In the fall of 2005, the Herberger College Department of Dance celebrated its 75th anniversary. What has been called one of the nation’s leading schools in modern dance started in 1931 when the university’s Department of Physical Education began offering classes in “interpretive dance.”
Its first director, Dorothy Gillanders, a modern dancer who worked with Martha Graham and others, joined the program in 1937. She made it her mission to bring modern dance to the university community.
The program continued to evolve, moving from Physical Education into the College of Fine Arts under Beth Lessard, who was appointed the Dance chairperson in 1977. During Lessard’s tenure, a Master of Fine Arts degree was initiated and renowned choreographer and dancer Daniel Nagrin joined the faculty.
While at ASU, Nagrin blended the vision and experience of professional modern dance into the curriculum to help the department create one of the country’s premiere modern dance programs. With Nagrin and other esteemed faculty, the dance program enjoyed recognition for its choreography, innovative programs and guest artist residencies.
Today, the Herberger College Department of Dance is widely recognized as one of the best schools for modern dance in the country.
To celebrate the accomplishments of the past 75 years, the department held a special concert in September, honoring one of their own—modern dance pioneer and former faculty member—Daniel Nagrin.
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is established. By 2006, it will have grown to include partnerships at 46 sites, including ArtsBridge, a collaboration among 14 universities in the country partnering with public schools to provide quality K-12 arts education. 
The college is named The Katherine K. Herberger College of Fine Arts in recognition of Valley philanthropist Kax Herberger. Her $12 million was the largest personal gift given to the university at the time. Photo: Paolo Vescia. 
Kurt Weiser (art) is named college’s third Regents’ Professor.
Kurt Weiser, Continental Drift, 2005. 
Multi-million dollar gifts by Evelyn Smith and her family endow faculty positions and graduate fellowships throughout the college. Their generosity is recognized with the naming of the Evelyn Smith Music Theatre. The same year David Katzin gives $500,000 to name Katzin Concert Hall and provide endowed programming.
Art in America lists ASU Art Museum as the “single most impressive venue for contemporary art in Arizona.”
Doc Severinsen becomes the first artist to hold the Katherine K. Herberger Heritage Chair for Visiting Artists, followed by Gunther Schuller and the St. Lawrence String Quartet.
Mark Klett (art) is named the college’s fourth Regents’ Professor. 
ArtWalk, the first alumni art festival becomes an annual fixture of ASU Homecoming.
School of Art M.F.A. program leaps to 13th in the nation by U.S. News & World Report. Specialty areas also received special recognition: printmaking, ceramics, and photography.
School of Art begins a joint Ph.D. in art history and theory with the University of Arizona.
Graduate programs in Music, Art and Theatre are nationally ranked by U.S. News & World Report. 
Professional Connections Office, later to be called
Student Success, is established to aid students in gaining on-the-job experience and post-graduation placement.
The Office of Public Art is created to administer the college’s growing public arts program.
Luis Jimenez, Southwest Pieta, 1987.
The Ceramics Research Center, under the auspices of the ASU Art Museum, is created by the Board of Regents. 
Arts, Media and Engineering experiential media graduate program is created in conjunction with Fulton School of Engineering. 
motione premieres at ASU then debuts in Lincoln Center, garnering repeated coverage in The New York Times.
College initiates certificate program in Public Art.
Stanton Sears and Andrea Myklebust, Prickly/Prickly/Prickly/Prickly/Spiny, 2005.
College celebrates 40th anniversary.