Arts and Entertainment

2019-20 Penn State Laureate to speak at Greater Allegheny

MCKEESPORT, Pa. – William J. Doan, professor of theater, artist in residence in the College of Nursing, and the 2019-20 Penn State Laureate will bring “The Anxiety Project: An Artist’s Look at Mental Health and Wellness” to Penn State Greater Allegheny in McKeesport at 12:15 p.m. March 19, in the Ostermayer Room of the Student Community Center.

The Anxiety Project includes over 400 drawings and a live performance, all of which explore what it’s like to live with anxiety and depression, using a combination of personal experience and research into the complex world of mental health. 

“The intersections of art, science, and health are where I make creative work informed by research and scholarship,” said Doan. “For me, it is in these spaces where important questions of aesthetics, ethics, and representation lead to sustained collaborations with other artists, scientists, health care professionals and audiences.” 

The Penn State Laureate is an annual faculty honor established in 2008. The laureate brings greater visibility to the arts and humanities and is a representative of the University, appearing at events and speaking engagements throughout the commonwealth.  

In addition to his talk, an art exhibition featuring Doan’s work will be on display in the Ostermayer Room from noon to 6 p.m. March 18, and from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. March 19.  Both the talk and the art exhibition are free and open to the public.

Last Updated March 18, 2020