Saint Mary's Newsroom

Although it’s early fall, professional dancer Bryan Charles Moore ’13 is already dreaming of a white Christmas.

In November, the national tour of Irving Berlin’s White Christmas will begin and women in red velvet dresses and men in top hats will be twirling across the stage to the tune of that iconic Christmas song. Children will wear their best outfits, couples will forget their quarrels, and all will be merry and bright for a night at the theatre—and Moore will be in the center of it all.

“White Christmas is my favorite show and a great family to be a part of,” Moore said. “It’s heartwarming, the choreography is challenging, and I look forward to doing it every night.”

This is Moore’s second national tour of White Christmas and he will dance eight shows per week for eight weeks in six cities. Before 2016 rehearsals began, Moore returned to his alma mater’s Winona Campus to teach master tap, musical theatre, and contemporary dance classes at Saint Mary’s Minnesota Conservatory for the Arts (MCA) on Oct. 2 and Oct. 9.

Bryan Moore ’13 teaching dance class at the Minnesota Conservatory for the Arts. Moore (center, in blue) taught master dance classes for MCA students, Saint Mary’s students, and community members on Oct. 2 and Oct. 9.

“I really enjoy teaching,” said Moore, who has been dancing since he was 10 years old and teaching classes since he was 16. “I like being able to pay it forward because I’ve had a lot of really amazing people who have taught and inspired me to push myself this far.”

One of Moore’s inspirations is Tammy Schmidt, who teaches dance at Saint Mary’s undergraduate campus as well as at MCA. Schmidt’s accomplished dancing career includes time as a solo ballerina for the Houston Ballet. While a student at Saint Mary’s, Moore credits Schmidt for helping him become a more mindful dancer by focusing on the physicality of his dancing.

After graduating from Saint Mary’s, Moore moved to New York City; only one week later he was hired to play “Indio” in West Side Story at Ogunquit Playhouse in Maine. For the first two years of Moore’s career, his next show was booked before his current show ended. Recalling the rigorous schedule of doing four shows per year at Saint Mary’s, Moore’s grateful to the Theatre and Dance Department for creating a real-life experience.

“You can’t teach someone how to switch gears and wipe their mind of choreography they learned two weeks ago to learn new choreography,” Moore said. “The department built the performance schedule the way they did to show students how demanding a career in the real world can be. Without that preparation, I would’ve gotten to New York and failed.”

Instead, Moore has flourished. In only three years, Moore’s career has included national tours with Irving Berlin’s White Christmas and The Radio City Christmas Spectacular, as well as regional tours such as Rock of Ages (Gateway Playhouse), West Side Story (John W. Engeman Theatre, Ogunquit Playhouse), Mary Poppins (Theatre Under the Stars, Ogunquit Playhouse), and Disney’s High School Musical (Children’s Theatre Company, Minneapolis).

Moore credits the mentors and connections he has made along the way for helping him achieve success in such a short amount of time. “I don’t take it for granted and I’m thankful for the opportunities I’ve been given and the people who’ve helped me get here,” Moore said.

Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota undergraduate students now have the opportunity to earn their Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.) with only one additional year of school.

The new program is designed for all students, regardless of major. Students will take up to nine credits of graduate courses in the senior year of their bachelor’s degree program with no additional cost, and complete their M.B.A. in one additional year.

“We’ve designed this program, which utilizes our many years of proven excellence in delivering an M.B.A. education, to maintain the level of quality that’s expected of students and employers, while also making it more appealing than the traditional M.B.A. program that required two years or longer to complete,” said Thomas Marpe, Ed.D., dean of business and technology.

Several undergraduate students are already planning to take advantage of the new offering; they know it will give them an advantage when applying for jobs and it can propel their careers forward. “I am interested in the program because employers are now looking for candidates who have more than just a college degree,” said Emily Ahart, a senior accounting and finance major. “An M.B.A. will make it easier for me to advance my career.”

The first two eight-week M.B.A. courses, offered in a blended on-campus and online delivery mode, begin Oct. 24.

For more information, contact Enrollment Counselor Molly Bigelow at mbigelow@smumn.edu or 507-457-8602.

Edward Gelhaus’ LinkedIn profile describes him as “A nice guy.”

The 2006 alumnus and successful Hollywood actor wants to remind people of his true persona, because his latest roles portray him as just the opposite.

“I seem to be only playing mean villains,” Gelhaus said. “After you shave your head and get a few muscles, you become the mean guy. My mom hopes I get a role where she can say, ‘Yay, there’s NICE Eddie.’ I have promised Mom that I will find a nice role.”

Edward Gelhaus ’06 on American Horror Story “Freakshow”

Gelhaus’ “mean streak” began with FX’s American Horror Story “Freakshow” in 2014 in which he portrayed the younger version of Dell Toledo, the strongman of the carnival (played by Michael Chiklis).

Gelhaus described Toledo as “sadistic,” “evil,” and “everything wrong with society.”

Next came a stint on CBS’s Under the Dome in which Gelhaus played a white supremacist prison gang leader who stabs one of the main characters, played by Eddie Cahill. Sadly, because the show was cancelled, Gelhaus’ recurring role also ended.

On AMC’s TURN: Washington’s Spies, Gelhaus portrayed David Williams, one of the key people who captures a spy (JJ Field who portrays Major John André) in the Queen’s guard and turned around the entire war. “It sounds like I would be a good guy but rumors are these three guys (the notorious “Skinner Gang,”) were just bandits and were robbing a bunch of people, and when they found out who they were capturing, they turn him in.”

Gelhaus said he was grateful for the opportunity to work with Emmy Award-nominated director Jeremy Webb (of Downton Abbey), among others. “It was amazing being able to act alongside some major talents,” he said.

For his next character on Rizzoli and Isles on TNT, Gelhaus played Leo, an unsavory character who funneled weapons to the Albanians and met with an untimely demise. Angie Harmon directed the episode, the show’s 100th, which required Gelhaus to spend 4½ hours in a makeup chair getting full-arm tattoos.

“Angie Harmon was one of the most amazing people,” he said. “I got so much positive reinforcement. As an actress, she knows how to get best footage from her actors.”

Gelhaus also filmed a small part for AMC’s Better Call Saul but discovered his part was cut, even after he made the previews. “As an actor you learn to never get excited about an audition, never get excited about a callback, never get excited when you get the part, and never get excited when you see the previews, because your scene could still be cut,” he said. Still, Gelhaus is grateful for the experience.

This past year, he also did some short indie films, a Fitbit commercial, and portrayed the main warrior for a commercial for the popular videogame Far Cry Primal.

In real life, Gelhaus is engaged to a Tessa Marie, a professional Latin ballroom dancer.

And the excitement continues to build. Gelhaus just finished filming a show that he isn’t able to talk about—a show he considers his biggest role yet. “I got to work with some amazing actors on a very big network show that anybody and everybody will be able to watch,” he said.

Gelhaus on TURN: Washington’s Spies

This character isn’t going to win any points with his mother. Gelhaus describes this role as “really, really bad.”

So how does the smiley actor from Owen, Wis., transform into his bad guy persona? Gelhaus credits his theatre training at Saint Mary’s University.

“The hardest thing for me is to embody these characters and make it feel believable,” he said. “Saint Mary’s helps you find out who you are. If I didn’t realize who I was, especially because I’ve been playing killers and murderers and drug dealers … I need to be able to turn the on and off switch.”

Gelhaus also said that acting in London as part of the university’s Stefannié Valéncia Kierlin London Theatre Program, and subsequently studying at Dublin’s renowned Gaiety School of Acting, helped build an impressive résumé.

“Those are things that capture someone’s attention,” he said.

And, in his business, standing out is key.

That’s why Gelhaus has acquired skills ranging from ballet to ballroom dancing to bartending and from miming to motorcycling. He can ride a horse, wield a sword, or use a pogo stick.

He also advises student actors to learn how to use a camera, how to edit film, and how to use Photoshop. “If you know how to take your own headshots, it will set yourself apart,” he said. “I can film my own auditions in my house. You will want to act and be in shows as well, but you also need to get these skills. Out here it’s truly about marketing yourself.”

It’s also about who you know. Again, Gelhaus is thankful for his experiences at Saint Mary’s.

“I talk to Gary (Diomandes from the Theatre Department) once or twice every month. I think the thing about Saint Mary’s is that this is even a possibility. Gary is one of the first people who I talk to when I get a role. That doesn’t happen normally. These connections that I have with Gary and Judy (Myers, also of the Theatre Department) are so valuable. Out here you get 5 million doors slammed in your face. You can’t take that personally, and you can’t get discouraged. Having that support system is something no one should ever take for granted. Gary hooked me up with my acting coach out here, Howard Fine, who also coaches Will Smith and Chris Pine.”

Ironically, Gelhaus said his college roommate, Andy Greene ’06, is also doing well as an actor in Hollywood and lives just two blocks away. The two support each other and network whenever possible.

“At the end of the day, you can take acting classes anywhere, but to have people who are genuine and build that kind of a support system is unbelievable,” he said.

You can follow his career through www.imdb.me/edwardgelhaus.

Professional photos taken and edited by Edward Gelhaus.

Danielle E. Miller ’11 didn’t set out to be an artist. Instead, art found her at a time in her life when she needed it most.

And now her art is inspiring others. Miller, joined by 22 international artists, is currently exhibiting at The Chelsea International Fine Art Competition in New York City. The show, which runs through Aug. 23, is on display in Agora Gallery, located in the heart of the famous Chelsea Art District.

“It’s always been one of my dreams to show in New York,” Miller said. “It’s a big stepping stone in my career.” At the opening reception, Miller was told that thousands of artists applied to be in the show.

Miller is showing a series of mixed-media sculptures—called the “Cat Eye Marble Series”—made from chicken wire, soft organic paper from books, and organza fabric.

According to the gallery website, Miller’s “mixed-media sculptures are works of exquisite balance. Miller creates small-scale pieces that are compact yet airy and graceful in composition. She manipulates her materials to create new and thought-provoking textures. All the while her editor’s eye allows for beautifully clear lines.”

The Inver Grove Heights native has shown her sculptures at a number of galleries since graduating from Saint Mary’s with an art studio major. She was part of a Saint Mary’s alumni show in 2013 in Winona and has exhibited in St. Paul, California, and North Dakota.

Her dream is to one day give up her day job and become a full-time artist.

“People may say you are crazy for being an artist,” she said. “It may not pay the bills but it’s worthwhile and if it makes you happy, that’s what you should be doing.”

Once considering a career as a veterinarian, Miller changed her major course of study after taking a drawing class her sophomore year—as well as receiving ongoing support from the faculty in the Department of Art and Design. She’d always been interested in art, but when she took a sculpture class her junior year, she especially found her niche.

“All artists love being creative and finding new avenues to work with, and I like texture and color and shapes and that’s what brought me to sculpture,” she said. “This book art I’ve been doing actually started at Saint Mary’s. My professor handed me a book, said to just carve into it; it was an open assignment.

“I like reusing different materials,” she added. “That’s why I kept up with using book pages. I like the texture, and each book I’ve found has a different color and tint to the pages. The fabric idea I got from my mom who taught me how to sew.”

Faculty and staff at Saint Mary’s who taught and worked with Miller call her a Lasallian success story.

Miller is quiet when she hears the label. She admittedly shies away from praise, but it’s a title she has proudly earned. “I had a hard time my freshman and sophomore year in college,” she explains.

A Cardinal track and field athlete, Miller found herself going through some difficult family changes, all the while working hard to excel, despite a learning disability.

Diagnosed with ADHD (Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder) and PDD (Pervasive Developmental Disorders), Miller says she learns a little bit slower than other people. Though articulate, she pauses, choosing her words carefully.

“It was a dark time,” she said. “But then I found art. That lifted me up out of the darkness, and my professors helped me out. My favorite year at Saint Mary’s was my senior year; I got more into my Art Studio Major classes and was spending more and more time in the art building—more than most, I confess. I skipped out on a lot of sleep and skipped a lot of meals to work on art. I thought at that time it was all for my senior show, but now I think it was because I loved working on new art pieces and discovering new ideas.”

Miller said professors like Rob McColl and Preston Lawing had an open-door policy, and she frequently went to them to ask questions. And they always found time to answer them all.

Additionally, the Student Success Center, she said, helped her overcome learning obstacles, and she is grateful to them and to all her cheerleaders at home and at Saint Mary’s.

McColl has followed Miller’s career with interest. “Since graduating, Danielle has kept all of us in the art department updated on her art work, so, as exciting as it was, it was no real surprise when the postcard for her New York show arrived in the mail this summer. The art faculty is so pleased that Danielle’s creative work is getting such notable recognition.”

Miller is eager now to focus on creating new art. “I have hundreds of ideas of taking this series to a different level,” she said. She lists her next goals as: work on more art, show more art, get her own studio, show in a different country, show at the Walker Art Center, have a solo show, have an art piece in a major art collection and an art museum, and give back to the Saint Mary’s Department of Art and Design.

She tells other young artists to follow their dreams. “Do not listen to anyone who may detour you from reaching them,” she said. “Life is tough sometimes; you just have to remember who you are and remember your dreams.”

Karen Hemker, director of Saint Mary’s Disability Services, said that Miller serves as an inspiration to others who face challenges in life. “Danielle was not afraid to seek support, and therefore, was able to find her passion,” she said. “Pursuing her dream, which has led to a career, is a testament to her strength and resilience.”

To see more of Miller’s art currently on display, visit the Agora Gallery website or visit YouTube to see a video about the show.

Ben Preusser, a double major in physics and math, is—no surprise—interested in numbers, and he has always been a fervent fan of facts.

“(All students) should all major in physics and math; there are no other majors,” he says with a laugh.

Saint Mary’s student Ben Preusser is located toward the middle in back (wearing the Saint Mary’s shirt). He and other students pose in front of the NASA DC-8. Photo courtesy of Jane Peterson, NSERC ARC-CREST.

It could be this positive attitude, coupled with his love for learning that helped Preusser acquire a spot in the NASA Student Airborne Research Program, an eight-week summer immersion program in California.

The Saint Mary’s University senior from Belle Plaine, Minn., heard about the internship through Dr. Paul Nienaber, SJ, the Physics Department chair, who regularly sends out internship information and encourages students to apply.

Preusser said only one in eight students who applied were chosen for the unique experience.

The Student Airborne Research Program provides students with hands-on research experience in all aspects of a major scientific campaign, from detailed planning on how to achieve mission objectives to formal presentation of results and conclusions to peers and even NASA officials.

“They expose students to the whole range of collecting data, analyzing data, and presenting data,” Preusser said, explaining that the 32 students are broken down into smaller multi-disciplinary teams that study surface, atmospheric, and oceanographic processes. Preusser’s group is looking at land imagery.

The students traveled to Palmdale, Calif., and during the first two weeks, they took measurements at field sites and flew onboard the NASA DC-8, a flying laboratory, from which they sampled, collected, and measured gases at different altitudes.

Preusser said his group was fortunate to have more instrumentation on the plane than in previous years; he and other participants were exposed to as many as 20 different instruments.

Preusser’s group went up in the DC-8 during a day when smoke from a California wildfire affected their results. As a result, studying atmosphere corrections for smoke became his research project. “They have algorithms for correcting on clear air, but on one of our days, a wildfire spewed a lot of smoke on flight path. I’m looking at where in the light spectrum smoke is affecting our data and running different atmospheric corrections software to see if I find a setting that makes it look the best. It just so happened that because of our time constraint, we were presented with a unique data set to analyze how smoke is affecting our results and if it’s possible to correct that.”

For the next six weeks, teams are working at the University of California, Irvine where they are analyzing the data. Each student will then complete an individual research project from the data collected. The experience concludes with individual presentations.

Although Preusser said it’s unlikely any highly major discoveries will result from this summer’s research, the experience is invaluable.

“The program has broadened my horizons and exposed me to things I didn’t have access to,” he said. “It’s an eye opener. We have an opportunity to listen to a few NASA officials and scientists. I feel I know more about how NASA works now.”

Preusser said he felt his classes at Saint Mary’s prepared him well for the experience. “All the physics makes sense,” he said. “And the math is pretty complex but when I put in the time, it make sense. It’s hard to be completely prepared for the work that we’re doing, but I’ve learned a lot, and I don’t think the learning is done yet.”

Associate Professor of Physics Dr. Robyn Wangberg, Preusser’s academic adviser, wrote to recommend him for this position, and noted that she looks forward to Preusser’s presentation on his project fall semester at Saint Mary’s.

After completing his studies at Saint Mary’s next year, Preusser admits he isn’t sure which direction he is headed, but he is definitely interested in getting his Ph.D. He’s excited to have the internationally known and respected name of NASA on his résumé.

And, if NASA unexpectedly offered him a job, Preusser said he definitely wouldn’t decline it.

Photo caption: Senior Ben Preusser, left, takes measurement at the Sedgwick Reserve during the NASA Student Airborne Research Program. Photo courtesy of Dr. Dar Roberts, University of California, Santa Barbara.