Departments
Education
- D.M.A., The Juilliard School
- M.M., University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana
- B.M., University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana
Biography
Alicia Cordoba Tait, D.M.A., is the inaugural Beirne Director of the Center for Catholic Studies at St. Mary’s University. As director, Tait will work with faculty, staff and students at St. Mary’s to foster campus-wide, cross-curricular conversations and scholarly activities and provide external programs that integrate the Marianist heritage and Catholic mission of St. Mary’s with special attention to the local Hispanic Catholic culture of San Antonio.
Previous to this position, Tait served Benedictine University in Lisle, Illinois, as Director of the Center for Mission and Identity, Assistant to the President for Mission Integration, Interim Director of Campus Ministry, Department of the Chair of Music and the Department of Fine and Performing Arts, and Professor of Music. She received degrees in oboe performance from the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana and from The Juilliard School in New York City, where she was the first woman to receive a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in English horn performance.
Tait has taught a variety of courses in music and the humanities, and consults and presents on topics related to leadership development, strategic planning, critical thinking, Catholic mission and identity, musical performance, and musicianship.
As an active performer on the oboe, oboe d’amore and English horn, Tait has performed as an orchestral, chamber and solo musician throughout Europe, North and South America, and in Australia and continues to commission new works in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Academic and Professional Presentations
Cordoba Tait, A., Embedding the Mission into Strategic Planning. Videotaped lesson for ACCU Leaders in Catholic Higher Education during the Association for Catholic Colleges and Universities (ACCU) Annual Meeting, Washington, D.C., February 2018
Cordoba Tait, A., CIMA Project Update. Invited presenter for Chief Academic Officer’s Pre-Conference at the Association for Catholic Colleges and Universities (ACCU) Annual Meeting, Washington, D.C., February 2018
Cordoba Tait, A. Promoting Mission on Campus. Invited Presentation at the Institute for Administrators in Catholic Higher Education, Boston College, Boston, MA, July 2017
Cordoba Tait, A. Getting to the Heart of a Benedictine University Education: Orientation to Mission. Invited Presentation at the annual Benedictine Pedagogy Conference, St. John’s University, Collegeville, MN, June 2017
Cordoba Tait, A. Boston Roundtable Discussions: Modeling the Best of What Catholic Higher Education has to Offer Society and The Church. Invited paper presentation for Boston College Roundtable Discussion, Boston College, Boston, MA, April 2017
Cordoba Tait, A., Paul Koch and Edward J. Peck. Finding and Developing Future Leaders for Catholic Higher Education. Invited co-presenters and panel discussion leaders for Chief Academic Officer’s Pre-Conference at the Association for Catholic Colleges and Universities (ACCU) Annual Meeting, Washington, D.C., January 2017
Cordoba Tait, A. Lectio Divina: A Tool for Spiritual, Academic and Organizational Growth. Invited plenary panel presentation at Benedictine Pedagogy Conference, Benedictine University, Lisle, IL, June 2016 Cordoba Tait, A. and Christopher Fuller. Advancing Catholic and Charism Simultaneously. Invited co-presenter and discussion facilitators at ACCU Annual Meeting, Presidential Spouses Track, Washington, D.C., January 2016
Cordoba Tait, A. The Gift of Music: Keeping up One’s Chops while Holding a Day Job. Invited presenter for the Naperville Chapter of the Illinois State Music Educators Association (ISMTA), Naperville, IL, January 2016
Cordoba Tait, A. Overcoming Performance Anxiety. Invited presenter for the Salt Creek Chapter of the Illinois State Music Educators Association (ISMTA), Elmhurst, IL, September 2015
Cordoba Tait, A. Engaging the Mission and Leadership Development in the Benedictine Tradition. Invited retreat leader for faculty and staff Day of Reflection on Benedictine Mission and Identity, St. Anselm’s Abbey School, Washington, D.C., August 2015
Cordoba Tait, A. How to Build a Mission-focused Community by Engaging the Mission and Leadership Development. Invited presenter at the National Benedictine Colloquium, Benet Academy, Lisle, IL, July 2015
Cordoba Tait, A. Benedictine Values as They Apply to Leadership. Invited presenter during the Ethics and Leadership: A Seminar in Higher Education Organizational Change, (Ed.D. Program), Benedictine University, IL, May 2015
Cordoba Tait, A. Associate Editor of A Mission Officer Handbook: Advancing Catholic Identity and University Mission, volumes 1 and 2. Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities (ACCU), 2014
Cordoba Tait, A. and Timothy Collins. Benedictine Higher Education: The Pathway to Success. Invited co-presenters at the Eighth Annual Benedictine Pedagogy Conference, Saint Vincent College, Latrobe, PA, June 2014
Cordoba Tait, A., Jeffrey Carlson and Abhishek Raman. Leveraging a Campus’s Mission to Make Interfaith Cooperation an Institution-Wide Priority. Invited co-presenters at the American Association of Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) Conference, Chicago, IL, March 2014
Cordoba Tait, A. The Role of the Mission Officer. Invited panelist for the Association for Catholic Colleges and Universities (ACCU) Mission Officers’ Pre-Conference, Washington, D.C., January 2014
Cordoba Tait, A. Catholic Mission and Identity at Benedictine University. Live interview broadcast on Winds of Change Radio, Chicago, IL, July 2012
Cordoba Tait, A. with Philip Morehead and George Blanchet. Works for Oboe, Oboe d’amore and English horn by Patricia Morehead. Invited performance including new commission and world premiere: Meditation and Exultation for Solo Oboe d’amore at the 41st Annual International Double Reed Society (IDRS) Conference, Miami University, OH, July 2012
Cordoba Tait, A. Appreciation of the Arts beyond Aesthetics. Invited presentation at the Tenth International Conference on New Directions in the Humanities, Centre Mont-Royal, Montreal, Canada, June 2012
Cordoba Tait, A. Heeding the Message to Serve the Common Good. Jazz Vespers Service. Performance at the Sixth Annual Benedictine Pedagogy Conference, Saint Anselm College, Manchester, NH, June 2012
Cordoba Tait, A. Creating a New Paradigm: Combining Lectio divina and Art to Create a Critical Thinking Model. Invited paper presentation at the Symposium on Advancing the New Evangelization, Benedictine College, Atchison, KS, March 2012
Cordoba Tait, A. Finding Balance: The Rule of St. Benedict as Model for Spiritual Practice through Prayer, Study and Work. Published article in peer reviewed journal, The International Journal of Religion and Spirituality in Society, Volume 1, Issue 3, pp. 159-166, 2011
Cordoba Tait, A. Associate Editor, International Journal of Religion and Spirituality in Society,
Articles Refereed: Teaching Comparative Religions: Problem of Subjectivity; and Jewish Religious Parties Facing Jesus’ Teachings, 2011
Cordoba Tait, A. Creativity, Art & Culture: Utilizing the arts to Develop Critical Thinking Skills. Invited presentation at the Ninth International Conference on New Directions in the Humanities, Universidad de Granada, Campus La Cartuja, Granada, Spain, June 2011
Cordoba Tait, A. Pushing the Intellect and Enjoying It: How to Challenge Students the Benedictine Way. Invite presentation at the Fifth Annual Benedictine Pedagogy Conference, Saint Anselm College, Manchester, NH, May 2011
Cordoba Tait, A. Finding Balance: The Rule of St. Benedict as Model for Overt Spiritual Practice on the Job, at Home, and in Faith Practice. Invited paper presentation at Inaugural Religion and Spirituality in Society Conference, Chicago, Illinois, February 2011
Cordoba Tait, A. Overcoming Performance Anxiety. Invited presentation for the West Suburban Chapter of the Illinois State Music Teachers Association (ISMTA), Aurora, IL, September 2010
Cordoba Tait, A. with Patricia Morehead, Philip Morehead and Hank Skolnick. North American Women Composers Write for the Double Reeds. Invited performance included two world premieres: Morehead, Three Icons of the Feminine Divine for oboe, cor anglais, contraforte and piano and Williams, Thought Interrupted for solo cor anglais at the 38th Annual International Double Reed (IDRS) Society Conference, Birmingham Conservatoire, Birmingham, England, July 2009
Cordoba Tait, A. Overcoming Performance Anxiety. Invited presentation for the Naperville Chapter of the Illinois State Music Teachers Association (ISMTA), Naperville, IL, November 2008
Cordoba Tait, A. and Alfred Martin. The Realization of Human Uniqueness as a Culmination of Scientific and Revealed Thought. Invited presentation at the Association for Core Texts and Courses (ACTC) Fourth Annual Conference, Plymouth, MA, April 2008
Cordoba Tait, A. A Musical Reflection of the Luminous Mysteries based on the Apostolic Letter by John Paul II Rosarium Virginis Mariae. Performance given at the Second Annual Benedictine Pedagogy Conference, St. Procopius Abbey, Lisle, IL, May 2007
Cordoba Tait, A. Alfred Martin and William J. Carroll. Carrying the Light: Strategic Planning for the Future of a Benedictine Mission and Identity. Presentation given at the Inaugural Benedictine Pedagogy Conference, Benedictine University, Lisle, Illinois May 2007
Cordoba Tait, A. The Catholic Intellectual Tradition in Song and Scripture. Performance given at the Inaugural Benedictine Pedagogy Conference, Benedictine University, Lisle, Illinois May 2007
Cordoba Tait, A. Disciplinary Integration within the Music Curriculum. Presentation given at the ACCA Scholarship of Pedagogy Symposium, University of St. Francis, Joliet, IL, October 2005
Cordoba Tait, A., Kevin Doyle and Daniel Julius. The Active Embrace of Ex Corde Ecclesiae: The Case Study of a Small Liberal Arts University. Invited colloquium session presentation at the Joy in the Truth: The Catholic University in the New Millennium Conference held at the Notre Dame Center for Ethics and Culture, University of Notre Dame, IN, October 2005
Cordoba Tait, A. Instrumental Voices of Spain. Accepted presentation for the College Music Society International Conference, Aula de Musica, Universidad de Alcala, Alcala de Henares, Spain, June 2005
Cordoba Tait, A. and Doug Spaniol. Duo Recital given at the 33rd Annual International Double Reed Society Conference, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia, June 2004 Cordoba Tait, A. Catholic Intellectual Tradition. Invited paper presentation for the Third Convocation for Catholic Faculty, DePaul University, Chicago, IL, January 2004
Cordoba Tait, A. The Catholic Presence in the Works of J.S. Bach. Scholarly work presentation at the Benedictine University Faculty Colloquium, Lisle, IL, October 2003
Cordoba Tait, A. An Introduction to the Arts: A Benedictine Perspective. Peer reviewed article published in the DuPage Art Life, Spring Issue, Procopian Press, Spring 2003 Issue, pp. 22-24
Cordoba Tait, A. The Mind of the Musician. Scholarly work presentation at the Benedictine University Faculty Colloquium, February 2002
Cordoba Tait, A. with Arbitrio. Invited recital performance at the International Double Reed Society, Buenos Aires, Argentina, August 2000
Cordoba Tait, A. with Arbitrio. Invited recital performance including two world premieres: Libero Arbitrio by Zae Munn and Twelve for Three by Charles Lipp at the College Music Society Great Lakes Chapter Regional Meeting, Muncie, IN, March 2000
Cordoba Tait, A. with Arbitrio. Invited recital performance at the International Double Reed Society, University of Wisconsin, Madison, August 1999