CLASS awarded two Moores Professorships

Professors Cynthia Freeland and Kevin Rigdon honored

Cynthia Freeland
Professor and Chair
of the Department of Philosophy

Cynthia Freeland, professor and chair of the Department of Philosophy, and Kevin Rigdon, professor in the School of Theatre and Dance have been named Moores Professors.

“The scholarship and creative activities that have propelled Dr. Freeland and Professor Rigdon to the forefront of their professions reflect the standards of excellence that the Moores Professorship recognizes,” said John W. Roberts, dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences. “We are extremely proud of their accomplishments and congratulate them on having received this impressive recognition.

The Moores Professorship Program honors full-time tenured faculty who have achieved the rank of full professor at the University of Houston and who have made outstanding contributions in the areas of research, scholarship, and/or creative activities, teaching, and service.

Kevin Rigdon
Professor in the
School of Theatre and Dance

The program encourages and supports continued excellence by providing funds for individual career development. Each Moores Professor receives an annual stipend of $10,000. The Moores Professorship is a five-year award subject to annual review and renewal at the end of five years.

Dr. Freeland is a leading philosopher of art who has established herself as an international scholar in her field. During her career, she has published six books with some of the most prestigious presses available to scholars in the humanities and received critical praise for their contribution to knowledge. She has also contributed numerous articles and reviews to the top journals in her field and chapters to very important essay collections.

Her stature as a leading philosopher in the field has been enhanced by the number of coveted fellowships and awards she has received. These recognitions are impressive indicators of her impact on the field as well as peer recognition of her considerable contributions to philosophical discourse. In addition to her current position as chair of the Department of Philosophy, Dr. Freeland has served in a number of administrative capacities since joining the faculty in 1986. She has held appointments as Director of Women’s Studies and Associate and Interim Dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences.

Professor Kevin Rigdon is internationally known for his work as a scenic, lighting and costume designer for stage with significant additional credits in film and television. He joined the faculty of the School of Theatre and Dance in 1998 after having served as associate director of the famed Steppenwolf Theatre Company in Chicago.

During his illustrious career, he has won numerous awards and nominations for his work as a designer including two Tony nominations, the highest recognition accorded an individual in the world of professional theatre in the United States.

Professor Rigdon continues to be a very active participant in the professional theatre community in the city, most notably through his work with the Alley Theatre as Associate Director of Design. His affiliation with the Alley and other professional theatrical ventures in Houston ensures the maintenance of a close relationship between the city’s theatre community and the School of Theatre and Dance at the University of Houston.