arts, where 1,300 students major in the arts.
The College of Fine Arts consists of the Gwen Frostic School of Art, Irving S. Gilmore School of Music, School of Theatre and Dance and the Richmond Institute for Design + Innovation. All are nationally accredited.
That means the curriculum, learning opportunities, faculty, staff, facilities, governance structure and bases of support meet or exceed the standards established for high-quality learning. Each week I step into a studio, rehearsal or classroom and I can tell you first-hand that the faculty and staff are top-notch. Once you visit campus, you will see professional learning environments for the performing and visual arts. Performance halls, studios, exhibition spaces, laboratories and classrooms support your successes. Our technology laboratories for design students are terrific. In the college, you will meet students who are serious about studying the arts, committed to doing their best and having a great experience.
Our alumni are successful. They have used their degrees not only to make a living through art, but they make a life through the discipline and beauty that the arts entail. We are proud of our successful graduates as they teach, create, perform and serve as therapists or arts administrators throughout the nation.
If you are pursuing a career as a visual artist, actor, choreographer, composer, dancer, designer, educator, musician, scholar, therapist or theatre technician, I urge you to explore our website. Please check out the arts calendar and attend some of our events. If I can help you make arrangements, contact me.
We would like to hear from you, so email us, give us a call or write us a letter, and be sure to visit the "arts village," which is the area of campus where the Richmond Center for Visual Arts, Dalton Center and Gilmore Theatre Complex are located. I know once you are here you will be impressed with the quality of our college.
Please let me know if I can be of help to you.
Dan Guyette
Dean
(269) 387-5811
daniel.guyette@wmich.edu