CMU Alumni Emmy Winners Showcase Steady Results of Arts Excellence

Carnegie Mellon University’s School of Drama(opens in new window) empowers students to balance technical precision and artistic expression with its consistent influence on society and culture, evident most recently at the 77th Emmy Awards(opens in new window).

Ten Carnegie Mellon alumni took home trophies after earning 21 nominations(opens in new window) at the Sept. 14 ceremony and the 2025 Creative Arts Emmy Awards Show(opens in new window) on Sept. 6 and 7.

With CMU graduates John Wells(opens in new window) and Michael Hissrich serving as executive producers, “The Pitt,” set in a fictional Pittsburgh emergency room(opens in new window), won Outstanding Drama Series in addition to four awards from its 13 nominations in other categories.

Robert Ramirez, head of the School of Drama, said the road to those kinds of high-profile awards(opens in new window) begins at CMU, where students combine their classroom learning with hands-on production experience.

“As they approach their senior year, or the final year of their graduate program, they start to prepare for their industry Showcase(opens in new window) and Expo(opens in new window), where they will network and engage with industry professionals as they prepare to launch their careers,” he said. “Things like building their own websites, putting together resumes and portfolios, and thinking practically about what it means to be a working artist start to come into focus.”

Lighting design senior Hailey Garza said she’s experienced that firsthand.

“It’s great to know that I'm at a school that's setting everybody up for success, while also grabbing people who are creative and wanting to get there, because we all push each other toward that, and that's really exciting,” she said.

Garza is serving as lighting designer on the spring musical “Company,”(opens in new window) set for April 4 to 18.

“We spend a lot of time diving deep into the process, working with our collaborators and making sure we’re pushing the narrative forward,” she said. “When you see a good show, you’re seeing the result of a long, organized and thorough process.”

Ramirez highlighted “the kind of ‘real-world’ knowledge that has to go hand-in-hand with their talent” as part of the drama program with courses such as the Business of Acting. Taught by Lisa Velten Smith(opens in new window), associate professor of voice and associate area chair of acting and music theater, the curriculum introduces aspects of the professional world such as signing with managers and understanding production contracts.

Garza said she is already confident CMU has guided her on the path to success, especially in the School of Drama, the first degree-granting drama institution in the country, which recently ranked as one of the top programs(opens in new window) in the United States.

“The Carnegie Mellon network is so big,” she said. “I'm being set up to be able to connect with people and to put my name out there. That way, when I graduate, I'm getting a job. I'm networking. I'm getting to the place that I want to be.”

Mary Ellen Poole(opens in new window), dean of CMU’s College of Fine Arts, said all five schools within CFA prioritize bringing in high-achieving alumni and other professionals to interact with students.

"Their stories and counsel are valuable in getting across to our students that, in addition to craft and voice, they must also understand how their respective industries work,” she said. "Students become what they see. When we give them lots of opportunities to interact with their predecessors, they are more likely to pay it forward after they graduate."

Garza is looking forward to a networking trip in December to Live Design International, a national conference for live event production and lighting. 

Logan Donahue, a fifth-year senior in lighting design who will also be taking part in the trip, said he was excited to hear of the CMU connections to the Emmy awards.

“It’s rewarding to see people who have gone through the same program who are now successful applying what they learned here,” he said. “I know if I work hard now, it’s all worth it because I’ll be well-equipped to handle these environments in the real world.

Donahue programmed lighting for three student productions last year and designed lighting for two, including “Titantic(opens in new window),” which included LED pixel tape, incorporating 2,000 different individual panels to control.

The productions taught him that his role was as much about collaboration and teamwork as it was about lighting.

“You’re cataloging and organizing while trying to keep a level head,” he said. “I was pushing myself during the process to use new technology and learn new commands and how to make my work flow much quicker.”

Donahue said faculty members, such as Mary Ellen Stebbins(opens in new window), assistant professor of lighting design, often offer students working opportunities and open communication for feedback and guidance.

“They find a real passion in helping the younger designers grow, which is something hard to define,” he said.