Willamette University’s Department of Theatre has been ranked number one on OnStage’s “The Best B.A. in Theatre Programs in the Country in 2015.”
“It was a no-brainer for us that this was the best program in the country right now,” said Chris Peterson, OnStage’s founder and editor-in-chief.
OnStage is an independent blog staffed by volunteers who are educators, writers, audience members and theater lovers. Their mission is to critically cover all types of theater. The blog has grown rapidly since its founding in May and currently has 5,000 viewers per day, said Peterson.
“It’s a national blog with a national reputation,” said Rachel Kinsman Steck, associate professor of theater and academic co-chair at Willamette. “We’re honored that the B.F.A., M.F.A. and B.A. programs that they listed are programs that we’re similar with already. They set high standards.”
“We know that we’re a small program so you don’t get a lot of notoriety,” said Susan Coromel, professor of theater and artistic co-chair at Willamette. “The most important thing is highlighting Bachelor of Arts programs and having a well-rounded theater artist who can go onto a career or a graduate program.”
Peterson said hundreds of regionally-accredited B.A. programs were ranked according to criteria that included but were not limited to the university’s support of theater, resources in the area, tuition and financial aid. For information, go to onstageblog.com.
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Article from Statesman Journal, by Tom Mayhall Rastrelli, February 25, 2015