Rolaine Hetherington, assistant professor of music and applied voice, has been with Friends University since 1993. She has been the conductor of the Concert Choir since 2003, when she also formed Kantorei, a small chamber ensemble from within the Concert Choir. She also serves as the music director and vocal coach for musical productions. As a graduate student she was a Rotary Graduate Fellowship recipient and studied in Austria for a year.  She is an alumnus of the Dale Warland Singers and the Minnesota Bach Society and is active as an adjudicator and soloist throughout the upper mid-west.

Lisa Hittle, assistant professor of music, has been with Friends University since 1995. She is the director of the jazz department and instructor of saxophone. Lisa directs two full jazz ensembles and several jazz combos and teaches jazz improvisation classes and applied saxophone. Hittle is an alumna of the Stan Kenton Orchestra, an active jazz musician in the Wichita area and adjudicator/clinician throughout the Midwest. The Wichita Arts Council selected Lisa as the 2006 Wichita Arts Educator of the Year.

Contact Lisa Hittle at 316-295-5616.

Dr. James H. Knight, assistant professor of piano, has been with Friends Univeristy since 1995. He began piano lessons at the age of 10 with Lucille Hayden of Sedgwick. During high school, he studied with Guy Johnson of Friends University and later received a Bachelor of Music degree in Piano Performance in 1988 from Friends. He won the Naftzger Piano Award and the Kansas Cultural Trust Award, enabling him to study under Constance Keene at the Manhattan School of Music in New York City. In 1990 and 1996 respectively, he earned his Master’s and Doctoral degrees from the Manhattan School of Music. He took master classes from John Perry, Aube Tzerko, Bela Nagy, Byron Janis, Karl Ulrich Schnabel and Joaquin Soriano. Dr. Knight was a finalist in the Leschetizky Piano Competition and has performed at Steinway Hall in New York City. Dr. Knight is now in his 13th year of teaching at Friends University, where he is an Assistant Professor of Piano. He also teaches Twentieth Century Music and Analytical Techniques. Dr. Knight is a member of the Kansas Arts Commission Touring Roster, as well as the Mid-America Arts Alliance Touring Program.

Contact Dr. Knight at 316-295-5532.

Ted Krone, professor of art, has been with Friends University since 1989. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Art from Fort Hays State University, and an M.F.A. in Sculpture from Wichita State University. He taught art at Newman University before teaching 14 years at Cloud County Community College and has taught at Friends University since 1989. Ted exhibits regularly in group and solo exhibits and has shown his work in New York and Los Angeles.

Contact Ted Krone at 316-295-5657.

Toni L. (Absher) Libhart, assistant professor of music, has taught at Friends University since 1995. She teaches music theory and piano class and is an academic recruitment coordinator. Toni has 13 years of experience teaching instrumental music in the Wichita public schools, including two years as instrumental music teaching specialist. A native of Wichita, Libhart studied music education and percussion performance at Kent State University and completed Bachelor’s and Master’s of Music Education degrees at Wichita State University with an emphasis on percussion performance and minors in piano and voice. In addition to her duties at Friends, Toni has also served as worship coordinator/musical director at area churches for 37 years and is currently orchestra director and percussionist at Central Christian Church.

Contact Toni Libhart at 316-295-5536

Dr. Charles Parker, associate professor of drama and director of theater, has been with Friends University since 1989. He teaches courses in acting, directing, dramatic history and literature, and public speaking, and annually directs one or two major stage productions. In addition, he performs professionally as a voice and stage actor. He writes plays and has taught creative dramatics to disadvantaged young people for the Legacy Camp. In October of 2007, Parker received the Teall Award as Educator of the Year.

Contact Dr. Parker at 316-295-5577.

Kurt Priebe, assistant professor of drama and media, has been with Friends University since 2000. Kurt teaches technical theatre, film and digital video production, and speech communication courses at Friends University. He directs and designs dramatic and music theatre productions in the University theatre season, coaches co-curricular forensics and debate collegiate competition in the academic year, and serves as faculty sponsor and artistic director of the University drama ministry team, ACTS of FAITH, which presents original inspirational performance materials to local and regional churches and schools.

Contact Kurt Priebe at 316-295-5601.

Dan Racer, instructor of music, joined the Fine Arts faculty in 2000. He currently teaches bass, music theory, composition and directs the Chamber Orchestra at Friends University. He is an active musician in the Wichita area performing as principal bassist for the Wichita Grand Opera and as a jazz bassist with many groups in the Wichita area. He also is an active composer with works in a variety of genres from classical to jazz and beyond. Many of his works have been premiered by Friends University ensembles as well as musicians in Wichita and around the world.

Contact Dan Racer at 316-295-5857.

Stan K. Rogers, associate professor of dance and director of ballet, has been with Friends University since 1988. He has a Master’s degree from Columbia University in New York City. He was assistant program director at Columbia University, teaching in the graduate division, as well as an assistant in choreography at Julliard. He is currently the artistic director of Wichita Ballet Theatre, the only professional ballet company in Kansas. A prolific choreographer, he has taught and choreographed extensively throughout the U.S. and in Mexico, Holland and France. Rogers has performed as soloist with the Fort Worth Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, Béjart Ballet of the Twentieth Century in New York, and as principal dancer with the Dance Theatre of Kansas. His students include dancers with the New York City Ballet, Twyla Tharp, Houston Ballet, Pacific Northwest Ballet and on Broadway. Rogers was awarded Arts Educator of the Year in 2008 by the Wichita City Council and Arts Council.

Contact Stan Rogers at 316-295-5848.

Karen Scroggins, assistant professor of graphic arts, began her work at Friends University in 2000. Scroggins teaches graphics, portfolio, computer print technology and advanced studies and oversees the communications internship program. As a designer and artist, Scroggins currently works on freelance projects for clients in Kansas, Oklahoma and Colorado. She participates in art shows and donates artwork to various charities. Previous employers include Butler County Community College as graphic designer/publication coordinator and Gilliland Printing as a graphic designer. Within the community, Scroggins is a member of the University and College Designers Association, Wichita Ad Federation and has also served on the board of the local chapter of American Institute of Graphic Arts 2002-04.

Contact Karen Scroggins at 316-295-5913.