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This summer, the Chaddock + Morrow College of Fine Arts welcomed a new leader; artist, educator, playwright and lifelong arts advocate Roxanne Schroeder-Arce. With a career spanning classrooms, stages and administrative offices from Texas to Boston, Schroeder-Arce brings with her a passion for community, storytelling and arts education that is both deeply personal and widely impactful. We sat down with Dean Schroeder-Arce to learn more about her journey, her vision for OHIO and what excites her most about becoming a Bobcat and joining the Athens community.

Q: Welcome to OHIO! Can you tell us a little bit about what drew you to this role?

Schroeder-Arce: I wasn't actively seeking a deanship, I was happily working as an Associate Dean at the University of Texas Austin, but when someone reached out about this opportunity, I looked into it and immediately felt a connection. What caught my eye was the emphasis on community, the arts and education and how they intersected. I thought, this is a space where I could be of service.

When I spoke with the search committee, I sensed a genuine culture of care. Then I visited, and that feeling was multiplied. Everyone I met seemed to share a collective pride and deep investment in moving the arts forward, both on campus and in the wider community.

Q: How do your previous experiences inform the way youā€™ll lead here?

Schroeder-Arce: Iā€™ve been fortunate to teach and learn in many contexts, from elementary school drama programs to large universities. I began as a public-school teacher in Laredo, Texas, right out of college. My students there taught me so much about language, access and the power of representation in the arts.

I taught courses on performance, pedagogy, and Latino theater and storytelling at UT Austin, where I also served as an administrator. Before that, I was at Emerson College and Fresno State, where I directed youth-focused touring productions in places like the San Joaquin Valley. My work has always centered around the idea that young people and their stories matter deeply.

Q: You mentioned community and access. Why are those so central to your work?

Schroeder-Arce: I grew up in rural Vermont with a single mom who was a musician. We didnā€™t have a lot of resources, but she brought my sister and me into the arts just by including us - literally putting us on stage with her. I remember watching a touring production of ā€œUp With Peopleā€ in my middle school gym and thinking, ā€˜I want to do that.ā€™ That moment changed everything.

We didnā€™t have theater classes, but I found my way to the stage any way I could like the Springfield Community Players and school productions. Instead of going to prom, I actually performed in ā€œGodspellā€ and then showed up at the prom in costume! That kind of passion never left me.

So, when I became a teacher, I understood how critical access is. I remember a student who wanted to perform a monologue in Spanish but was being told she had to do so in English. She told me, ā€˜English is in my head, but Spanish is in my heart.ā€™ Thatā€™s stayed with me ever since.

Q: What excites you most about being here at OHIO?

Schroeder-Arce: So much! First, the collaborative spirit. Faculty, staff, and students seem genuinely excited about working together across disciplines. Iā€™ve already felt that in conversations and planning and thereā€™s a real openness here.

And, of course, the new Patton Center for Arts Education is a huge opportunity. Itā€™s not just about a space; itā€™s about a vision. I imagine a building where someone walking to a recital ends up catching a glimpse of a gallery exhibition, where community artists feel welcomed and where intergenerational learning thrives. I hope it's a place where the public sees themselves reflected and inspired.

Also, Iā€™m excited about the proximity to the Patton College of Education. As someone deeply invested in preparing arts educators, I see so much possibility for cross-college collaboration including thinking together about how weā€™re educating the next generation of artists and teachers.

Q: What have you and your family enjoyed most about Athens so far?

Schroeder-Arce: Most definitely the vibrant arts community! Not just the artists themselves, but the clear support for the artsā€” throughout Athens and the surrounding area. I have loved visiting the Kennedy Museum of Art, listening to music on the green, watching a film on the roof at the Athena, walking through the quilt exhibit at the Dairy Barn, and experiencing a Native flautist at Stuartā€™s Opera House. Walking around and seeing artwork displayed all overā€”including on buildings and streetsā€”gives me such a sense of comfort and belonging.

Weā€™ve also found some good food. Weā€™ve had great meals at places like Casa Nueva and Little Fish, and weā€™ve been trying all sorts of local spots, though I admit, I have very high standards for Mexican food after living in Texas over 20 years of my life!

My husband, whoā€™s from Laredo, made this move with me, and Iā€™m so grateful for that. Our daughter is in school at Dartmouth, so at least weā€™re a little closer to her. Overall, weā€™ve all felt so welcomed.

Q: Any final thoughts as you begin this new chapter?

Schroeder-Arce: I come to this role as a learner. I donā€™t pretend to have all the answers. I want to listen to faculty, to students, to staff, and to the community, and help nurture the amazing work thatā€™s already happening here.

More than anything, I want us to celebrate the arts together. I believe deeply in the power of the arts to educate, to build bridges and to bring people together. Thatā€™s the kind of work I want to do here - meaningful, joyful and in partnership with others.