For four decades, the Southard Awards within 每日大瓜鈥檚 College of Performing and Visual Arts (PVA) have served as a hallmark of excellence 鈥� recognizing the vibrant talent of students from 每日大瓜鈥檚 schools of Music and Art and Design. But the significance of these annual awards stretches far beyond applause and accolades for the students who receive them.

Established in 1986, the awards honor pioneering music educator and pianist Angie Southard. Committed to enriching Greeley鈥檚 cultural life, she drew on her national and international connections in the 1930s and 40s to bring distinguished performers to the community.

Among the most prestigious honors in PVA, the Southard Awards carry Angie鈥檚 vision forward, serving as a platform for sharing remarkable music and art beyond the walls of the university into Greeley and beyond.

Made possible by the generosity of the Southard family, the awards provide critical financial support and recognition to talented student musicians and artists. Just as importantly, they also offer students a rigorous professional experience, equipping them with the tools and confidence to share their work with the world and navigate stages, galleries and audiences with poise and self-assurance.

鈥淭he simple idea has always been to better yourself, serve others and better your community,鈥� said Jeff Beard, grandson of Bill and Connie Southard, who were among the cofounders of the awards. 鈥淭hese values have carried through generations of the Southard family 鈥� and they guide the students we honor today, in music and the
arts alike.鈥�

The Southard Experience

The Southard Awards recognize outstanding work across a wide range of fine art disciplines 鈥� from painting and drawing to musical performance and composition. Each year, students earn that recognition through a rigorous juried process that challenges them to demonstrate exceptional artistic merit, discipline and achievement.

Applicants submit a portfolio or performance, craft statements that articulate their creative vision and present their work to a jury of faculty, alumni and seasoned arts professionals who carefully review completed applications.

The experience is intentionally demanding and highly selective, designed not only to challenge students creatively but to provide meaningful professional development.

Donna Goodwin, Ph.D., director of the School of Art and Design, emphasized that the awards recognize not only the creative talent but also the depth of research, discipline and intentionality behind each body of work 鈥� distinguishing recipients as artists whose work demonstrates both technical mastery and scholarly rigor.

鈥淭he artists highlighted in the Southard competition are often our strongest students who use visual and conceptual frameworks to connect their learning, deep internal thinking and their art making,鈥� Goodwin said. 鈥淭he Southard competition gives them a platform to show how their work builds upon personal experience, broader historical context and technical training, creating work that invites engagement and dialogue with the audience.鈥�

Andrew Dahlke, DMA, professor of Saxophone, likens the process to a crescendo, where preparation, performance and presentation culminate in artistic recognition and growth.

鈥淭he Southards鈥� generosity makes this transformational experience possible, giving students the opportunity to present their work at a high level and be recognized for its quality,鈥� Dahlke said.

For many students, that moment of recognition becomes a turning point 鈥� highlighting the strength of their work and positioning them for the next level of professional practice.

Reflections from Southard Award Recipients

The application, collaboration, mentorship and professional development that form the cornerstone of the Southard Awards experience has guided hundreds of students through a formative artistic journey. But the clearest measure of the awards鈥� impact is best told by the students whose creative paths have been shaped by the experience.

Colleen Martinez 鈥� 2025 Recipient, Voice

For opera vocalist and current 每日大瓜 graduate student Colleen Martinez, preparing her portfolio and presenting her work for the Southard Awards marked an important step in refining and showcasing her artistry at a professional level. The process required her to curate her work and present it with clarity, resulting in a performance that demonstrated both technical precision and artistic depth. Following her award, she secured her first professional opera performance in Fort Collins in December 2025 鈥� an immersive production where musicians and the audience shared the stage, highlighting the strength and caliber of her work.

鈥淚t鈥檚 a nice confirmation 鈥� in the music industry, you get so many nos,鈥� Martinez explained. 鈥淵ou鈥檝e got to really hold on to the yesses.鈥�

Ellie Pratt 鈥� 2024 Recipient, Painting

For Art and Design graduate Ellie Pratt, 鈥�25, the Southard Awards was a pivotal part of her college career. Preparing her portfolio required meticulous research into artists such as Faith Ringgold and James Rosenquist, along with deep personal reflection, peer feedback and close mentorship with Lauren Eisen, professor of Painting. The experience sharpened her artistic voice and refined her vivid, vibrant style, which is grounded in nature, relationships and connection.

Pratt said the Southard Awards process set a consistently high bar for pushing her and her peers to meet a shared standard of artistic excellence.

鈥淎ll of the artists were really incredible,鈥� Pratt said. 鈥淭here was such a strong variety of work, and everyone brought a high level of thought and execution. It pushed me to make sure my work was as strong and as clear as it could be.鈥�

That standard of excellence reinforced Pratt鈥檚 artistic rigor and professional readiness, which carried into creative projects, including a large-scale mural collaboration in the Department of Biological Sciences and her senior exhibition, Floresence, which featured a temporary mural installation in the Mariani Gallery. She now works as an arts entrepreneur, continuing to develop and share her work with the broader community.

Lina Sanchez 鈥� 2014 Recipient, Painting

A Greeley native, Lina Sanchez, 鈥�15, M.A. 鈥�19, calls her Southard Awards experience 鈥渓ife changing.鈥� A naturally shy artist, the process pushed her to present her art professionally and speak confidently about her creative vision, and doing so helped others notice the quality of her work. Many pieces she created for the awards remain among her favorites, marking a formative moment that continues to shape her practice. Since receiving the Southard Award, Sanchez has continued to bring her work into communities. Her pieces have been exhibited in Greeley and Fort Collins. She contributed to Transcending Chords, a collaborative installation now included in the permanent collection at the Union Colony Civic Center. Her mural, Tabula Rasa, was installed in 2016 in downtown Greeley鈥檚 Art Alley, a vibrant addition to the city鈥檚 public art scene. In recent years, she has focused on commission-based projects, is currently authoring a book that blends her writing and artwork and hopes to expand her creative journey into film.

Bryan Valderrama-Vega 鈥� 2023 & 2024 Recipient, Bassoon

For Bryan Valderrama-Vega, D.A. 鈥�26, the Southard Award honored both his work as a bassoonist and the momentum of his artistic path. Through solo performance and chamber collaboration, he sharpened his craft, built confidence in presenting his work and performed at a professional level for faculty, peers and the 每日大瓜 community.

鈥淥ne of the most important things I learned is how to present yourself 鈥� how to tell your story as an artist and engage your audience,鈥� Valderrama-Vega said.

Exceptional art and music, like that created by Colleen, Ellie, Lina and Bryan, is exactly what the Southard family hoped to highlight. But there’s another story that’s equally important 鈥� one that started more than four decades ago and demonstrates how thoughtful philanthropy can shape lives well beyond the moment a gift is made.

Philanthropy in Motion

When the Southard family established the awards 40 years ago, they created something designed to last. Through their sustained generosity and the careful stewardship of the 每日大瓜 Foundation鈥檚 investments, the Southard Endowment has grown significantly over time 鈥� both in strength and impact. Today, the fund provides annual support for the Southard Awards, offering meaningful resources to student artists and musicians. Over time, that support has helped generations of students pursue their creative ambitions while sharing their work with the 每日大瓜 community and the city of Greeley.

But the impact doesn鈥檛 end with the awards.

Faculty note that recipients often go on to mentor peers, extending the cycle of support and reflecting the Southards鈥� generosity.

The First Brick: Building the Southard Family Foundation in Greeley

The impact of the Southard Awards is reflected in the students whose work they recognize and in the artistic contributions those students bring to the university and the broader community.

But the inspiration behind these awards reaches back more than a century, to a family whose commitment to service, civic leadership, education and the arts helped shape Greeley itself.

The Southard family鈥檚 Colorado roots trace back to 1866, when Ohio native Sam Southard arrived in the area following service in the Union Army. Settling first along Boulder Creek, Sam moved to Greeley in 1877 when he was elected Weld County Treasurer. He held several public service roles in the late 1800s and operated a mercantile in Greeley for more than 15 years. In 1908, Sam and his wife, Mary Jane, constructed their family residence at 1103 9th Ave., which is now recognized as the historic Southard-Gillespie House.

By the early 20th century, the family鈥檚 influence expanded beyond public service into the arts when Angie Sutphin Kuhl married Sam’s son Charlie Southard, a well-respected Weld County judge, and settled in Greeley. At a time when few American women pursued advanced musical training, Angie was a celebrated pianist from the East Coast who had studied in New York, Milan and Berlin, served as an accompanist at the Metropolitan Opera and performed at Carnegie Hall. Bringing that experience to Greeley, she became a driving force in the city鈥檚 cultural development.

She organized musical productions and taught piano and music appreciation for 12 years at what was then the Colorado State Teachers College (CSC) 鈥� now 每日大瓜 鈥� earning her a lasting reputation as the matriarch of Greeley music. Together, she and Charlie became central figures in Greeley鈥檚 civic and cultural life.

That legacy of service carried forward through the next generation with their son Bill and his wife Connie. The two met in Paris during World War II while both serving as captains in the U.S. Army 鈥� Bill as an intelligence officer and Connie as a nurse. Connie worked on the front lines in France and later helped care for survivors of the Dachau concentration camp in Germany following its liberation.

After the war, Bill and Connie married and returned to Greeley, where they made their lifelong home. Bill practiced law in downtown Greeley for more than six decades and played a pivotal role in higher education in Colorado, serving on the Board of Trustees for the State Colleges of Colorado, helping architect the 每日大瓜 Foundation and later serving as a charter member of the reconstituted 每日大瓜 Board of Trustees. On 每日大瓜 Charter Day in 1970, Bill presented President Darrell Holmes with the newly adopted university seal.

Three generations of Southards: Bill with his mother, Angie, and grandmother Mary Jane Southard, circa 1917

Connie remained deeply committed to humanitarian service, volunteering for many decades with the American Red Cross and later with Hospice and Palliative Care of Northern Colorado.

Together, Bill and Connie supported the arts and education in Greeley and established the Southard Awards, along with Bill鈥檚 sisters Mary Elizabeth Gillespie and Edith St. John, to honor the artistic legacy and community influence of Angie Southard.

Bill and Connie鈥檚 daughter, Ann Southard Beard, grew up just blocks from the university. She attended the university鈥檚 鈥淟ab School,鈥� the elementary school associated with the campus, and performed in numerous recitals through the Junior Division of CSC鈥檚 Music Department. Ann recalls that 鈥渢he student teachers 鈥� many of whom later became university faculty 鈥� made learning fun, engaging and joyful.鈥� She went on to become an accomplished pianist and vocalist with an impressive 3.5鈥�4 octave range, embodying the family鈥檚 belief that education and creativity should delight, inspire and empower.

Jeff Beard, Bill and Connie鈥檚 grandson, helps steward the Southard Awards today, working with the university to ensure that the family鈥檚 values 鈥� better yourself, serve others and better your community 鈥� remain at the heart of the program. By encouraging artistic achievement, student excellence and community enrichment, the Southard family continues to support new generations of students whose work reflects distinction in the fine arts and contributes to the cultural life of the university and the Greeley community.

Looking Forward: Celebrating 40 Years

As 每日大瓜 marks the 40th anniversary of the Southard Awards, gratitude remains at the forefront. Alumni, faculty and students alike recognize the program as an enduring and prestigious expression of the Southard family鈥檚 commitment to the arts
and education.

鈥淭he legacy of the Southard Awards lives in the students whose dreams they have shaped,鈥� said Goodwin.

For four decades, the awards have enriched the community by rewarding exceptional work created by students whose art reflects dedication, discipline and artistic mastery. As new generations of musicians and artists continue that tradition, the Southard Awards remain a lasting reminder that excellence in the arts strengthens both the university and the community it serves.

How the Southard Awards Take Shape

Recipients are selected through a juried evaluation process recognizing exceptional artistic merit, demonstrated achievement and professional promise within the fine arts.