George H. Brown to retire as dean of Belcher College of Fine and Performing Arts at WCU after a decade of leadership
By Rachel Hood
After ten years of serving as 甜瓜视频app鈥檚 dean of Belcher College of Fine and Performing Arts, George H. Brown is retiring.
鈥淸It is] with profound gratitude and reflection that I announce my retirement, effective June 30, 2025,鈥� Brown said. 鈥淭his decision comes with a deep appreciation for the remarkable individuals and communities who have made these ten years among the most rewarding of my professional life.鈥�
Brown became the dean of Belcher College at WCU in January 2015. Hired by former Provost Alison Morrison-Shetlar, Brown has worked to create a place where students can explore their unique voices and where faculty and staff can continue pushing the boundaries of their creativity in the arts.
Before coming to Cullowhee, Brown had an extensive background in higher education and the arts. He worked at Western Michigan University, Bradley University and Texas Christian University before coming to WCU.
For more than thirty years, Brown worked in professional and university theater, holding various positions ranging from director to actor to fight choreographer. He has directed more than a hundred productions in theaters across the U.S., Caribbean, and Europe鈥攊ncluding 鈥淭he Tempest,鈥� 鈥淐yrano De Bergerac,鈥� and the world premiere of 鈥淪mile Natives, Smile,鈥� presented at Carifesta on St. Kitts鈥攁nd served as managing artistic director of the Island Center for the Performing Arts in the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Brown received the President鈥檚 Appreciation Award and the Theodore C. Burgess Award for Excellence in Interdepartmental Collaboration at Bradley University. He holds a Master of Fine Arts degree in Directing from Penn State, a Ph.D. in Educational Leadership from Western Michigan University, and served in the U.S. Navy.
At WCU, Brown has directed student productions like King Lear (2017), Hamlet (2020), and Tartuffe (2024). He also directed new productions like Fantasia on Mysterium: The Epic Immersive Theatrical Recital.
He facilitated changing the name of the College of Fine and Performing Arts to the David Orr Belcher College of Fine and Performing Arts to honor the late Chancellor鈥檚 legacy and continue to carry on the charge of changing lives through education.
Brown also taught many classes at WCU, such as directing, acting Shakespeare and freshman seminar and found a deep appreciation for how the arts can influence students' lives.
Brown has played a pivotal role in continuing the donor group Friend of the Arts, which supports initiatives such as scholarship opportunities, academic programming, and the presentation of world-class artists to the campus and community.
Recently, the FOA helped sponsor Pride of the Mountain鈥檚 trip to Ireland in spring of 2024. During his time at WCU, Brown has helped bring the total fundraising support of the Belcher College of Fine and Performing Arts to over $10,000,000. This includes major gifts, legacy gifts, endowments and annual giving. He and his partner Eli Collins-Brown donated over $25,000 to Friends of the Arts.
Provost Richard Starnes shared his reflections on Brown鈥檚 time at Western.
鈥淕eorge Brown led the Belcher College of Fine and Performing Arts through some challenging and difficult times. In doing so, he remained an innovative, upbeat, and tireless advocate for our students, our faculty, and our programs,鈥� Starnes said. 鈥淢ost importantly, he remained a vocal champion of the importance of the arts in creating community. I wish him the very best in retirement.鈥�
