"Wow” exclaimed the child, after hearing his first concert. He said this right in the concert hall so that everyone could hear his voice in those quiet moments just after the music ended. The children’s book “The Boy Who Said WOW” (beautifully written by Todd Boss and exquisitely illustrated by Rashin Kheiriyeh) explains that the young man, Ronan, who uttered that exuberant word, actually seldom spoke — which made his expression of excitement and wonder after hearing the live music all the more touching. On this occasion, the Boston audience broke into spontaneous applause — for Ronan and for the orchestra.  By the way, not only was Ronan’s “Wow” heard in Boston’s Symphony Hall that day – as it happens, it was on a radio broadcast heard across the globe!

I could not think of a better way to welcome the College of Fine Arts community back for the 2024-25 academic year than to share this story of the powerful way in which music brought delight and amazement to a neurodivergent child. For me, it affirms the astonishing ability of the arts to bring humanity together to have experiences that are transcendent. As we discussed continuously during the pandemic years, the arts are an essential part of life and the human experience. Increasingly, we are exposed to examples of how the arts heal, how medicine and a range of other disciplinary and professional knowledge sectors are pursuing interdisciplinary research, asserting the critical importance of the arts in novel and compelling contexts, with innovative programs such as Art Pharmacy, an enterprise that is piloting the concept of providing prescriptions to arts experiences as an effective strategy to address illness.

The arts are indeed integrated into the fabric of our global society. In my own experience this summer, playing my viola in one of the world’s most striking cathedrals in Vienna, Austria (Stephansdom) I was reminded - and awestruck - by the astounding universality of the language of the arts disciplines. This is the remarkable experience — communicating the arts in a language that is distinctive, creative and original — that our faculty and students will encounter throughout their lives.

Whether it is right here at UNLV — in Las Vegas — or around the country and the world — our college is proud to share our work with the community. The “Arts in the Center” series features students and faculty from various departments in the college who perform and exhibit at the city’s Commercial Center. We are providing artistic experiences for women in Nevada’s correctional facilities. Students are going into homeless youth shelters to teach art. With these particular opportunities, our students and faculty in the college can experience firsthand the capacity of art to serve as a catalyst for social change.

We are thrilled to be bringing international projects to campus during the forthcoming academic year, supported by partnerships and new collaborations. Through these opportunities, our students will make art with students from around the world, creating a richness of educational encounters that will be transformative. The education we offer to our students is rich and demanding, preparing them for fulfilling and meaningful lives. It has never been a more exhilarating and wondrous time to contribute to society as artists and architects. Possibilities abound, reaching as far as our imaginations will take us. The year ahead will be replete with outstanding offerings — both to our students and to our community.

I join Ronan from the story I shared at the beginning of this letter, to say one word, following his inspiration, which captures all that is possible for our students, their exceptional prospects for the years ahead, and the myriad artistic engagements that our college is delighted to share with our community and the world: “Wow!”

 Wishing each and every one of you a truly wonderful year ahead, with great adventures and exciting opportunities for learning and growth,

Warmest wishes,

Nancy Uscher