College of the Arts welcomes 5 new faculty

August 23, 2024

Five new faculty members, including two Columbus State University alumni, join the College of the Arts this fall. They are among the 19 new full-time faculty joining the university for the 2024-25 academic year.

“Like our students, our newest faculty represent the creativity, innovation and leadership found in our College of the Arts disciplines,” said Dr. Wanda Ebright, the college’s dean. “Communities thrive where the arts thrive, and each of these educators promises to help teach, equip and inspire our students to enrich the Chattahoochee Valley—and the places where they’ll live and lead after they graduate.”

Nili Cimand joined the Department of Communication during the 2023-24 academic year as a lecturer before her appointment this fall as an assistant professor. Before earning an MBA from Florida International University, Cimand was the associate broadcast producer at The Bravo Group. In this role, she produced many projects for the award-winning agency and clients, including Wendy’s, AT&T, Winn-Dixie and FedEx LatAm. She was also the post-production producer at New Art Miami/Manhattan Transfer Miami, where she supervised and coordinated all editing, telecine, audio, graphics and post-production services for Macy’s, McDonald’s, Ford Motor Company, Glade and more.

Aaron Crosby joins the Department of Theatre & Dance as a lecturer. Students will benefit from his lighting, sound and scenic expertise honed through roles with multiple theatres, studios, stage productions and performance venues. Most recently, he served as one of the resident lighting designers at Sight & Sound Theatres, where his designs were featured on both stage and screen. His previous faculty appointments include teaching positions at Lancaster Bible College, Sight & Sound Conservatory, the Pollock Center and Temple University. He holds bachelor’s degrees in theatre arts and media production from Bethel University and a master of fine arts in theatrical design from Temple.    

Madeline Harts begins her tenure this fall as a full-time lecturer of voice in the Joyce & Henry Schwob School of Music. Her teaching, research and practice continue to center on women composers and pedagogues, vocology and singer habilitation. She previously taught at SUNY Fredonia, Niagara University and the University at Buffalo SUNY—in addition to her role as executive director of the Buffalo Philharmonic Chorus. She holds a doctor of music arts in vocal pedagogy and performance from the University of Miami, a master of music in vocal performance from Bowling Green State University, and a bachelor of music in vocal performance and music education from Ithaca College. 

Samuel Vargas Teixeira ’22, ’24 returns to the Schwob School of Music this fall as a lecturer. As an award-winning and internationally recognized violinist, Vargus has performed in more than 40 countries as a soloist and with various philharmonics. Among his most notable awards is first prize in the 2021 Sphinx Competition and the Global Genius International Music Competition’s Outstanding Teacher Award. He is the founder and president of the Vargas Foundation, which enriches communities and society through classical music and music education. He recently published his first book, “The Art of Giving and Receiving: The Person Behind the Violin,” which explores the art of teaching and focuses on establishing a relationship between musicians and their inner being. A two-time Columbus State graduate, he holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in music performance and a musicology certificate.

Allen Yueh ’17 returns to the Schwob School of Music as a lecturer in piano after completing his artist diploma in piano performance at Columbus State in 2017. In addition, he holds a bachelor's in applied mathematics from Harvard University, a master’s in piano performance from New York University and a doctor of musical arts in piano performance from the Cleveland Institute of Music. He’ll teach a combination of piano and theory, and head the school’s Preparatory Division. He previously taught at the Cleveland Institute of Music as conservatory theory faculty and preparatory piano faculty, and chaired its DMA Committee.

More than 900 students and 150 full- and part-time faculty and staff call the College of the Arts and its four academic departments home. For a directory of and information about Columbus State’s faculty and staff, visit columbusstate.edu/profiles.

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Media contact: Michael Tullier, APR, Executive Director of Strategic Communication + Marketing, 706.507.8729, mtullier@columbusstate.edu