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Sai-natiOnal.ORg SummER 2014 PAN PIPES 11 O n June 12, the United States Senate voted to confirm Epsilon Delta initiate Jane Chu as the 11th chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA). "I'm honored to receive the Senate's vote of confirmation, and I look forward to serving our nation as chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts, Chu said. "Together, we have the opportunity to show the value of connecting the arts to all Americans, and the importance of the arts in bringing communities together." United States Senator Claire McCaskill (Mo.) said, "I have no doubt that Jane will make Missouri proud. She's spent years enriching the culture and strengthening the business community in Kansas City, and I'm looking forward to seeing her bring that same leadership to the national stage." "I'm glad the Senate confirmed Dr. Chu's nomination as chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts today," said United States Senator Roy Blunt (MO.). "I was impressed by her successful oversight of the more than $400 million Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts project and I enjoyed visiting with her in Kansas City several weeks ago. I have no doubt Dr. Chu will serve as a valuable asset to the NEA." Senior Deputy Chairman Joan Shigekawa has served as the agency's acting chairman and executive since Rocco Landesman le the NEA in December 2012. From 2006-2014, Chu served as the president and CEO of the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts in Kansas City, Missouri, overseeing a $413-million campaign to build the center. As the performance home of the Kansas City Ballet, Kansas City Symphony, and Lyric Opera of Kansas City, the Kauffman Center has hosted more than one million people from all 50 states and countries throughout the world since its grand opening in September 2011. She was a fund executive at the Kauffman Fund for Kansas City from 2004 to 2006, and vice president of external relations for Union Station Kansas City from 2002 to 2004. Previously, she was vice president of community investment for the Greater Kansas City Community Foundation from 1997 to 2002. Chu also served as a trustee at William Jewell College and on the board of directors of the Ewing Marion Kauffman School and the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce. Chu was born in Shawnee, OK, but was raised in Arkadelphia, AR, the daughter of Chinese immigrants. She studied music growing up, eventually receiving Bachelor's degrees in piano performance and music education from Ouachita Baptist University, where she was initiated into SAI, and Master's degrees in music and piano pedagogy from Southern Methodist University. Additionally, Chu holds a Master's degree in business administration from Rockhurst University and a Ph.D. in philanthropic studies from Indiana University, as well as an honorary doctorate in music from the University of Missouri-Kansas City Conservatory of Music and Dance. e following is a transcript of the weekly NEA podcast, Art Works, from the day Chu was appointed as NEA Chairman. Jo reeD: Meet the new Chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts, Jane Chu. Welcome to Art Works, the weekly podcast produced by the National Endowment for the Arts. I'm Josephine Reed. is week, Jane Chu was sworn in as the 11th chair of the National Endowment for the Arts. A tireless, passionate, and astute advocate for the arts, it's hard to imagine someone better-suited to the job. Jane is a pianist with undergraduate and graduate degrees in music and piano. She has a Master's in business administration and Ph.D. in philanthropic studies. She has vast experience in arts administration, most recently serving as the president and CEO of the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts in Kansas City, MO. ere she led a $413-million campaign to build the center which opened to great acclaim in 2011. Despite an amazingly hectic first day, she was gracious enough to sit down with me and open up about her ideas for the agency and the place of art in her own life. Here's our conversation. Jo reeD: Welcome Jane Chu to the National Endowment for the Arts, we are thrilled to have you. JanE Chu: And I'm thrilled to be here, thank you. Jo reed: Jane, your story is the quintessential American story. Tell me about your parents? JanE Chu: My parents, both from China, didn't meet each other until they arrived here in the United States. My father came over a year before the communists became the communist government in China so that was about 1948. He came to the United States to get his doctorate and while the change of regime happen in China, he saI MeMbers In actIon Epsilon Delta Initiate Leads NEA 1965–1969 Roger L. Stevens 1969–1977 Nancy Hanks 1977–1981 Livingston L. Biddle, Jr. 1981–1989 Frank Hodsoll 1989–1992 John Frohnmayer 1993–1997 Jane Alexander 1998–2001 Bill Ivey 2002 Michael P. Hammond 2003–2009 Dana Gioia 2009 Patrice Walker Powell Acting Chairman 2009–2012 Rocco Landesman 2012-2014 Joan Shigekawa Acting Chairman 2014-present Jane Chu Strauss Peyton Studio Jane Chu, National Endowment for the Arts Chairman NEA CHAIRMEN An interview with Chairman Jane Chu CHU continued on page 12

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