Purdue University Fort Wayne announces appointment of Elisabeth Honn Hoegberg as dean of the College of Visual and Performing Arts

Posted: 03/24/26

Author: Office of Academic Affairs

Categories: Administration

Purdue University Fort Wayne today announced the appointment of Elisabeth Honn Hoegberg as dean of the College of Visual and Performing Arts, effective July 1, 2026. The announcement was made by Carl Drummond, provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs.

"We are thrilled to welcome Elisabeth Hoegberg to Purdue Fort Wayne," said Drummond. "Her distinguished record of academic leadership, her deep commitment to the performing arts, and her passion for community engagement make her ideally suited to lead CVPA into its next chapter. We are confident that under her direction, the college will continue to thrive as a vibrant center for artistic excellence and innovation."

Drummond also took the opportunity to express deep gratitude to outgoing Dean John O'Connell for his years of dedicated service to CVPA and to Purdue Fort Wayne. "John has been an exceptional steward of this college," Drummond noted. "His tireless leadership, his advocacy for students and faculty, and his commitment to artistic excellence have left an enduring mark on CVPA and on the broader Fort Wayne arts community. We are profoundly grateful for everything he has contributed and wish him all the best in his next endeavors."

Hoegberg currently serves as director of the School of Music, Theatre and Dance and as associate dean in the College of Arts and Sciences for the fine and performing arts at Oakland University. In those roles, she has demonstrated exemplary academic and administrative leadership, spearheading high-impact initiatives that have elevated the arts both on campus and in the surrounding community. She leads the university's Cultural Ambassador initiative, promoting the campus as a cultural destination through dynamic programming, as well as the Arts Pillar of the Oakland University Pontiac Initiative for community engagement.

Hoegberg also serves on the national board of the College Music Society as a board member at large, reflecting her broad engagement with and commitment to music education at the national level.

Prior to her appointment at Oakland, Hoegberg chaired the departments of music and theatre at the University of Indianapolis and held academic appointments at Indiana University and Oberlin Conservatory. Her scholarly work focuses on historical theory and late 19th-century French operetta. She most recently coedited "Genre Beyond Borders: Reassessing Operetta" and is currently writing a monograph on the stage works of Emmanuel Chabrier. An active solo and collaborative performer, she has appeared with the American Pianists Association, the Indianapolis Chamber Orchestra, and the Indianapolis Baroque Orchestra.

Hoegberg holds a Ph.D. in music theory and an M.A. in musicology from Indiana University, as well as a B.Mus. in music history from Illinois State University.

Reflecting on her appointment, Hoegberg shared her enthusiasm for joining the PFW community: "I am excited by the opportunity to join CVPA because of the outstanding work of its faculty and students and its high profile in the Fort Wayne arts community. There is so much potential for growth in this truly student-centered college, and I can't wait to work with CVPA to advance the arts as an integral part of the community and its creative industries."

Hoegberg will officially assume her duties as dean on July 1, 2026.