Jesse Dreikosen ’02

Professional Achievement, Conservatory for the Performing Arts

Jesse Dreikosen graduated with his Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) in theatre design and a minor in sociology. He earned a Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in scene design at Purdue University.  

Dreikosen inspires college students across the country, from Florida International University to the University of Idaho. He recently joined Florida State University, where he is director of the MFA Scenic Design Program in the School of Theatre and professor of scenic design. “It’s inspiring to see the lightbulbs go off for students,” he shared.  

Although he did not picture himself working in higher education, Dreikosen’s depth of knowledge and experience in scene design is valued by students and audiences alike. 

Dreikosen is from Spencer, a small town in central Wis.. He knew that Viterbo was a good fit. “I liked the sense of community,” he said. “Courses opened up my perspective to the world and set me up for graduate school.” He learned how artists can be a voice for what’s happening in the world. “They can inspire change,” he said.  

He reflected on the impact that a course on homelessness, taught by Tom Thibodeau, had on him. “We can be a voice for people who don’t have one. We can dissect what is happening around us – things that we cannot ignore.” 

As Dreikosen built his design career, he lived in New York, where he did freelance set design and prop work. He worked for GAP, Inc. as a visual and marketing consultant, helping to lay out and open stores in New York, Miami, and the Midwest. He taught employees lighting, window displays, marketing placement, and dressing mannequins. 

He has designed around the country, from the Alabama and Montana Shakespeare Festivals to the Texas Repertory Theatre Company, and the 6th Street Playhouse in Santa Rosa, Calif., just to name a few. 

His work has been exhibited at the Prague Quadrennial in the Czech Republic. He has received numerous regional and national awards.  

Dreikosen has returned to Viterbo numerous times to design the sets for productions, including Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, Footloose, and The SpongeBob Musical. He will also return for the design of Little Women: The Broadway Musical.

Dreikosen served as the vice-commissioner of education in Scene Design and Technologies Commission for the United States Institute for Theatre Technology (USITT), and as the Immediate Past National Chair of Design, Technology, and Management for the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival (KCACTF).  

In his spare time, Dreikosen paints murals for private residences. He does interior design for dental offices and graphic design for an array of materials and displays. 

Read about the other 2025 Distinguished Alumni Award Recipients