ROCK HILL, SOUTH CAROLINA -- Karen Oremus, associate professor at Zayed University
in Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates, has been selected as the new chair of the Department
of Fine Arts in Winthrop University’s College of Visual and Performing Arts. She will
begin the new role on August 1.
Oremus has worked at Zayed University since 2003 and has held numerous administrative
roles, including chair of the Department of Art and Design and assistant dean of the
College of Arts and Creative Enterprises. Most recently, she worked as the visual
art major coordinator and associate professor of printmaking and visual arts.
“Karen’s many years of experience as an arts educator and working artist around the
globe bring a unique and exciting perspective to the college,” said Jeff Bellantoni,
dean of the College of Visual and Performing Arts. “I look forward to working closely
with Karen to develop new initiatives for the Department of Fine Arts.”
Prior to her time at Zayed University, Oremus served as an adjunct professor of printmaking
at The Tyler School of Art at Temple University.
Oremus holds an M.F.A. in printmaking from The Tyler School of Art at Temple University
and a B.F.A. in printmaking from Concordia University.
The College of Visual and Performing Arts is the academic home to more than 650 undergraduate
students majoring in 12 areas and more than 50 graduate students in its six master’s
programs and one post-baccalaureate certificate program. The college has a total of
105 faculty members, of whom 52 are full time and 53 are part-time lecturers who are
practicing professionals from the surrounding metropolitan area.
Winthrop is one of only 17 universities in the United States and the only public
or private institution in South Carolina with all five of its undergraduate and graduate
arts programs – theatre, dance, music, fine arts and design – nationally accredited.
In addition, Winthrop’s arts education programs (art, music, theatre and dance) are
accredited through the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education.
For more information, contact Whitney Hough, director of communications and community
engagement for the College of Visual and Performing Arts, at 803/323-2399 or houghw@winthrop.edu.
