Underground Theater renamed after Dreier gift
Gift also establishes CREATE program at WWU
The Underground Theater at Western Washington University has been renamed "The DUG" in honor of a $250,000 gift from alumnus Doug Dreier and his family. The announcement was made in a ceremony Friday, Feb. 22, by WWU president Bruce Shepard and Dan Guyette, dean of the College of Fine and Performing Arts at Western. “The DUG” is an acronym for “Douglas UnderGround.”
Dreier graduated from Western in 1996. Having majored in Theater Arts, Doug spent a great deal of time as a student working in the space that now carries his name.
“This Underground Theater is where a lot of that blood, sweat and tears occurred for us as theater students," he said at the dedication. "Acting classes happen in here. Student productions happen in here. The students in this department make this space their own. I’m truly honored that this theater is going to be called the Douglas Underground. The theater department provided me with a great foundation for my professional career.”
In addition to the renaming of the theater space, Western has begun a pilot program for students who wish to become arts educators. The Dreier gift will allow Western to develop the CREATE program (Combining Research, Education and the Arts with Teaching and Entrepreneurs).
One goal of CREATE is to have a group of students selected each year to work with a group of faculty from across the university (the CREATE Team). This team will work with and mentor students on what it would mean, look like and sound like to integrate the arts into classrooms through various subjects.
"This new CREATE program is something the Dreier family immediately felt connected to when it was presented," Guyette said.
Further understanding will be promoted through CREATE student workshop presentations to regional schools at the third- and fourth-grade levels and intensive three-week residencies at the completion of their year with CREATE. Special attention will be paid to aligning with in-service teachers to provide them with practical tools and to help them sustain programs.
During the first year, funds will be directed to research and development of the program as well as hiring a director and faculty.
During the following four years, money will be used to award $3,000 scholarships for 10 students each year and to pay a stipend to the program director and members of the CREATE Team. At the end of the four years, an assessment will be made to determine if The Dreier CREATE Center should be established to support this work in perpetuity.
