For more than a century, the fine arts department has offered studio-oriented academic and co-curricular opportunities as well as intellectual and creative enrichment for the campus and region. Highly skilled faculty members—who are also working artists in drawing, painting, ceramics, sculpture, computer graphics, digital video, acting, speech, theatre design, modern dance, ballet, jazz, music composition, guitar, contemporary and classical piano, strings and organ—inspire student achievement.

Department class offerings range from history and theory to performance and production skills. With the department’s leadership, our campus is a creative festival throughout the academic year: Stony Batter (the student theatre company since 1894), the dance ensemble, seven musical performance groups, student art exhibits and an annual student film festival.

The department co-sponsors Blue Review, Mercersburg’s national award-winning annual journal of student writing and art. The work of fine arts students regularly wins regional and national awards. Student musicians perform on the campus and in the community, and regularly join in county and district band festivals.

With the department’s new home in the Burgin Center for the Arts, students will train, experiment, and rehearse in state-of-the-art studios and practice spaces. The Coffrin Galley displays student and professional art. The 600-seat Simon Theatre (main stage) and Hale Studio Theatre (black box) provide professional-quality venues for performances, and visiting artists.

Fine Arts Department Faculty