Lonny Joseph Gordon who is currently associated with ISU – College of Fine Arts continually engages in cultural work in education as a professor, an author, an artist, and a spokesman for the fine arts. As a Dean of the College of Fine Arts at the Illinois State University in Normal, Illinois from 2004 till 2008, Lonny Joseph Gordon pioneered and supervised numerous projects.
Some of Lonny Joseph Gordon’s projects include the President’s Concert celebrating the 150th Anniversary of the founding of Illinois State University and the School of Music Wind Symphony that performed two world-premieres which transpired on the 18th of February 2007. These two new symphonies (Procession of the Academics and A Carl Sandburg Reader by composer David Maslanka) were commissioned in 2005.
In addition, Lonny Joseph Gordon created new works of art by working with fine arts majors and non-majors across the university. He also accomplished this by incorporating an interdisciplinary relationship of the arts and letters. This occurred during the time that he was an Artist in Residence at the Illinois State University which began in January 2008. His work uplifts the cultural and social awareness of the work of the artist in society and the academy. Moreover, he performs as a collaborative creative artist role model and educator for the students.