New Dean Appointed for Angelo State's College of Arts & Humanities

SAN ANGELO, TX — Dr. Sergio Ruiz, previously director of the Glenn Korff School of Music at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, has been appointed as the new dean of Angelo State University's College of Arts and Humanities, effective July 21.

As the dean, Ruiz will plan, organize and direct the college's six academic departments that offer nearly 40 undergraduate and graduate degree and certificate programs. He will also oversee curriculum development and compliance with all relevant accreditation standards for the departments that include:

• Communication and Mass Media
• Political Science and Philosophy
• Security Studies and Criminal Justice
• Visual and Performing Arts
• Dr. Arnoldo De Leon Department of History
• Natalie Zan Ryan Department of English and Modern Languages

Dr. Don Topliff, ASU provost and vice president for academic affairs, announced Ruiz's appointment.

"We are excited to announce that Dr. Sergio Ruiz is joining ASU as the next dean of the College of Arts and Humanities," Topliff said. "He brings a wealth of expertise in musical performance, as well as an interdisciplinary approach to all of the arts and humanities. He also has a strong record of teaching and creative endeavors on an international level. Having taught at other institutions in Texas, he will be a great fit for our community."

At the UNL Glenn Korff School of Music, Ruiz taught a variety of music courses while also overseeing more than 60 faculty and staff, 350 undergraduate and graduate students, and a $7.85 million annual budget. He helped secure $75 million in funding for a new music facility and $15 million for the restoration of an existing recital hall, as well as about $750,000 for scholarships, instruments and performance tours. He also led two successful re-accreditation efforts, established academic exchange programs with universities in South Korea and China, and served on the Vice Chancellor's First Generation Nebraska Advisory Board.

Prior to his time at UNL, Ruiz also served as chair of the Department of Music at Georgia College & State University, director of keyboard studies at the Sam Houston State University School of Music in Huntsville, and head of the music program at Sul Ross State University in Alpine.

A renowned piano artist, Ruiz has held the Steinway International Artist designation since 2012. He has performed solo and collaborative concerts, masterclasses and workshops throughout the U.S., South America and Europe, and he is a summer faculty member at the Interlochen Center for the Arts in Michigan. He is a National Endowment for the Arts grant recipient, and he has been named the Collegiate Teacher of the Year by the Texas Music Teachers Association.

Additionally, Ruiz has served in various leadership positions with the SHSU Institute of Latin American Music Studies and the "Musica: Esperanza de Vida" youth orchestra and piano program in Guanajuato, Mexico.

Ruiz holds a Bachelor of Arts in piano performance from Santa Clara University, a Master of Music in piano performance from the Cleveland Institute of Music, and a Doctor of Musical Arts in piano performance from Rice University.