Myra Greene Shaffer, executive director of Greenwood Lander Performing Arts, was honored Tuesday evening, Nov. 30, before the sold-out Vienna Boys Choir concert at Lander University's Josephine E. Abney Cultural Center Auditorium.
Shaffer is stepping down from her GLPA position and moving into an office across campus to become the university's director of Alumni Affairs.
Jon Scott, president of the GLPA Board of Directors, presented her with a resolution passed by the board expressing its thanks for the many accomplishments she made during the more than two years she served as executive director. The resolution cited her tireless efforts to improve the cultural experiences of people in the Greenwood area and beyond by bringing some of the world's most talented musicians, singers and dancers to the stage at Lander.
Scott also noted her supervision of GLPA's Outreach program that enables thousands of children in more than 30 elementary and middle schools in five local school districts to attend cultural performances at Lander.
Alice Taylor-Colbert, dean of Lander's College of Arts and Humanities, joined Scott on stage and told Shaffer that the GLPA is sorry to be losing her but gratified that she will remain at Lander and continue to teach in addition to her new duties as Alumni Affairs director.
Shaffer graduated from Lander in 1978. She became GLPA director in August of 2008 after a 14-year association with the Greenwood Community Theatre.