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Taking artistic careers to the next level
Graduates are set for successful, impactful careers
Graduates are set for successful, impactful careers
The University of Northern Colorado (UNC) takes creative exploration to the highest octaves at its College of Performing and Visual Arts (PVA), which comprises a School of Art and Design, a School of Music, and a School of Theatre Arts and Dance.
All three divisions share one goal: To bring depth and diversity to your portfolio, incorporating every colour, sound, and movement imaginable through a full schedule of performances, exhibitions, and state-of-the-art facilities. An array of graduate programmes unlock the full experience, which always leads to outstanding outcomes.
"Thanks to the academic excellence of our programmes, our students are well-equipped to find jobs as performers, K-12 teachers, higher ed faculty members, arts administrators and advocates in non-profit contexts,” affirms PVA Dean Cristina Goletti.
in scholarships awarded
US$1.8
million+
students in PVA
1,000+
distinct schools
3
Your success matters
From hands-on experiences to public events that draw the local and regional community, PVA offers various initiatives that prepare you for the future. For example, the PVA Advising Centre and Graduate Student Advising ensure you’re supported by a staff member or a faculty advisor with plenty of insights to share on academic planning, programme requirements, and admissions.
Meanwhile, the Northern Colorado Centre for Arts Entrepreneurship at UNC can help you turn your artistic passion into the next big thing. With a strong network linking the university to Northern Colorado’s arts scene, the centre inspires artist-entrepreneurs to explore new ideas, deepen their craft, and advance their career goals with free resources and unlimited guidance on portfolio building, marketing, and more.
Lu Tovar Vargas
"I'm glad there is a big musical scene and Latin community here. The community is crucial for me, and I’m very grateful that I’ve found amazing people who, even if the homesickness is still there, make me feel like I’m not a stranger here and that we can be together in our otherness."
Country: Maracaibo, Venezuela
Programme: Doctor of Arts, French Horn Performance Graduation Class: 2027
Lu Tovar Vargas — a student in the Doctor of Arts in French Horn Performance — chose UNC with a vision: to build a career as a distinguished musician. "I remember playing these amazing symphonies with the Symphony Orchestra and songs with my Symphony Rock Orchestra and realising that it was what I wanted to do my whole life, so I’ve been pursuing this journey ever since," they say.
Vargas has joined multiple ensembles, refining their skills and exploring new repertoires. One performance they'll never forget is The Battle for the Ballot for Wind Ensemble and Narrator, a piece about the women's suffrage movement. "The composer herself was present, and I think it's safe to say that we did a very powerful thing that night," Vargas says.
At UNC, Vargas found a Latinx community where they feel accepted and inspired. "I'm glad there is a big musical scene and Latin community here. The community is crucial for me, and I’m very grateful that I’ve found amazing people who, even if the homesickness is still there, make me feel like I’m not a stranger here and that we can be together in our otherness."
In such a diverse and inclusive learning environment, they were able to thrive, become a part of something bigger, and play pieces they identified with.
In the future, Vargas “just wants to do music, connect with people, and live in peace". With help from horn professor Lauren Varley, they're several steps closer to their goal of playing in an orchestra.
"In all the ensembles I play now, there has been at least one piece from an underrepresented composer, if not more than that," they say. "In my first concert with the Symphony Orchestra, we played a piece from an Argentinian composer I know very well. My experience with it made it much easier to express what I wanted."
Filmed in the Dzongkha language, its availability was initially limited even with subtitles, but was eventually distributed by Samuel Goldwyn Films and marketed worldwide. It’s also available to stream on multiple platforms including Apple TV, Amazon, Google Play, Vudu, and YouTube.
The film has been hailed for its insightful and honest depiction of Bhutan, with The New York Times calling it a “gently efficient story.” Ang Lee, an Oscar-winning director (“Sense and Sensibility”, “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon”, and “Brokeback Mountain”), referred to it as a “breath of fresh air” in a video call to Dorji following the nomination.
While Dorji did win the Oscar, his life was forever changed. He still bagged awards for his work, including earning honours at the Palm Springs International Film Festival and the BFI London Film Festival, among others.
“We shot in one of the remotest human settlements in the world; we had no electricity, no network connections, not even a shower for two months,” Dorji shares. “We had to work with a cast of actors who, forget about watching films, had never even seen a light bulb.”
Pawo Choyning Dorji
Since “Lunana: A Yak in the Classroom”, he has gone on to film “The Monk and the Gun,” a satirical drama set in 2006 about a young Bhutanese monk tasked with acquiring firearms in preparation for his country's upcoming democratic election. The movie earned the Showcase Audience Choice Award at the Vancouver International Film Festival and the Special Jury Prize at the Rome Film Festival before being shortlisted by the Academy.
Dorji’s global success has brought him back to Lawrence, where he recently spoke at the university’s 2024 Commencement Ceremony after being awarded an honorary doctorate.
“It takes a rather incredible journey to leave Lawrence as a government graduate and return 18 years later as an Oscar-nominated filmmaker,” he says in his speech. “When I look back at my experiences over the last 18 years, I realise that these were only possible because I was always curious to learn and explore. A deep sense of curiosity that refused to let me be bound by society and culture, and drove me to constantly explore. A sense of curiosity that was actually born out of Lawrence’s liberal arts education.”
“I am aware that for filmmakers across the world, an Oscar nomination is the crowning achievement of their creative careers, careers where they have worked hard and sacrificed so much to perfect the art of storytelling,” Dorji says. “I feel extremely fortunate and blessed to find myself in this position with my directorial debut. This inspires and motivates me to work even harder.”
Pawo Choyning Dorji
An enriching education awaits at College of Performing and Visual Arts.
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