Eugene Rogers Speaks on Art, Engagement, and Community

DEARBORN, MI - “Great art should do more than entertain.  Great art should provoke thought.”   University of Michigan Associate Professor of Conducting Eugene Rogers engaged an audience in the College of Education, Health, and Human Services (CEHHS) on January 18, 2017 in an exploration of the role of art in society and art’s potential to inspire civil discourse about challenging issues.  Students, faculty, and staff from the University of Michigan-Dearborn as well as the Frederick Douglass Academy were in attendance.

Dr. Eugene Rogers

Rogers guided the audience through his process of creating the documentary, Love, Life & Loss, on the University of Michigan Men’s Glee Club’s production of Joel Thompson’s multi-movement work, The Seven Last Words of the Unarmed.  After seeing portions of the documentary, CEHHS students described the work as “moving” and “inspirational.”  Thanks to a grant from the Hub for Teaching and Learning at UM-Dearborn, most of the participants will attend the premiere on February 12, 2017 at the Max Fisher Music Center in Detroit.

Quan Neloms, a veteran social studies teacher in the Detroit Public Schools, commented on the educational impact on his students, “As a teacher, I endeavor to expose my students to varying mediums to promote critical thought.  Dr. Rogers’ presentation not only introduced my students to the fine arts, but also engaged them in a way that was pertinent.  The young men from the Frederick Douglass Academy walked away with a new experience and new ways to think about social issues.”

The event was sponsored by the UM-Dearborn Office of Student Engagement, the Office of Metropolitan Impact, the Hub for Teaching and Learning, and the College of Education, Health, and Human Services.  Free tickets to the premiere of The Seven Last Words of the Unarmed at Orchestra Hall are available to UM-Dearborn students in the Office of Student Engagement.  Faculty and staff may purchase tickets for $5.00.

CEHHS would like to thank Julie Anne Taylor, professor of education, for coordinating the visit by Eugene Rogers.

Dr. Eugene Rogers directs the University of Michigan Men's Glee Club