Editor’s note: The following announcement was made by Chancellor Corey A. King on the UW-Whitewater announcements page on August 13.
We are thrilled to announce that Michael (Mike) Stefiuk will be joining UW-Whitewater as the new Director of The Young Performing Arts Center. With over 20 years of transformative leadership in arts administration, Mike has held prominent roles in top symphony orchestras, music festivals, and higher education institutions. Most recently, he served as Director of Concert Operations at the Eastman School of Music [Rochester, NY], overseeing three prestigious venues and nearly 1,000 events annually.
Mike’s recent accomplishments include:
- Leading teams of 20+ staff and managing multimillion-dollar budgets
- Increasing ticket revenue by 48% while cutting expenses by 50%
- Launching award-winning community initiatives and partnerships
- Programming major festivals and commissioning new works
- Producing events for audiences of up to 72,000
Mike’s vision aligns perfectly with The Young’s mission to enrich the cultural life of Whitewater and the surrounding region, and we look forward to his collaborative spirit and passion for creating spaces where the arts can thrive.
A special thank you to Dean Michael Dugan for his exceptional leadership in serving as Interim Director in addition to his responsibilities as Dean. We also extend our sincere appreciation to the search committee, chaired by Dr. Katy Casey, and to our HR partners for their dedication and hard work throughout the summer. Their collective efforts were instrumental in making this appointment a reality.
We also want to extend heartfelt gratitude to the current staff of The Young for their unwavering dedication and hard work throughout this time of transition. Their commitment has been vital in keeping the center vibrant and moving forward.
Mike will officially begin on Monday, September 15, and will represent The Young at the Midwest Arts Expo in Milwaukee. Please join us in welcoming him to the Warhawk family!
Editor’s note: According to the Eastman School of Music website, Stefiuk received a bachelor’s degree in music from Northern Illinois University and a Master of Music from New England Conservatory,
