West Haven, Conn., May 8, 2008-University of New Haven (UNH) freshmen, Robert Aceto and Javier Stevens, were nominated by the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts to participate in the Irene Ryan Acting Scholarship competition in January 2009. Two alternates were also named for the scholarship competition: Brittany Bethea, a junior, and Sarah Mangold, a freshman. The students were recognized for their performances in "Zombies from the Beyond," staged at UNH in April 2008.
The Irene Ryan Acting scholarships provide recognition, honor, and financial assistance to outstanding student performers pursuing further education. Sixteen regional and two national scholarships are awarded annually.
The students' auditions will be evaluated on their ability to partner; make bold, specific, and varied acting choices; demonstrate mastery of language and the text used; pursue objectives clearly and with strength; and the ability to use strong vocal, physical, and facial expression. The actors are encouraged to prepare their own material to showcase all of these factors in their performance.
A leader in experiential education, the University of New Haven provides its students with a unique combination of solid liberal arts and real-world, hands-on professional training. A private University founded in 1920, UNH has a full-time undergraduate enrollment of more than 2,400 students-with 70 percent residing on its 80-acre main campus-and a graduate school enrollment that exceeds 1,700. The University offers more than 80 undergraduate degrees and more than 25 graduate degrees through its four colleges, in fields such as sports management, nutrition, forensic science, music and sound recording, engineering, computer science and criminal justice. University College at UNH develops programs and courses to meet the emerging educational and training needs of educators, businesses and public and social agencies, focusing on academic excellence, convenience and flexibility. University of New Haven students study abroad through a variety of distinctive programs.
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