Jane Slusarski-Harris, Director of CSU Dance, 1988-2018.
Rod Harris and Jane Slusarski-Harris continue to support student work in the dance program at Colorado State University with the Rod Harris and Jane Slusarski-Harris Dance Scholarship.
“Dance brought much to our lives: discipline, artistic expression, and physical accomplishment,” said the couple. “These are vitally important in a dance career and equally valuable in life itself.” With the scholarship, the couple hopes to “help others experience these aspects of life, learn, and grow.”
For Rod and Jane, who first met while studying and performing in Ballet and Modern Dance, dance has continued to be a unifying theme. “Dance is the core of our life together,” said the couple.
Slusarski-Harris previously held the position of director of dance at CSU from 1988 until her retirement in 2018. While Jane directed the CSU Dance program for thirty years, Rod pursued a career in engineering design.
“Our goal is to support students in their own dance education, to assist them in the pursuit of their dreams as dancers, artists, performers, educators, and entrepreneurs,” said the couple.
The scholarship provides funds to a BFA Dance student who demonstrates an arts-based entrepreneurial spirit through creativity, initiative, and career planning.
Chalina Canton Garcia, B.F.A. major
Inaugural recipient Chalina Canton Garcia will perform in the 2024 Fall Senior Dance Capstone.
The couple said, “We hope to nurture the spirit and energy in the CSU dance program by incentivizing the best students to bring their skills, their thirst for excellence, their creativity, and their motivation to CSU and to share it with other students with the faculty, and with the entire University community.”
Colorado State University Director of Dance, Emily Morgan, said, “This forward-thinking scholarship encourages our students to look beyond traditional careers in dance and consider potentially innovative careers that capitalize on the multitude of skills they learn as dance majors. I am so grateful to Jane and Rod for creating it and continuing to support our students.”
If you would like to increase the impact of this scholarship, additional gifts to the scholarship can be made through the CSU giving portal.
Under “Additional Designations,” search for “Rod Harris and Jane Slusarski-Harris Dance Scholarship.”