HOUSTON (May 25, 2017) – Texas Southern University will be represented by four students at the inaugural HBCU Summer Teachers Institute in Technical Art (STITAH) at Yale University. The Institute will be held June 2-9, 2017 in New Haven, Connecticut.

Chanise Epps (sophomore), Robert Riojas (senior), Kei Takahashi (sophomore) and Michael Marie Thomas (junior) were four of 11 students selected in a national search to participate in the professional development course geared toward HBCU students. Epps, Riojas and Takahashi are art majors and Thomas is majoring in history. Dr. Alvia Wardlaw, director of the University Museum at Texas Southern University and professor of Art History, mentors the students and will accompany them at the eight-day workshop.

“Texas Southern has a long history of engaging and supporting young artists in their work,” Thomas said. “By participating in the Yale STITAH program, I will be able to shine a light on this fantastic legacy and bring more recognition to the university that continues to impact my vision for the future.”

This intensive program in art conservation will focus on the protection and care of tangible artifacts and works of art as well as tours of the Sterling Memorial Library and Archives, the Institute for the Preservation of Cultural Heritage, and the African American Cultural Center. Conservation activities for participants will include lectures and demonstrations, examination, technique analysis, research and treatment. The HBCU STITAH program presents a multi-faceted approach that includes practical workshops and hands-on activities at both the British Art Center and the Yale School of Art.

“I’m so proud of these students and I know that their experiences at Yale STITAH will create amazing opportunities for each of them,” Dr. Wardlaw said.