ATLANTA, Ga. () — DW Moffett, the Film and Television Chair at Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD), received the esteemed Governors Award during the 2025 Southeast Emmy® Awards in Atlanta, Ga. on June 14.

Aside from his leadership at SCAD, Moffett boasts over four decades of experience as an actor, director, writer, and producer. He is one of the founding members of Chicago’s renowned Remains Theatre Ensemble. His impressive career includes a SAG Award for Traffic, several Joseph Jefferson Award nominations, and key roles within SAG-AFTRA.

The Governors Award is the top accolade from the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (NATAS) Southeast Emmy® Chapter. It is awarded to individuals or organizations with a significant and lasting impact on television and media. Evelyn Mims, President of the Southeast Chapter of NATAS, remarked, “DW Moffett is a pioneer shaping the future of our industry. His commitment to guiding upcoming creators while achieving excellence himself makes him an ideal recipient of this year’s Governors Award.”

Moffett is best known for his recurring roles in Switched at Birth (ABC Family, 2011–2017), Friday Night Lights (NBC, 2008–2010), and Chicago Med (NBC, 2015–2019), to name a few. Most recently, he appeared in Todd Haynes’ Oscar-nominated film May December and the soon-to-be-released Paul Thomas Anderson movie One Battle After Another, starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Sean Penn, and Benicio del Toro.

“I’m deeply honored to receive the Governors Award. I became an actor not in pursuit of fame or fortune, but because I’ve always felt a profound connection to the human element of storytelling. This art form has been at the core of who I am, and I believe many of the industry’s greats share that same deep-rooted passion,” said Moffett. “Over the years, I’ve been fortunate to work with and learn from extraordinary talents—people like Gena Rowlands, Ben Gazzara, Robert Duvall, Steven Soderbergh, and Paul Thomas Anderson. The knowledge and insight I absorbed through those experiences have shaped not only my craft, but also the way I teach. It’s what I now bring to my film and television students at SCAD. My hope for them is not just that they become successful, but that they become known for their work ethic, positivity, and respect for the process and the people around them. In my experience, those are the true building blocks of a lasting career.”

Moffett joined the SCAD faculty in 2016 and was named chair in 2017. Over the past decade, he has created a curriculum for film students that mirrors the professional world. In 2020, he championed the university’s expansion of SCAD’s Savannah Film Studios, which now includes an 11-acre Hollywood-style backlot, an LED volume for virtual production, and two industry-ready sound stages—comprising the largest film studio complex in higher education anywhere in the world.

“One of the amazing things about SCAD is that our president and founder, Paula Wallace, encourages faculty to stay fully engaged as professionals. This means I continue to act and direct—and I report back to my students in real time from the sets of major motion pictures and television shows. You can’t teach what’s happening in the industry if you don’t see it first-hand,” said Moffett. “It’s both humbling and deeply gratifying to have my work at SCAD recognized at this level. Preparing students for the realities of the professional world has always been my mission, and this honor reinforces the value of that commitment.”

“DW is a true visionary,” said Andra Reeve-Rabb, dean of SCAD’s School of Film and Acting. “He launched the SCAD film program on a stratospheric trajectory with his unwavering commitment to transforming every class and student film project into a ‘just like Hollywood’ experience. He pioneered a model in which students gain real-world, on-set experience in Georgia’s thriving film and television industry—all while earning their degrees. His mentorship has guided countless students toward Emmy- and Oscar-winning careers. When your classroom becomes an actual working set—whether it’s an LED volume, a sitcom studio, or an 11-acre backlot—the leap from education to industry becomes seamless. DW has been a game-changer for both his students and his colleagues, and I am profoundly grateful to collaborate with him as he continues to build the best film program in the world.”