Challenge Accepted - Fall 2020

HPU faculty and staff are determined to deliver a high-quality education despite all of the uncertainties during this time. The School of Music and Fine Arts (SOMFA), specifically, is overcoming some of the instructional challenges presented by COVID-19 and continuing to serve students and the Brownwood community with joyful hearts.

 The faculty and staff acted preemptively and tackled various unique challenges early on with positive attitudes. These challenges required special solutions such as investing in unique wipes to sanitize surfaces like keyboards that would be damaged by typical disinfectant wipes, instrument covers to minimize the dispersal of aerosols that emerge from wind instruments, clear masks for all of the theatre students so that facial expressions are visible, special masks for all of the choir students that allow for greater resonance than that provided by basic facemasks, cameras for debate, and more.

 Dr. Fiese, dean of the School of Music and Fine Arts, said that the faculty shows commitment to their purpose by being very respectful of modified class times which allow for mitigation procedures. He indicated that he has not received a single complaint about having to sanitize classrooms or observing other special mitigation protocols.

“Our ultimate purpose is two-fold. We obviously want to protect our students, but we also want to do so in the least restrictive environment possible. We want to make sure that what we’re doing doesn’t create so much disruption and disturbance to the learning process and the other experiences that students should have while still protecting them,” added Fiese.

Another element of dealing with pandemic is that the faculty and staff at Howard Payne University (HPU) rely heavily on their faith to continue making a difference in students’ lives during this time.

 Dr. Welker, Communication professor and department chair, said that the story of Esther and the roles of women during World War II (WWII) encourage her to keep teaching.

“I did a Bible study this summer about Esther and I’ve thought about her role. She was placed in a situation where there were completely new expectations on her performance as a person, and she did what God asked her to do. The other thing I’ve thought about a lot. I’ve always been a huge WWII history buff, especially women’s roles during WWII, and I think of all of the women that continued to teach despite the hardships, and so I have drawn a lot of inspiration from women like that who continue to work, teach, and go about their duties. This is uncomfortable, but it’s not hard. We can do this. We’ll get through it.”

Ms. Mize, art adjunct faculty, said that Isaiah 41:10 is one specific verse encouraging her during this time.

“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” (NIV)

The SOMFA has continued providing students with a quality education despite COVID-19 creating a number complications to delivering experiential learning and public interaction which are essential to the learning process.

 Dr. Ewen, theatre assistant professor, said that he considers this one of the best years for HPU’s theatre department as they are determined to find a way to serve the community and share their art.

 “There's always a way to do it if you’re creative enough. Consider the incomprehensible creativity of God. That’s what we have access to. This is the God that created life out of nothing. That’s who we serve and that’s who inspires us as artists, so we can find a way,” added Ewen.

Dr. Fiese is a great example of how selfless our faculty and staff truly are. He thought about society as a whole and said that there is a positive outcome. “I just find God’s Word very encouraging, and I think most of us have during this time. That is one healthy outcome of this. It’s probably driven people into the Word a little more.”

Dr. Ewen said that there is no such thing as “going back to normal” for the theatre department further exemplifying how well the SOMFA has adapted.

 “I’m not worried about things going back to normal. The life of a theatre student is, by definition, abnormal. I’ve gotten a little bit excited about this opportunity to rethink the ‘normal’ of how things are done. If normal is good enough, then what are we all doing here? I like this opportunity to get to be creative in the face of a crisis,” added Ewen.

Despite their capability of handling this situation, many of our faculty and staff members are looking forward to being able to return to the previous state of “normalcy.” Dr. Fiese noted that he is looking forward to opening up our campus as a resource for the community.

“We’re a school of doers. In a lot of other disciplines, you learn about your discipline. We don’t merely learn about our topic or our discipline, we do it. We’re an active school, and opening up to having more community people on our campus to hear our concerts, see our plays, hear debates, go to art exhibits, that’s the thing I think our students miss the most. It is healthy for our community to have these cultural fountainhead events. That’s really what Howard Payne is. It’s a cultural fountainhead for greater Brown county, and if the community can’t come onto our campus in a way that they’ve grown to expect, that changes how we’re a positive influence in our community. That changes the quality of life for our community, and it also changes the experience for our students,” added Fiese.

COVID-19 has changed the way we do things and opened up our eyes to many little things we may have taken for granted.

 Dr. Welker has found a new appreciation for hugs and face-to-face meetings with colleagues. 

“I have always been a physical person, and I miss hugging and shaking hands. We teach that basic introduction etiquette is shaking someone’s hand. Sometimes it’s the first and the only human contact you have with another person, but it means so much. You can tell a lot about someone in a handshake. Also, meeting with my colleagues on campus. I miss the meetings. We need that. That’s how we learn from one another. We support one another. We question things that are happening, and we need that time together,” added Welker.

Dr. Ewen has found a new appreciation for all of the people who serve no matter what.

“All of the people, not just in spite of COVID, but in a lot of cases, because of COVID are now working even harder to keep everybody going. I hope that we have a better appreciation for people who are in service-oriented fields. My opinion is every profession should be a service-oriented profession if you're a Christian, but especially those that they’re putting themselves in harm's way continuing to serve people,” added Ewen.

Dr. Fiese has found a new appreciation for the faculty and staff at HPU.

“I already held the faculty in high esteem, but I’ve grown in my estimation of the faculty. How resilient they have been. How cooperative they have been. How gracious they have been. Not just the faculty, but the faculty and the staff being who they’ve been and focusing on what they’re doing and focusing on the students and the student experience and the quality of the education that they’re provided while all this other stuff is going on,” added Fiese.

Ms. Mize has found a new appreciation for rest and those little moments that are reminders of peace.

 “I’m a gardener. I have a big backyard, and so the times that I discover a pretty flower that’s blooming or a fragrance or sometimes wild life comes through, those are those little moments of peace. You know that they are not affected, so there are still some things that are normal in the world,” added Mize.

The arts have taken a big hit due to this pandemic, but the faculty and staff of the SOMFA are committed to serving the HPU students and the Brownwood community. Let their dedication be an encouragement to you to reach out and support the arts with your time.

Article written by Jordan Favors, Strategic Communication Major