Patrick receives Educator of the Year for Higher Education Award

Blinn Theatre Arts instructor honored by Texas Educational Theatre Association

August 21, 2026

Blinn Theatre Arts Instructor Jennifer Patrick has been named Texas Educational Theatre Association (TxETA) 2026 Educator of the Year Award in Higher Education, one of the organization’s top honors.

She will receive the award Oct. 2 at TxETA’s annual ceremony during TheatreFest 2026 at Moody Gardens in Galveston.

“I am deeply honored to receive this award, particularly as a part-time faculty member,” Patrick said. “I understand that very few, if any, part-time faculty members have received this recognition, which makes the honor especially meaningful to me.

“I am incredibly grateful that my commitment and dedication to Texas higher education were recognized. This award is a meaningful affirmation of the passion I have for serving students and contributing to higher education in Texas.”

Patrick joined the Blinn Theatre Arts Program on the Brenham Campus in 2010 as a part-time instructor and became full-time in fall 2026.

“Jennifer represents the best of what an educator at any level should aspire to,” said Todd Quinlan, Performing Arts Department Head. “I’m proud to have her on our team.”

Patrick holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Southwestern University in Georgetown and a Master of Fine Arts from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.

At Blinn, Patrick has taught Acting I, Stage Makeup, Costume Technology, Intro to Stage Design, Stage Movement, and Film Appreciation. She has also performed in faculty showcases and directed many productions, including Greater Tuna, The Odd Couple, The Island of Dr. Moreau, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Young Frankenstein, The Boys Next Door, and The Bible: The Complete Word of God (Abridged). She will direct all four shows in the 2026-27 season.

Beyond Blinn, Patrick has spent 20 years as Theatre Arts Director for the Brenham Children’s Chorus, directing two musicals annually for fifth- through eighth-grade students. She also founded and leads Connect, a student organization created in response to isolation during the COVID-19 pandemic.

In his recommendation, Quinlan called her “an exceptional educator,” noting her “extensive and current knowledge of acting, directing, and design” and her ability to prepare students for professional theatre careers.

Patrick’s husband, Kevin, Blinn-Brenham’s Technical Theatre Arts Director, received the same TxETA honor in 2024.

Blinn Theatre Arts 2026-27 Season

• The Big Bad Musical — 7 p.m. Sept. 24-25; 2 p.m. Sept. 26-27. School previews at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. Sept. 24-25.
• Little Shop of Horrors (Broadway Version) — 7 p.m. Nov. 12-13; 2 p.m. Nov. 14-15. Previews at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. Nov. 12 and 10 a.m. Nov. 13.
• Antigone — 7 p.m. Feb. 18-19; 2 p.m. Feb. 20. School previews at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. Feb. 18-19.
• All in the Timing: Six One-Act Plays — 7 p.m. April 15-16; 2 p.m. April 17-18. School previews at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. April 15-16.

All performances will be held at the O’Donnell Center, 600 Blinn Blvd., Brenham. Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for Blinn students and children. Tickets are available at www.blinn.edu/boxoffice, by calling 979-830-4024, or by emailing boxoffice@blinn.edu.