Paintings from Do You See Me? by S Abbas Shobeiri line the walls of the Fulginiti Pavilion foyer.
The small but mighty Fulginiti Pavilion for Bioethics and Humanities is the cultural heart of CU Anschutz. It is also home of the Arts & Humanities in Healthcare Program, which is coming off a banner year.
The program, with new leadership by Kathryn Rhine, PhD, integrates creative expression, humanistic inquiry, and interdisciplinary collaboration to enhance health professions education.
As the Center gears up for a new year, we thought we’d do what summers are best for—pause and reflect on the amazing connections and programming from 2024-2025.
Here are some of our most memorable highlights.
West Side Story and the Mind of Leonard Bernstein
The academic year launched with a powerful return visit from renowned concert pianist and psychiatrist Dr. Richard Kogan in October. His sixth appearance through the Music and Medicine Initiative at CU Anschutz featured Leonard Bernstein's life and music to illuminate the complex relationship between creativity and mental illness. With support from the Henry and Janet Claman Endowed Professorship in the Medical Humanities and the Rockley Family Foundation, we were proud to host over 200 members of the campus and local community for storytelling and live music.
Soprano’s Encore: Renée Fleming and the Science of Song
In January, world-renowned opera soprano and arts in health advocate Renée Fleming returned to CU Anschutz for "Music and Mind / Arts in Health," marking her second collaboration with the Center. This event was hosted in partnership with CU Boulder’s CU Presents and the College of Music.
Fleming facilitated a panel discussion exploring music’s impact on brain health, early development, and emotional wellbeing. With local experts from UCHealth, the CU School of Medicine, and the CU Denver College of Arts & Media, the event highlighted how deeply music intersects with the science and delivery of healthcare. The discussion drew over 250 attendees from CU campuses, CSU's music therapy program, and clinical spaces. It brought together music therapists, neurologists, performers, and opera lovers alike.
Recovering Secrets: The Art of Jeffery Kent
In February, we hosted a visit with Baltimore-based artist Jeffrey Kent and curator Carol Rhodes Dyson. "Recovering Secrets: The Art of Jeffrey Kent" showcased deeply personal works reflecting Kent’s journey from addiction to professional artist and advocate. The event underscored the connections between health, justice, and the arts, and illustrated how visual storytelling can heal both artist and viewer. The paintings revealed broader themes in bioethics—including Henrietta Lacks’ enduring cellular legacy.
This series invited visitors to consider ongoing issues of consent, exploitation, and racial justice in medical research—exemplifying the Arts and Humanities Program's commitment to cultivating critical discussions on systemic inequities through art. This event was made possible with support from the Claman Endowed Professorship.
Honoring the Legacy of Henrietta Lacks
In a tribute to one of the most significant figures in modern medical history, Jermaine Jackson—grand-nephew of Henrietta Lacks—brought the Henrietta Lacks Traveling Museum to campus for the One Book One Campus Program. This event was hosted in collaboration with the Center for Interprofessional Practice & Education, the Strauss Health Sciences Library, and the CU Office of Student Affairs. The keynote attracted over 180 students, faculty and staff.
Professional Musicians and Mental Health Experts Unite
The year reached a crescendo during Mental Health Awareness Month in May with the world premiere of "Portrait of an Unquiet Mind: A Musical Illustration of Bipolar Disorder," led by CU Denver’s Mark Rabideau. This immersive musical collaboration, by acclaimed composer Shelbie Rassler, featured celebrated jazz drummer Joe Farnsworth. Over 200 campus and community members experienced a musical journey through 11 movements representing the average of 11 years from first symptom to treatment and diagnosis.
The event exemplified how music can create empathy and foster dialogue around stigma and mental illness. The concert was followed by a panel with contributions from the CU Department of Psychiatry, Mental Health Colorado and Children’s Hospital Colorado. This performance was supported by the CU President’s Innovation Fund and CU Denver College of Arts & Media.
Art Exhibition: Do You See Me? S. Abbas Shobeiri
On May 6, this exhibition by physician-artist S. Abbas Shobeiri, MD, opened in partnership with the CU Division of Urogynecology and Reconstructive Pelvic Surgery.
The series of 20 paintings explores the emotional and physical trauma some mothers experience after childbirth. Aligned with the seven stages of grief, Shobeiri’s art gives voice to women navigating postpartum PTSD and pelvic floor injury, which is often overlooked in maternal care. "Do You See Me?" is the first-ever exhibit focused on postpartum PTSD, offering new perspectives on motherhood, trauma, and recovery. The series is on display and open to the public through November 21. This exhibition is made possible by the William B. Goddard, MD, Endowed Professorship in Urogynecology.
Medical Improv: Creative Scholarship and Connection
Running monthly throughout this extraordinary year was our new Health Humanities and Arts Research Collaborative (HHARC) series. HHARC aims to foster new collaborations, inspire innovative research and highlight the crucial role of humanities in advancing healthcare. It features research projects that demonstrate the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration.
Among the highlights of this year’s series was a medical improv workshop led by “The Improv Doc,” medical improv expert Belinda Fu, MD. This failure-friendly experience was designed to stretch comfort zones, improve communication skills and deepen compassion. Improv uses creativity to strengthen human connection—in the clinic, the classroom, and community spaces. The HHARC series is supported by the Medical Education in Arts and Humanities Fund.
Looking Ahead: Global Education and Graduate Certificate
The 2025-2026 academic year will bring new opportunities for students, faculty and staff through the restructured Bioethics and Humanities in Health Graduate Certificate, including a Winter Break Study Abroad course in Brazil. We also look forward to a collaboration with the Flourishing Through the Arts Council for Denver Arts Week in November, and more.
It is an honor to collaborate with our partners—the artists, scholars, professionals, students, and local residents—who share our commitment to this mission.
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