Department of Dance Alumnae Tyisha Nedd (BFA ’14) and Theresa Niermeyer (BFA ’14) were honored at Ohio State’s First Annual Civic Engagement Banquet Tuesday, Sept. 16, for their senior projects that reflected their commitment to “Education as Citizenship.” Both were nominated by Michael Kelly Bruce, Department of Dance undergraduate studies chairperson, and Dori Jenks, external relations coordinator.

Nedd received the Maya Angelou Award for her project where she spent a year in the Franklin Country Community Based Correctional Facility, using dance to bring creative expression to the women there. Nedd’s project embodies all of the ideals of the Maya Angelou Award: to combine words, art and actions to stir souls, energize bodies, liberate minds and heal hearts.

Niermeyer received the Marian Wright Edelman Award for her project, “Dance in Global Contexts: Integrating Ethnographic Dance Research in Public Education,” where she used a wide variety of culturally diverse dances to teach high school students about global citizenship. Her project combines music and dance to teach students about the diverse forms of human expression, beliefs and values around the world. Her work at Fort Hayes Metropolitan Education Center exemplifies the ideals of the Marian Wright Edelman Award: the promotion, advancement and equitable access to education.

Both awardees said they were humbled and honored to receive the awards. They both plan to continue their mission to bring people together and generate new understandings of themselves and others through dance.

Read the whole story on the Department of Dance website.