Students and faculty from Carnegie Mellon University's School of Drama(opens in new window) were honored at the 62nd annual United States Institute for Theatre Technology (USITT) Conference & Stage Expo (USITT) in early March in Baltimore.

Zhang Yu won the Zelma H. Weisfeld Costume Design & Technology Award(opens in new window), and Sarah Bauch won the USITT Stage Management Award(opens in new window). These awards are part of USITT's YDMT Awards, bringing recognition to young designers, managers, and technicians at the beginning of their careers. Both will graduate with master of fine arts degrees in May.

"An inventor/anthropologist/activist as much as designer, Zhang Yu is a truly singular artist who is ever curious, investigative and inspiring," said Susan Tsu(opens in new window), professor of costume design(opens in new window). "He is an uncommon, fascinating graduate costume designer possessing prodigious talent."

(opens in new window)Tina Shackleford(opens in new window), stage management(opens in new window) professor, said of Bauch: "In her time at CMU, Sarah's work has never been less than excellent. She has marvelous instincts for the entirety of a show, and she is a collaborator who uplifts everyone from the director to the members of the run crew, making them all feel supported and heard."

(opens in new window)Dick Block(opens in new window), professor of design(opens in new window) and associate head of the School of Drama, was awarded the Distinguished Achievement Award in Education. This award recognizes individuals who have established meritorious career records in specific fields of expertise in design or technology in the performing arts and is one of the highest honors USITT bestows.

"We are tremendously proud of Dick and this wonderful, well-deserved recognition," said Anne Mundell(opens in new window), interim head of the School of Drama. "Dick is at the center of life in the School of Drama and has positively impacted generations of students who remember him with great appreciate and affection."

In addition to the award-winners from the School of Drama, Grzegorz Labuda, who is expected to graduate with a master's of fine arts in 2023, has been selected for the Student Ambassador Program, which pairs three students with three international guests at the annual conference for the opportunity to meet and discuss working in theater abroad. Labuda — a graduate student costume designer/performer from Poland studying at Carnegie Mellon on a Fulbright appointment — will be paired with Fruzsina Nagy, an internationally known Hungarian costume designer.

"Grzegorz Labuda is unstoppable," Tsu said. "A member of the next generation of theatrical climate activists, his commitment to zero-waste in the theatre industry provides a much-needed voice in our profession that insists on a more sustainable future."