Jessica Mueller

Biography

Jessica S. Mueller is an Associate Professor of Costume Design at Belmont University, where she serves as Head of the BFA Production Design program and Costume Shop Manager. With over a decade of teaching experience, she has developed and taught a wide range of courses in costume design, rendering, period styles, and fashion history—both on campus and through Belmont’s faculty-led study abroad programs in London, Italy, Paris, and Prague.

Mueller holds an MFA in Drama with a focus in Costume Design from the University of California–Irvine, where her thesis explored process-oriented design. She earned her BA in Theatre Arts with a minor in Music from the University of Northern Colorado.

Her professional design credits span regional theatre, opera, and dance, including work with Nashville Opera, Nashville Shakespeare Festival, Studio Tenn, and Belmont’s own productions. She has presented nationally at USITT and the Lilly International Teaching Conference, and her work has been featured in exhibitions such as Designing the Royals for Nashville Design Week.

As Costume Shop Manager, Mueller oversees all aspects of costume production for Belmont’s theatre season, mentoring student designers and technicians through the design and build process. She has guided dozens of students through senior capstone projects and undergraduate design mentorships.

Mueller is an active member of several professional organizations, including USITT, OISTAT, and the Costume Society of America. She has received multiple grants and awards for her contributions to education and design, including the URTA Award of Excellence in Undergraduate Training and several study abroad development grants. She is also certified in study abroad programming through FORUMEA, supporting her leadership in global education initiatives.

Outside the university, Mueller is deeply engaged in community service and the arts. She currently serves as Head of Vocals for St. Stephen’s Life Teen Band and has held roles as a worship leader, mentor, and music minister. Her creative interests include textiles, fashion history, and quilting, which inform both her academic work and personal artistic practice.