The West Governor’s School for the Arts (GSA) offers a transformative, free-of-charge program to sophomore students interested in expanding their artistic talents and experiences.  The Program will be held June 23-July 13 on the campus of West Virginia Wesleyan College.  GSA will also be held at WVWC in 2025 and 2026.

Vocal Music – Dr. R. Daniel Hughes

Dr. R. Daniel Hughes is currently Chair for the Department of Music, Associate
Professor and Director of Choral Activities at West Virginia Wesleyan College, where he
directs the college choirs, teaches courses in choral conducting, vocal performance,
and acts as the liaison between the Department of Music and the Department of
Theatre & Dance. He is also Director of the Seraphim Singers at Bridgeport United
Methodist Church.
Prior to these positions, Dr. Dan was Director of Choral Activities and Coordinator of the
Voice Area at Nassau Community College in Garden City, New York. He has also
directed choirs and taught voice at Hofstra University, Millikin University, the West
Virginia Governor’s School for the Arts, the Interlochen Arts Academy Summer Camp,
and the Dwight-Englewood School (New Jersey). He was Artistic Director and
Conductor for the Chanticleer Children’s Chorus of West Virginia, Director of the Central
Illinois Children’s Chorus Chamber Choir and Musical Director for SummerStock at the
University of Findlay (Ohio) and The 4th Wall Theatre (New Jersey).
Dr. Dan is active as a tenor, adjudicator, clinician and guest conductor. He has sung
with professional choral ensembles including the Saint James’ Episcopal Church in New
York City, Ensemble Choragós, The Baroque Artists of Champaign-Urbana (BACH),
The Santa Fe Desert Chorale, and VocalBAROQUE, and has worked in a variety of
church settings as choral director and tenor.
Dr. Dan received his Bachelor of Arts in Vocal Performance from Otterbein College,
Masters of Music in Choral Conducting from the Eastman School of Music and his
Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Choral Music at the University of Illinois.

Dr. Hughes says, “Artists are important because we cultivate communities that work to understand different perspectives (and ultimately ourselves) whether creating art or interpreting others’ works.”

Instrumental Music – Holden Akers-Toler

Holden Akers-Toler graduated Summa Cum Laude with a Bachelors of Music Education degree from West Virginia Wesleyan College and again with a Master of Music degree in Jazz Studies from North Carolina Central University. He currently resides in Durham, NC where he teaches and writes music education curriculum for Notasium, a musical play space and education center. He also works as a freelance musician, has collaborated with the West Virginia Dance Company to compose music for modern dance, and has served as an accompanist for the West Virginia Dance Festival.

Holden is a product of West Virginia arts. He was born and raised in Beckley, WV, where he was immersed in music, dance, and theatre through the West Virginia Dance Company, Theatre West Virginia, and Shady Spring High School. His passion for music was nurtured and developed by local music mentors, John Yurick, Dan Bailey, Jack Deskins, Bob Thomspon, Ryan Kennedy, and Randall Reid-Smith. He was also fortunate enough to attend the WV Governor’s School for the Arts for Instrumental Music, Arts Alive!, and was the 1st chair percussionist of the WV All-State Band, WVU Honor Band, and Marshall Honor Band.

Holden Akers-Toler says, “Artists are important because we create opportunities for people in our communities to critically reflect upon their own experiences and to be inspired to participate in self expression through art. Art is the greatest example of humanity’s exceptional intellectual and emotional capabilities working together.”

Acting – Jax RF McAtee

Jax RF McAtee (he/they) is a choreographer, director, and performance artist, currently based in WV. McAtee holds an MFA in Interdisciplinary Arts from Wilson College in Chambersburg, PA, and a BFA in Theatre: Original Works from Cornish College of the Arts in Seattle, WA. Born into the West Virginia hills, Jax spent their early years pursuing arts and performance in the form of dance, theatre, and instrumental music, followed by a nine-year stint of art-making in and around Seattle. After undergrad, McAtee took a few-year performance detour into the art of vaudeville, becoming the initial conduit for their experimental performance aesthetic and interdisciplinary creation, as well as paving way for their ongoing freelance career as a director/choreographer and theatre/dance educator, working with all ages. Jax is beyond ecstatic to be back in their home among the hills, dancing for their third season as a member of WV Dance Company! Website: jaxrfm.com
Selected recent projects include: Hatfields & McCoys (Choreographer/Johnse Hatfield (2023), Cap Hatfield (2022), Calvin McCoy (2011, 2012); Theatre WV), Rocket Boys The Musical (Choreographer/John Eye Blevin (2022, 2023), O’Dell Carroll (2011, 2012); Theatre WV), The Wizard of Oz (Choreographer/Dancer; Theatre WV), Macker’d LIVE (Choreographer/Dancer; WV Dance Company), Macker’d (a super8mm film by Jax RFM), Last Days of the Tsars (Choreographer/Fight Director; WITNESS), The Women (Choreographer/Fight Director/Dialect Coach; Harlequin Productions), John (Intimacy Choreographer; ArtsWest), You On The Moors Now by Jaclyn Backhaus (Choreographer; Seattle University), The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (Director/Choreographer; Sol Children Theatre), Dust by Danielle Mohlman (Choreographer; Youth Theatre Northwest), Totally Solid Gold: Cruisin’ for a Bruisin’ (Choreographer/Cameo; Copious Love Productions), Devil’s Highball (Event Director 2017-18; monthly variety show, Barca Seattle), Totally Solid Gold: Deep Squats! (Choreographer/Performer; Seattle Fringe Festival), Baby, Baby (Playwright; Fantastic.Z).
Jax says, “Artists are important because they live the moment.”

Creative Writing – Vince Trimboli & Emily Ziebarth

Vincent Trimboli is a Queer Appalachian Artist and Poet that holds a MFA in Creative Writing from West Virginia Wesleyan College. In 2016, Trimboli published two chapbooks with Ghost City Press (Condominium Morte and other milkweed diners). His poems can be found in Connotation Press, Still Journal, The San Diego Reader, Cultural Weekly, Wussy Magazine as well as multiple print and online anthologies. Trimboli is a Pushcart Prize Nomine and has taught Writing, Literature, and Public Speaking in a Maximum Security Prison in the hills of West Virginia. Trimboli is Visiting Professor of English at West Virginia Wesleyan College and is the Director of their Honors College. Currently Vince lives in Elkins, WV.
Vincent Timboli says, “Artists are important because they not only ask the world to view itself in new and different ways, but also have a long history of being responsible for major societal changes in the face of government and social oppression. The artist can face challenges from new and creative ways, often calling for action and always expanding horizons.”

Emily Ziebarth hails from Memphis, TN but can’t get enough of the mountains. She graduated with both her BA and MFA from West Virginia Wesleyan College, where she is currently serving as the McKinney Fellow, which honors Dr. Irene McKinney, former West Virginia Poet Laureate and Founding Director of WV Wesleyan’s MFA Program. Prior to accepting the fellowship, Emily wore a myriad of hats that kept her close to the language. In addition to working in the English department at the University of Memphis, she taught in various elementary-middle schools and libraries, tutored, and was employed as a technical writer. Being the rainbow sheep of her family, she doesn’t much care for labels but generally claims to be a fiction writer. She will use whatever genre or non-genre is up to the task though. Playing with perspectives is her favorite way to explore the world, both on and off the page.

Emily Ziebarth says, “Ever sit in front of a painting until your foot falls asleep? Get a character stuck in your teeth? Cave when music demands movement? Seen poetry show up on your skin? Those tiny little foot taps, prickles, and goosebumps can betray what marks us before we’ve even recognized why. Art is the physical embodiment of the visceral but intangible. It gives solid shape to the formless feelings we all experience. Jeanette Winterson claims that “art makes us better people because it asks for our full humanity…asks that we remember who we are.” We’ve longed to link internal stories since we first smashed berries to smear on a cave wall. Human connection is a biological imperative. Yet, the alive-est parts of us most in need of connection are often quite difficult to translate. That’s why artists are not only important but imperative, they turn us inside out.”

Dance – Sarah Olson & Donald Laney

Sarah Olson, originally from Charleston, WV, trained under Kim Pauley at the
Charleston Ballet and performed with the company from 1996-2000. She is currently an
Assistant Professor of Dance at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, where she
teaches ballet, dance pedagogy, and dance history. Prior to coming to UWSP, Sarah
enjoyed a thirteen-year performance career, working with ballet and contemporary
companies including the Lyric Opera of Chicago, Chicago Repertory Ballet, Inaside
Chicago Dance, and Cleveland Contemporary Dance Theatre. Her choreography has been commissioned by Chicago-based companies such as Nomi Dance Company, Project606 Dance, and RASA Dance Chicago as well as presented at festivals including Harvest Chicago Contemporary Dance Festival, American College Dance Association (ACDA), Dance Chicago, Wisconsin Dance Council, and the Choreographer’s Showcase at the College of DuPage. As an educator, Sarah has taught for West Virginia Governor’s School for the Arts, the University of Iowa, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, Joffrey Academy of Dance, and Lou Conte Dance Studio. She holds an MFA in Dance from the University of Iowa and a BFA in Dance Performance, magna cum laude, from Butler University.

Sarah Olson says, “Artists are important because they reflect the world in which they are living and also imagine new possibilities.”

Donald Laney – Assistant Professor of Dance & Head of Dance at Western Illinois University. Graduated from the University of California, Irvine, with an MFA in Dance. He spent 15 years as the Producing Artistic Director of the West Virginia Dance Company performing the works of Doug Varone, Daniel Nagrin, Gerri Houlihan, dannah bella and Toneta Akers-Toler as well as creating his own choreography. Before entering the graduate program at UCI, Donald performed with the WV Dance Company, Houlihan & Dancers (Miami, FL), Randy James Dance Works (NYC), X-Factor (NC), and Trillium Performing Arts Collective (WV). He has worked regionally directing and choreographing shows at WIU, Greenbrier Valley Theatre, Clinton Showboat, Cape Fear Regional Theatre and Theatre West Virginia. He has created original concert works for the WV Dance Company, WV Wesleyan College, Marshall University and the Charleston Ballet (WV). Since 2005 he has been the Master Teacher in Modern Dance at the WV Governor School for the Arts and in 2018 received the WV Governors Award for “Leadership in the Arts.”

Donald Laney says, “Artists are important because we have the ability to reflect on our society and make change. Bringing compassion and empathy to our creative world through the process of understanding, accepting and embracing.”

Visual Arts – Bobby Howsare

Informed by a background in psychology and commercial printing, Robert Howsare’s interdisciplinary work explores failure and the glitches occurring within systems. He received his BFA from the Kansas City Art Institute and an MFA from Ohio University.
His work has been exhibited nationally and internationally; select venues include the Grand Rapids Art Museum, the Austrian Cultural Forum of New York, Pittsburgh Center for the Arts, Urban Institute of Contemporary Art and the International Print Center of New York. Howsare’s work has been recognized by WIRED Magazine, Abitare International Design Magazine, HOW, and other publications. Most recently his work has appeared in The Art of Tinkering, Meggs’ History of Graphic Design and on Adult Swim. Awarded artist residencies include the Charlotte Street Foundation Studio Residency, Vermont Studio Center, and Prairieside Cottage.

Bobby Howsare says, “Artists are important because…they’re capable of communicating the human experience in ways that otherwise would be indescribable.”

Dean of GSA 2024 – Tommy Schoffler

A proud native West Virginian, Tommy Schoffler has performed as an actor everywhere from Maine to California to Alaska in everything from musicals, new works, Shakespearean plays, touring productions, and theater for young people. He has directed productions in New York City, as well as at the Depot Theatre (NY), Sycamore Rouge (VA), the Perseverance Theatre (AK) and North Carolina Stage Company. An Associate Professor and Chair of Theatre Arts at West Virginia Wesleyan College, Tommy holds an MFA in acting from The University of Texas at Austin, is a certified teacher of the Alexander Technique and a Registered Somatic Movement Educator and Therapist (ISMETA.) He has served as the resident Movement Coach for the Rustic Mechanicals, WV’s only professional touring Shakespeare troupe, and is also a founding company member of Theater Alaska, based in Juneau. Tommy works with performers of all kinds, but his students have included painters, athletic trainers, office workers, shot-put throwers and professional arm wrestlers. He has presented masterclasses and workshops at Davis & Elkins College, Alderson-Broaddus University, West Virginia University, Hollins University, Seton Hill University, the University of Alaska – Southeast, the University of Findlay, the University of Iowa, the University of Florida, The Southeastern Theater Conference, The Association for Theatre in Higher Education, the NYC Asian American Writers’ Workshop, Chanticleer Children’s Chorus of WV, the WV Thespian Conference and the WV Governor’s School for the Arts. He is also an avid yogi and enjoys exercise and movement explorations of all types.

Dean Schoffler says, “Artists are important because they help show us the tender places, the places where we need to laugh or cry or simply come together and witness the parts of our humanity that get swept up in our mundane, day-to-day existence.”

Assistant Dean of GSA 2024 – Dr. Lexi De Coning

Dr. Lexi de Coning is an Assistant Professor of Communication at West Virginia Wesleyan College. Born and raised in South Africa, Lexi earned her undergraduate degree in English Literature and Drama at Rhodes University, and performed at the South African National Arts Festival twice. After working as a copywriter and SEO writer, she immigrated to the United States and earned her PhD in Media Studies at the University of Colorado Boulder. She now teaches classes at Wesleyan on topics like public speaking, persuasion, pop culture, public relations, and social media.

Lexi de Coning says, “Artists are important because they communicate the most fundamental aspects of our humanity. When we create and share art, we remind ourselves and others of what it means to be human – to think, to feel, to connect, and to self-reflect.”

Project Assistant John Waltz

John serves as Vice President for Enrollment and Marketing at West Virginia Wesleyan College. He previously served as Dean and Assistant Dean for the Governor’s School for the Arts from 2014-2016. John also serves as Chairperson of the Colonial Arts Center Board in Buckhannon and was the prior Executive Producer of Buckhannon Community Theatre. He also serves on the Upshur County Convention and Visitors Bureau Executive Board and the Chamber of Commerce Executive Committee. John previously worked at Community College of Allegheny County in Pittsburgh, PA and holds degrees from West Virginia Wesleyan College (Bachelor of Arts in Theatre and Writing) and West Virginia University (Master of Arts in Corporate and Organizational Communication). He is an active performer in local theatrical productions and is excited to serve the students of GSA once again.

Resident Director – Colby Wamsley
More Information Coming Soon!

Accompanist – Lauren Smith

Lauren Smith is from Buckhannon, West Virginia. She has always loved music and played multiple instruments throughout her childhood, including French horn, guitar, and piano. In 2016, she began studying piano with Dr. Melody Meadows. Inspired by Dr. Meadows’ dedication to her students, Lauren decided to pursue a career in music education and piano. She received a Bachelor of Music Education degree from West Virginia Wesleyan College in 2022, studying under Dr. Meadows. In May 2024 she will receive a Master of Music in Piano Performance from Syracuse University, studying under Ida Tili-Trebicka.

Over the past six years, Lauren has played piano collaboratively with singers, instrumentalists, and choirs at local churches, public schools, and colleges. Most recently, she music directed Buckhannon Community Theatre’s 2023 production of “The Wizard of Oz.” Lauren now teaches locally in West Virginia and hopes to inspire the next generation of music teachers through her dedication to her students and music.

Read the 2024 GSA Student Handbook Here:

2024 WVWC GSA Student Handbook

To apply or learn more about the program visit:

Official West Virginia Governor’s School for the Arts Page