Arts Achievement Awards

Career Achievement Award in Art/Art History/Design

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  Christen Morris

  Chris Morris '04 is the Creative Director of The Dirt Label, a bold clothing brand founded in 2006 in Detroit. The Dirt Label represents independence, audacity, and aggressive creativity, appealing to individuals who strive to live outside conventional boundaries. A native of Detroit's Westside, Chris sees the city's challenging environment as an asset that requires creativity and tenacity to succeed.

  Under Chris's leadership, The Dirt Label has grown into a respected brand, known for its unapologetic designs and its ethos: "To be daring is to be intelligent, to be different is to be unique, and to be cocky is to be confident." The brand’s legitimacy was cemented by gaining influential supporters, a testament to the relentless work ethic Chris instilled in his team.

  For Chris, success means standing apart from competitors by constantly innovating and crafting a distinct identity. His vision and passion for uniqueness have propelled The Dirt Label into mainstream recognition while staying true to its roots of bold, boundary-pushing fashion.

Career Achievement Award in Theatre and Dance

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  Fred Shahadi

  Fred Shahadi '01 is an award-winning playwright, filmmaker, and actor living in Los Angeles.

  His play "BOX" had two successful Off Broadway runs in 2003 and 2011 and he was the head writer for three seasons for the Emmy-nominated "Recipe Rehab" on CBS. Fred was recently awarded semi-finalist for his play "How Many Fingers? -or- Return to Play" at the 2023 Austin Film Festival.

  He also won consecutive Heck-Rabi Dramatic Awards for his plays "Plastic Man" and "Supertrain," as well as a Parents Choice Award for his work on "Recipe Rehab" in 2014. Fred is also the author of the cult sci-fi novel "Shoot the Moon" which Mat Johnson author of "Pym," "Incognegro," and "Loving Day," called “a brilliant fever dream of a novel — wildly creative, relentlessly funny, and wholly unique. Fred Shahadi has an utterly original literary voice that you're going to want to sit down and listen too.”

  Fred is a proud graduate from Wayne State University where he holds a Master of Fine Arts in Acting from the Hilberry Repertory Theatre program.

Career Achievement Award in Communication

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  Conan Smith

  In an era of extraordinary challenges and deep political divisions, political and social leaders who guide others to paths of peace are increasingly valuable. Conan Smith '15 has spent a career helping us navigate some of the most critical environmental issues facing Michigan and this country, from urban redevelopment to climate change. 

  The Ann Arbor native became Michigan Environmental Council’s first BIPOC president and CEO in May 2019, but he also worked with the organization from 1998 to 2004. In between, Conan served for 12 years as executive director of Metro Matters, a southeast Michigan nonprofit dedicated to intergovernmental cooperation that was named among the most innovative companies by Michigan Business Review and a Crain’s Detroit Cool Place to Work.

  While working in the nonprofit sector, Conan also served for 14 years as an elected Washtenaw County Commissioner and has held leadership positions on numerous public and private boards, including state-level appointments by both Gov. Jennifer Granholm and Gov. Rick Snyder. He also taught intergovernmental cooperation at the Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy at the University of Michigan and coordinated the Detroit Metro Area Communities Study. He currently chairs Washtenaw County’s advisory council on reparations

  He holds a master’s degree in dispute resolution from Wayne State University and a bachelor’s degree in creative writing and English literature from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor.

  Today, Conan brings those storytelling, listening and creative problem solving skills to the public policy world, helping Michiganders with shared values but very different perspectives to create the policies and programs that help us remain the Great Lake State.

Arts Educator Award

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  Anita Bates

  Dr. Anita Bates '98, '21, is a 2019 Kresge Arts Fellow and a native of Highland Park, Michigan. A contemporary artist, she has been exhibited in several venues including the Trout Museum in Appleton, Wisconsin; the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History in Detroit; G.R. N’Namdi Gallery; Dell Pryor Gallery; Detroit Artists Market; River’s Edge Gallery in Wyandotte, Michigan; Querini Stampalia Museum in Venice, Italy; A Gathering of the Tribes Gallery in New York, NY and the Ashara Ekundayo Gallery in Oakland, California.

  The artist and her work have been noted and reviewed in various periodicals and publications such as The Detroit News and Free Press, The Oakland Press, Detroit Home Magazine, Art News, BLAC Magazine, TR8T Magazine, Imago Mundi: The Luciano Benetton Collection and The Romeo Observer.

  Dr. Bates’ work has been acquired for the Woodward West Art Collection; the N’Namdi Permanent Collection; the Luciano Benetton Collection and Detroit Public Schools Community District Artist Collaborative.  

  Of late, Anita has expanded her artistic endeavors to curatorial practice, developing exhibitions for Detroit’s Cass Café, the Detroit Artists Market and most recently for the Progressive Arts Studio Collective (PASC), a studio and arts collective dedicated to artists with disabilities.

  Ms. Bates holds both a PhD in Education and M.F.A. in Painting from Wayne State University. She also has an MA in Studio Art with a painting concentration from Eastern Michigan University. Other accomplishments include a Fulbright Memorial Fellowship in Japanese education and a King, Chavez, Parks Future Faculty Fellowship from Wayne State University. Her research interests center around the ways in which museum narratives and visual imagery can be used to promote critical thinking with young viewers regarding systems of inequity and representation. Currently, she serves as an Assistant Professor of Teaching and Program Coordinator for Visual Art Education at Wayne State University.

CFPCA Dean's Art Advocacy Award

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  Ruth Rattner

  Ruth Rattner '71 is an art educator, cultural advocate, art historian, art appraiser and art collector. She is deeply involved with Detroit’s premier cultural institutions, holding board positions at the Detroit Institute of Arts (DIA) and the Detroit Opera.

  She began her art community career as a gallery assistant at the Gertrude Kasle Gallery and went on to teach humanities at Wayne State University and the University of Windsor. She also taught at the Center for Creative Studies and at Marygrove College. Her volunteer work includes significant contributions to the Detroit Artists Market where she served in various capacities. She was on the Board and juried numerous exhibitions, as well as a Board member at the Cranbrook Academy of Art.

  Ruth was one of the first volunteers and docents at the DIA, where she was also among the inaugural members of both the Friends of Modern Art and the Drawing and Print Club. Ruth later joined the curatorial staff, working with the Education, Graphic Arts, and Modern Arts departments.

  As a leading authority on contemporary art, Ruth has written for publications such as Art in America, Artforum, The New Art Examiner, Arts Canada, and The Bulletin of the Detroit Institute of Arts.
  Ruth was a certified member of the Art Appraisers Association of America from 1994-2005 and served as the Midwest Regional Representative from 1994-1999. She was the art appraiser for major corporations and private collectors.

  Ruth received her BA from the University of Michigan and her MA in Humanities from Wayne State University.

Career Achievement Award in Music

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  Dennis J. Tini

  It is with deep and profound sadness that the College of Fine, Performing and Communication Arts announces the recent passing of Dennis J. Tini on Oct. 7, 2024.

  Dennis J. Tini '70, '72, was a Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Music and Senior Associate Dean (retired) of the College of Fine, Performing and Communication Arts at Wayne State University in Detroit.

  Professor Tini taught and administrated at WSU for 42 wonderful years, retiring 8/31/15. Tini, jazz pianist/composer, choral conductor and consultant/clinician, appeared frequently at major music festivals, universities, and conferences throughout Europe, South Africa, Canada, Jamaica, Argentina, Haiti and the United States during the past fifty years. Professor Tini is the recipient of numerous National, State, University and International awards for excellence in music performance, teaching, leadership and service.

  Professor Tini’s responsibilities as Senior Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs & Policy for the WSU College of Fine, Performing and Communications Arts involved overseeing Faculty searches/hiring, tenure-promotion processes, Entrepreneurship/Creativity initiatives, Faculty-Chair-Staff Mentoring, Overseeing Union Contract policies/issues for full time and part-time faculty, Recruitment/Marketing, Enrollment, Retention and budget management strategies, Minority/Women initiatives, By-Laws/Factors revisions, and Interdisciplinary/Arts Administration objectives for the College Departments of Art/Art History, Communication, Music and Theatre/Dance.

  Professor Tini served for 13 years as Chairman of the Wayne State University Department of Music from 1992 - 2005, as Director of Jazz Studies from 1978 - 1988, Co-Director of Jazz Studies from 1988 - 2005, and as Director of WSU Choral Activities from 1988 – 2005. Tini also served as Area Coordinator for the WSU Music Business and Music Technology Programs from 2006 - 2015. Co-Founder of the WSU Jazz Studies Program in 1979, Professor Tini is founding director of the WSU Jazztet, founding conductor of the select WSU Concert Chorale, and Conductor Emeritus of the WSU Choral Union & Orchestra.

  Professor Tini has appeared with Buddy Rich, the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, The Brazeal Dennard Chorale, Larry Nozero, J.C. Heard, Marvin Stamm, Chris Collins, the Dennis Tini Trio/Quartet, April Arabian-Tini, Jon Faddis, Don Ellis, Woody Shaw, Matt Michaels, and Bunky Green, among others. Tini has conducted orchestras for Hollywood movies, composed music for documentaries/commercials, and performed as musical director for national corporate musical productions.

  Professor Tini has conducted and appeared as piano soloist with the WSU Jazz Lab Band, Vocal Jazz Ensemble, Jazztet and Concert Chorale in numerous concert tours throughout Europe. Dennis Tini’s jazz trio, duo, quintet, and quartet with strings CDs are available at: cdbaby.com/cd/tinitrio, and cdbaby.com/cd/dennistinirussmillerjazz.

  Professor Tini has served on National Endowment for the Arts Music Review Panels, the United States Information Agency International Arts America Evaluation Committee, and was designated an External Evaluator for the National Association of Schools of Music. Tini is a Past President of the former International Association of Jazz Educators (9,000 members in 35 countries) and is Founder of the IAJE International Music Relief Effort for South Africa, (1992 to the present). In September 2013, Professor Tini was a featured performer/clinician at the South African Jazz Educators Conference in Durban, South Africa - his 10th voluntary trip in support of the Music Relief Effort for South Africa. Tini is a founding member of the Jazz Education Network, with over 4000 members globally.

  Professor Tini has served on the Chamber Music Society of Detroit Board of Trustees, Detroit Symphony Orchestra Education Advisory Council, IAJE Past-Presidents Advisory Council, WSU Alumni Association Board of Directors, and is a Past-President of the Pi Kappa Lambda National Music Honor Society-WSU Chapter. Professor Tini has served as a Judge for the American Choral Directors Association National Conducting Competition, and appeared frequently as a choral director with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, preparing Symphony Choruses for Neeme Jarvi, Antal Dorati, Erich Kunzel, and Itzhak Perlman, among others. Tini’s conducting studies were with Robert Shaw, Sixten Ehrling, Malcolm Johns, Harry Langsford, Howard Swan, William Dawson and Charles Hirt, among others; voice studies were with Metropolitan Opera artists Blake Stern, Florence Kopleff and Robert H. Cowden.

  Recipient of the WSU President's Award for Excellence in Teaching in 1996 and the 1999 President's Exceptional Service Award, Tini was appointed WSU Distinguished Professor of Music in 2005. In addition to his frequent jazz and choral concerts, Professor Tini’s recent research includes "The Brain in Music and the Martial Arts", integrating his University teaching, global performance activities, training in Karate & Filipino Martial Arts, and Black Belt in Attributes of the Modern Warrior under Guru Brad Rabe. Tini is currently certified as a Basic Life Support/BLS CPR Instructor for the American Heart Association, and is a member of the CERT/Community Emergency Response Team affiliated with the Farmington Hills, Michigan Fire Department.

  Tini ‘s recent awards include the 2014 Global Music Awards Gold Medal for Composition, the 2010 Honorary Lifetime SAJE Membership Award for Outstanding Service to Jazz Education in South Africa, the 2009 Jazz Artist Dedication from the Michigan Jazz Festival, and the title Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Music from Wayne State University in 2005. Professor Tini serves on the Wayne State University Emeritus Academy Advisory Board, and is Vice President of the Michigan Jazz Festival Board of Directors. Since 2018, Tini has voluntarily served as Music Director and head of security - teaching music monthly and training the security guards, for the Have Faith Haith Mission & Orphanage in Port-au-Prince, Haiti operated by internationally-acclaimed author/philanthropist Mitch Albom.