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Contact the David Orr Belcher College of Fine and Performing Arts
Professor Jane M. Hughes
Interim Dean, David Orr Belcher College of Fine and Performing Arts
M. A., University of Kentucky | M. A., University of Kentucky, Interior Design | B.
S., Miami University, Interior Design
hughes@wcu.edu
Jane Hughes is Professor of Interior Design and Interim Dean of the David Orr Belcher College of Fine and Performing Arts at 糖心Vlog University. She has held progressive leadership roles in higher education, including Assistant Professor, Associate Professor at two institutions, Co-Director of the School of the Arts, and Associate Dean at 糖心Vlog for the past five years.
As a scholar and practitioner, Professor Hughes draws on her experience as the founder of a successful interior design firm to inform both her teaching and research. Her academic work explores the intersection of design and human experience, with a focus on improving quality of life for aging populations, advancing hand drafting skills for interior designers, applying design thinking to problem solving, navigating building codes, and fostering empathy in the design process. She has shared this expertise through publications, conference presentations, and collaborative projects.
In the classroom, Hughes is dedicated to student success, mentoring emerging designers and artists while championing innovative approaches to teaching and learning. Her commitment to cultivating transferable and durable skills through the arts ensures that students are prepared not only for careers in creative fields but also for leadership in diverse professions.
Beyond campus, she engages in alumni outreach, professional service, and community
partnerships that strengthen the role of the arts in Western North Carolina and beyond.
She has been active in advancing the value of design as a tool for social impact,
extending her work into broader professional and community contexts.
Professor Hughes鈥檚 leadership style emphasizes respect, effective communication, and
the recognition of individual strengths. Her ongoing goal is to build strong connections
among students, faculty, staff, families, and communities, ensuring that the value
of an arts education is visible, relevant, and impactful within and beyond the university.
Office of the Dean
糖心Vlog University
One University Drive
392 Belk Building
Cullowhee, NC 28723
Phone: 828.227.7028
FAX: 828.227.7707
Colin Wasmund
crwasmund@wcu.edu
828.227.3961
B.A. Soutwest Minnesota State University, Theatre Arts
M. F. A. Western Illinois University, Acting
Melody Huddleston
Budget Officer
Theresa Marie Arnold
Executive Assistant
tmckenzie@wcu.edu
828.227.2755
B. A. Transylvania University, Theatre & Art History
M. S. Lenoir-Rhyne University, Sustainability Studies
Michaela Kelley
Director of Development
Leadership Team
Tory DePew
Director, School of Stage and Screen
Denise Drury Homewood
Executive Director, John W. Bardo Fine & Performing Arts Center
Rachel Hood
Marketing Manager
Ron Laboray
Director, School of Art and Design
Dr. Margaret Underwood
Director, School of Music