PRESS RELEASE: JUNE 25, 2024
Florida School of the Arts honors graduates
Florida School of the Arts recently bid farewell to graduates now on their way to pursue careers in art galleries, on stage, or behind the scenes in the entertainment industry. Many will continue their education at universities before pursuing their niche in the arts. The College honored students who received their associate degrees in the visual and performing arts at the St. Johns River State College Palatka campus.
Graduates include Christi Arnold, Shelby Brown, Elisa Crivelli, Jordan Fletcher, Kwabena Flewellyn, Toriyanna Harris, Josue Jorge-Silva, Teoman Karaagac, Luke Keeley, Brynn Lacouture, William Myers, Reid Norris, Noah Ogg, Maggie Rashaw and Evan Tomczak.
Awards were presented to graduates during the ceremony. The Outstanding Graduate for Performing Arts was presented to Elisa Crivelli. The Outstanding Graduate for Visual Arts was presented to Evan Tomczak. Teoman Karaagac was presented with The Outstanding Graduate Academic Achievement.
FloArts alumnus Cullen Douglas delivered the commencement speech. Douglas, who attend FloArts in the late 1980s, is perhaps most recognized as an actor, having most recently recurred on HBO’s Barry, in addition to appearing last season on ABC’s Station 19, Showtime’s I Love That For You and NBC’s Magnum PI and Quantum Leap.
Douglas reflected on his time at the school and his continued relationships with the faculty. He spoke of the importance of maintaining relationships after graduation. “FloArts is a well you keep coming back to; it’s deep, so don’t lose touch,” Douglas said. “These individuals are incredible at what they do. They made a conscious decision to share their wisdom and gifts with you and you are richer for it. And, we’re now richer because you will create the next level of art for all of us.”
During the commencement ceremony, musical theatre graduates gave a vocal presentation of “Thank You for the Music” by Björn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson.
The exhortation reading of Letters to a Young Poet by Rainer Maria Rilke was given by FloArts graduate Teoman Karaagac.
Florida School of the Arts is located on the St. Johns River State College Palatka Campus and serves the entire state of Florida. FloArts is part of the academic and administrative structure of SJR State and awards associate degrees in acting, dance performance, musical theater, stage management, theater technology, graphic design/new media and studio art. For more information, call (386) 312-4300 or visit FloArts.
Photos from the ceremony can be found on the college’s flickr account.
The 2024 Florida School of the Arts graduating class. Front from left are Christi Arnold, Brynn Lacouture, Shelby Brown, Josue Jorge-Silva, Toriyanna Harris, and William Myers.
Second row are Elisa Crivelli, Maggie Rashaw, Reid Norris, Teoman Karaagac, Luke Keeley, Noah Ogg, and Jordan Fletcher.