History professor awarded Kansas Arts Commission Mini-Fellowship

Dr. Joyce Thierer

Dr. Joyce Thierer, assistant professor in the department of Social Science, is the recipient of the 2007 Kansas Artist Mini-Fellowship, awarded from the Kansas Arts Commission.

Mini-Fellowship winners receive a monetary award of $500. Awardees were honored at a reception in Topeka the evening of March 7, 2007 at the office of John C. Peterson, Capital Strategies, 212 W. 8th Street, Ste. 200. Thierer was awarded the mini-fellowship for her work in performance art.

“Dr. Joyce Thierer turns history alive for anyone who has the pleasure to attend one of her presentations. Her ability to bring historical characters to audiences of all ages through her depictions of women provides very authentic experiences to communicate elements of past times,” said Dr. Rod Sobeski, dean, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.

Thierer and counterpart Ann Birney travel throughout the United States portraying characters such as Calamity Jane, Amelia Earhart, Julia Archibald Holmes, Rosa Fix and Elizabeth Hampstead. Thierer is part of a historical performance touring troupe, Ride into History. This troupe performs for audiences of all ages. Thierer portrays a dynamic Calamity Jane, grew up on horseback and uses family stories to make a farm woman Rosa Fix come alive.

"Dr. Thierer is a wonderful representative of the Department of History and Social Sciences, and of Emporia State University. She travels all over the state and the region performing oral history diaries of people from Great Plains history," said Dr. Ellen Hansen, chair, Department of Social Sciences. "She also gives workshops on public history and lectures on various topics of the history of the area. At the same time she is a popular teacher of U.S. and Kansas history here at ESU. She is one of ESU's best ambassadors, and is well-deserving of this Kansas Artist Mini-Fellowship."

Performing, history, and teaching are Thierer’s passions, which is why her history classes at ESU are so popular. She has researched, published and lectured in agrarian, western, and women’s history.

Kansas Artist Fellowship winners were also announced. They are Steve Balderson, Wamego (film/video); Sabrina Vasquez, Wichita (choreography); and Craig Weston, Manhattan (music composition).

Kansas Artist Mini-Fellowship winners are G.W. Clift, Manhattan (fiction); Darren DeFrain, Wichita (fiction); Scott Freeby, Manhattan, (music composition); Lacey Lewis, Kansas City, Kan. (2-D visual art); Justin Marable, Topeka (2-D visual art); Lisa Moser, Wichita (poetry); Julie Pentz, Manhattan (choreography); Girard Sagmiller, Shawnee

(film/video); Gary Stapp, Garnett (playwriting); and Joyce Thierer, Admire (performance art).

Since 1989, the Kansas Arts Commission has awarded 75 Artist Fellowships and 147 Artist Mini-Fellowships. An expert panel, consisting of members of the Kansas Arts Commission and arts professionals, selected the winners.

Last Updated July 2, 2007>