Five Faculty Honored for Excellence in Teaching</h1> <article> <h1>Five Faculty Honored for Excellence in Teaching</h1> <p>eburnett — Tue, 24 Mar 2026 15:15:56 +0000</p> <span>Five Faculty Honored for Excellence in Teaching</span> <span><span>eburnett</span></span> <span><time datetime="2026-03-24T11:15:56-04:00" title="Tuesday, March 24, 2026 - 11:15">Tue, 03/24/2026 - 11:15</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Five �鶹��Ƶ faculty members have been recognized with Excellence in Teaching Awards for the 2024-25 academic year.</p><p>Presented annually, the awards recognize faculty across the college and conservatory who have demonstrated sustained and distinctive excellence in the classroom and beyond.</p><p>"The awardees represent the very best of undergraduate teaching and are deeply admired by colleagues and students alike for their mastery as pedagogues and their dedication to the learning and growth of their students,” says<a href="/node/4921"> David Kamitsuka</a>, Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. “Their insights and mentoring will be a lifelong inspiration for their students."</p><p>Three college faculty and two conservatory faculty earn the honor each year.</p><p>“In their steadfast commitment to their students—and to all of our students—and their transformative work in and beyond the classroom and studio, these five individuals represent the highest ideals of the institution,” says Dean of the Conservatory <a href="/william-quillen" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="ae2f8811-f23e-458f-87e3-6d455d557536" data-entity-substitution="canonical" title="William Quillen">William Quillen</a>. “We are grateful to them for their extraordinary work and fortunate to count them as colleagues.”</p><p>A dinner reception was held March 19 at the home of President Carmen Twillie Ambar. The honorees are as follows:</p><div class="image_resized media-embed-resized" style="width:200px;"> </div> <p><a href="/grace-an" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="3b336afb-7a55-45fc-9ebc-8a894957b3c7" data-entity-substitution="canonical" title="Grace An"><strong>Grace An</strong></a><br><strong>Associate Professor of French and Cinema and Media</strong><br>“Grace An is a brilliant innovator in immersive pedagogies, leading our students on transformative experiences in France,” Kamitsuka says of An, a driving force behind the popular �鶹��Ƶ in Paris study-away program, which launched in fall 2025. “Students literally hear, see, touch, smell, and taste French culture through her multidisciplinary advanced courses.”</p><div class="image_resized media-embed-resized" style="width:200px;"> </div> <p><a href="/paul-brehm" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="0b425ae3-159b-4795-8db5-22eeb3e6864e" data-entity-substitution="canonical" title="Paul Brehm"><strong>Paul Brehm</strong></a><br><strong>Associate Professor of Economics and Environmental Studies</strong><br>“Paul Brehm is masterful in cultivating the virtuous educational circle of celebrated lectures and super-popular individual office hours,” says Kamitsuka. “He makes the study of economics into an adventure of discovery.”</p><div class="image_resized media-embed-resized" style="width:200px;"> </div> <p><a href="/dmitry-kouzov" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="b85376d2-ae5a-4e3d-abad-9f105194fa92" data-entity-substitution="canonical" title="Dmitry Kouzov"><strong>Dmitry Kouzov</strong></a><br><strong>Associate Professor of Cello</strong><br>“Dmitry Kouzov is one of the great cello pedagogues at work in the country today,” says Quillen. “In his time at �鶹��Ƶ, he has not only cultivated an extraordinary studio; he's helped support the flourishing—artistically, personally, and more—of so many of our students through his engaging, inspiring work as a teacher and chamber music coach.” </p><div class="image_resized media-embed-resized" style="width:200px;"> </div> <p><a href="/gunnar-kwakye" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="a4ff3436-3ac9-4e9b-968d-9dad71694d40" data-entity-substitution="canonical" title="Gunnar Kwakye"><strong>Gunnar Kwakye</strong></a><br><strong>Robert W. & Eleanor H. Biggs Associate Professor of Neuroscience</strong><br>Kamitsuka notes that an incredible 33 �鶹��Ƶ students have served as co-authors with Gunnar Kwakye on peer-reviewed scientific publications. “And that is just the tip of the iceberg regarding his integral role in the success of his students,” the dean says. “Professor Kwakye is a living legend as a mentor for our neuroscience students.”</p><div class="image_resized media-embed-resized" style="width:200px;"> </div> <p><a href="/james-oleary"><strong>James O’Leary</strong></a><br><strong>Frederick R. Selch Associate Professor of Musicology</strong><br>“Jamie O’Learly is not only one of the most respected musicologists of his generation,” says Quillen; “he's also an extraordinary pedagogue, consistently transforming students' lives through his extraordinary classroom teaching, his mentorship work directing individualized research, and more.”</p><hr><p>About the Excellence in Teaching Awards: Each year, College of Arts and Sciences faculty are selected for consideration through nominations presented to the College Faculty Council, which are then reviewed by a faculty committee. An award is presented in each division of the college: arts and humanities, social and behavioral sciences, and natural sciences and mathematics. The conservatory dean recommends a number of conservatory faculty to the Conservatory Faculty Council for consideration, and together they review and narrow the recommendations to two recipients.</p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-subhead field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Annual awards celebrate distinguished and sustained leadership across the college and conservatory.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">News Story</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2026-03-24T12:00:00Z">Tue, 03/24/2026 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Communications Staff</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2373">Awards and Honors</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=4303">A&S Faculty</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=3341">Conservatory Faculty</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-programs field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=35261">Cello</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=25356">French</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=25351">Environmental Studies and Sciences</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=4861">Neuroscience</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=25341">Economics</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=25256">Cinema and Media</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=28856">Musicology</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-faculty field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/grace-an" hreflang="und">Grace An</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/dmitry-kouzov" hreflang="und">Dmitry Kouzov</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/james-oleary" hreflang="und">James O’Leary</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/gunnar-kwakye" hreflang="und">Gunnar Kwakye</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/paul-brehm" hreflang="und">Paul Brehm</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-departments field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/french-and-italian" hreflang="und">French and Italian</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/cinema-studies" hreflang="und">Cinema and Media</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/neuroscience" hreflang="und">Neuroscience</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/economics" hreflang="und">Economics</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/environmental-studies" hreflang="und">Environmental Studies and Science</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/conservatory/divisions/strings" hreflang="und">Strings</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/conservatory/divisions/musicology" hreflang="und">Musicology</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-caption field--type-string-long field--label-hidden field__item">Honorees were celebrated at a March 19 dinner hosted by President Carmen Twillie Ambar. Pictured from left are Dean of the Conservatory William Quillen, Paul Brehm, James O'Leary, Gunnar Kwakye, Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences David Kamitsuka, and President Ambar. Not pictured: Grace An, Dmitry Kouzov.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-credit field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Tanya Rosen-Jones '97</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-article-header field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">0</div> </article> <article> <h1>�鶹��Ƶ Joins Park Arts, Bringing World-Class Programs to Historic Synagogue</h1> <p>eburnett — Thu, 10 Apr 2025 16:34:19 +0000</p> <span>�鶹��Ƶ Joins Park Arts, Bringing World-Class Programs to Historic Synagogue</span> <span><span>eburnett</span></span> <span><time datetime="2025-04-10T12:34:19-04:00" title="Thursday, April 10, 2025 - 12:34">Thu, 04/10/2025 - 12:34</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Since the Park Synagogue congregation departed its historic Cleveland Heights campus several years ago, there has been a remarkable effort underway to restore and repurpose this important site into a center for creative arts and humanities. </p><p>�鶹��Ƶ is proud to bring its unique combination of outstanding academics and world-class music and arts education to the dynamic community that is planned for the Park Synagogue. Called “Park Arts,” this collaboration is a milestone in one of the most ambitious and historically significant reclamation projects within the nation’s Jewish community.</p><p>Developed by Sustainable Community Associates (SCA), a Cleveland-based team of �鶹��Ƶ alumni, and the nonprofit Friends of Mendelsohn, Park Arts honors architect Erich Mendelsohn’s legacy while designing an intergenerational center for artistic creation and humanities education. �鶹��Ƶ will add its newly established Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Fine Arts in Integrated Arts (BA+BFA) to this creative hub. Launching in fall 2025, the combined degree program can be completed in five years: the first four on �鶹��Ƶ’s bucolic campus, followed by a fifth year set amid the rich professional arts community at Park Arts. With the first BA+BFA students scheduled to arrive at Park Arts in June 2027, this program will provide hands-on opportunities for students in Northeast Ohio’s vibrant arts scene.</p><p>“We are thrilled to forge this connection between �鶹��Ƶ and the greater Cleveland community,” says �鶹��Ƶ President Carmen Twillie Ambar. “This partnership allows us to honor one of Cleveland’s historic Jewish synagogues while our students interact with the region’s cultural institutions. Our students will gain real-world experience and contribute their talents to a city known for artistic excellence. It bridges �鶹��Ƶ’s close-knit campus with the creative energy of Cleveland and Cleveland Heights.” </p><p>�鶹��Ƶ’s BA+BFA in Integrated Arts dual degree program eventually will bring up to 50 fifth-year students to Park Arts for an immersive arts year. Students will have 24-hour access to private studios, rehearsal spaces, theaters, and production facilities, culminating in a substantial, public-facing project—a performance, exhibition, or installation—determined in collaboration with their �鶹��Ƶ faculty mentors. The program is designed with collaboration in mind: Students will work with renowned visiting artists and with Cleveland’s arts organizations through internships, commissioned works, and public programming.</p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-subhead field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Partnership will yield host site for new BA+BFA combined degree program.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">News Story</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2025-04-09T12:00:00Z">Wed, 04/09/2025 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Office of Communications</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2583">College of Arts and Sciences</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=4290">BA/BFA</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-programs field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=25436">Studio Art</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=25331">Dance</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=25441">Theater</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=25326">Creative Writing</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=25281">Musical Studies</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=25256">Cinema and Media</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-faculty field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/julia-christensen" hreflang="und">Julia Christensen</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-departments field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/art" hreflang="und">Studio Art</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/dance" hreflang="und">Dance</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/theater" hreflang="und">Theater</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/cinema-studies" hreflang="und">Cinema and Media</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/creative-writing" hreflang="und">Creative Writing</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/musical-studies" hreflang="und">Musical Studies</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-caption field--type-string-long field--label-hidden field__item">Built in 1950, Park Synagogue in Cleveland Heights will be redeveloped as Park Arts. Fifth-year �鶹��Ƶ students in the new BA/BFA program will pursue their studies at the transformed space beginning in 2027.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-credit field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">courtesy of SCA</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-flex-content field--type-entity-reference-revisions field--label-hidden vertical-spacing--basic field__items"> <div class="field__item"> <div id="obj-40692" class="paragraph paragraph--type--pb-el-bq paragraph--view-mode--default"> <blockquote class="blockquote--quotemark" data-text-color-red data-text-size-giant> <p>For artists, community connections are invaluable. Collaborating with Cleveland’s arts organizations, securing internships, and being immersed in a thriving cultural district will be transformative.” <em>—Julia Christensen, BA+BFA Program Director</em></p> </blockquote> </div> </div> <div class="field__item"> <div id="obj-40399" class="paragraph paragraph--type--para-el-copy paragraph--view-mode--default o-flex--basic-copy basic-copy"> <p>The partnership with Park Arts also presents a pathway for �鶹��Ƶ to expand Jewish Studies—drawing on the congregation’s archives as well as pursuing course-based research opportunities focused on the history of Park Synagogue—and the potential for community concerts and other musical outreach. </p><p>In addition to �鶹��Ƶ, Park Arts will house a diverse collection of nonprofit and educational programs, expanding access to creative programming for the broader Cleveland community. Overall, the 28-acre Park Arts campus will contain intergenerational housing, an expanded neighborhood preschool, public walking trails and green space, and the preservation of the Mendelsohn-designed building—an applicant for National Landmark status—while simultaneously integrating sustainability initiatives such as geothermal heating and cooling.</p><p>According to Susan Ratner, former President of Park Synagogue, the donation of Park to SCA was a continuation of the congregation’s legacy. “Our goal has always been to honor Park’s history while ensuring it remains an inspiring part of Greater Cleveland’s cultural landscape. The larger vision for the restoration and �鶹��Ƶ’s presence will bring new energy, creativity, and scholarship, making Park Arts a truly unique center for artistic innovation and education. We are thrilled to be a part of it and to return each year for high holidays.”</p><p>Park Arts places �鶹��Ƶ students near some of the region’s most distinguished cultural institutions, including the Cleveland Museum of Art, the Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA) Cleveland, and Dobama Theatre, as well as Cleveland’s renowned performance venues and galleries.</p><p>“This move provides an essential bridge from student life to professional careers in the arts,” says Julia Christensen, Program Director and �鶹��Ƶ’s Eva & John Young-Hunter Professor of Integrated Media. “Park Arts offers students the opportunity to engage with the Cleveland arts community while honing their creative practice in an academic setting.”</p><p>“For artists, community connections are invaluable,” Christensen adds. “Collaborating with Cleveland’s arts organizations, securing internships, and being immersed in a thriving cultural district will be transformative. At the same time, these emerging artists will bring fresh perspectives and energy to the broader Cleveland arts scene. It’s an exciting exchange.”</p><hr><p><a href="/arts-and-sciences/ba-bfa-dual-degree-integrated-arts"><em><strong>Learn more about �鶹��Ƶ’s BA+BFA program at �鶹��Ƶ.edu.</strong></em></a></p> </div> </div> </div> </article> <article> <h1>�鶹��Ƶ Launches Combined BA+BFA in Integrated Arts</h1> <p>eburnett — Fri, 21 Feb 2025 21:02:25 +0000</p> <span>�鶹��Ƶ Launches Combined BA+BFA in Integrated Arts</span> <span><span>eburnett</span></span> <span><time datetime="2025-02-21T16:02:25-05:00" title="Friday, February 21, 2025 - 16:02">Fri, 02/21/2025 - 16:02</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>For generations, �鶹��Ƶ graduates have gone on to become groundbreaking creative forces in artistic settings all over the world. </p><p>Now a new pairing of �鶹��Ƶ degree programs enables undergraduate students to establish their own paths toward interdisciplinary careers across the arts.</p><p>Beginning in fall 2025, students may pursue a combined dual degree that culminates in a <a href="/arts-and-sciences/ba-bfa-dual-degree-integrated-arts">Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Integrated Arts</a>. The two degrees can be completed in five years: the first four on �鶹��Ƶ’s bucolic campus, followed by a fifth year set amid the vibrant professional arts community of nearby Cleveland.</p><p>“What is most inspiring about this new BA+BFA pathway is that it emerged organically,” says <a href="/node/4921">David Kamitsuka</a>, Dean of �鶹��Ƶ’s College of Arts and Sciences. “It developed through an extraordinary, collaborative commitment among our arts faculty to design a program that is attuned to the future of the art world and attentive to the aspirations of our endlessly creative and thoughtful students.” </p><p>Students in the program complete courses in their chosen BA major, <a href="/arts-and-sciences/areas-of-study">selecting from more than 50 areas of study</a> offered by the College of Arts and Sciences. They also take 10 additional courses in the <a href="/arts-and-sciences/practicing-arts">practicing arts</a>, which may include cinema and media, creative writing, dance, musical studies, studio art, and theater.</p><p>In year five, students live and work in Cleveland, with 24-hour access to private studios, rehearsal spaces, theaters, and production facilities. This immersive arts year is dedicated to completing a substantial, public-facing project—a performance, exhibition, or installation, for example—determined in collaboration with their �鶹��Ƶ faculty mentors.</p><p>Unlike traditional BFA programs, which require selection of a single area of study, �鶹��Ƶ’s BFA in Integrated Arts invites students to shape their own path by incorporating other disciplines into their individual artistic practice. In this way, painting could be paired with politics, theater with environmental studies, creative writing with neuroscience—or any number of other combinations.</p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-subhead field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Five-year path toward two degrees includes focused work in the thriving arts world of nearby Cleveland.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">News Story</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2025-02-21T12:00:00Z">Fri, 02/21/2025 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Communications Staff</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2583">College of Arts and Sciences</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2556">Admissions</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=4290">BA/BFA</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-programs field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=25436">Studio Art</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=25331">Dance</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=25256">Cinema and Media</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=25326">Creative Writing</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=25441">Theater</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=25281">Musical Studies</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-faculty field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/julia-christensen" hreflang="und">Julia Christensen</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/david-kamitsuka" hreflang="und">David Kamitsuka</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-departments field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/art" hreflang="und">Studio Art</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/theater" hreflang="und">Theater</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/dance" hreflang="und">Dance</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/creative-writing" hreflang="und">Creative Writing</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/musical-studies" hreflang="und">Musical Studies</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/cinema-studies" hreflang="und">Cinema and Media</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-caption field--type-string-long field--label-hidden field__item">Students in �鶹��Ƶ’s BA+BFA dual-degree program devote their first four years to studies on campus, followed by a fifth year of immersive arts study in Cleveland.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-flex-content field--type-entity-reference-revisions field--label-hidden vertical-spacing--basic field__items"> <div class="field__item"> <div id="obj-37735" class="paragraph paragraph--type--pb-el-bq paragraph--view-mode--default"> <blockquote class="blockquote--quotemark" data-text-color-red data-text-size-giant> <p>Our students don’t just learn to be artists; they learn to be thinkers who engage deeply with the world around them.”</p> </blockquote> </div> </div> <div class="field__item"> <div id="obj-37109" class="paragraph paragraph--type--para-el-copy paragraph--view-mode--default o-flex--basic-copy basic-copy"> <p>The program creates an ideal bridge between students’ academic journey and their chosen professional path—and a launching pad for a new generation of increasingly vital “thinking artists.”</p><p>“This program is built on the idea that artists thrive when they have a broad intellectual foundation,” says Program Director <a href="/node/5041">Julia Christensen</a>, �鶹��Ƶ’s Eva & John Young-Hunter Professor of Integrated Media. “It’s about bridging the gap between creativity and academic exploration.</p><p>“Artists don’t usually see themselves as just a painter or just a sculptor,” Christensen says. “They draw from all kinds of disciplines and backgrounds. That’s the kind of artistry we want to foster here: Our students don’t just learn to be artists; they learn to be thinkers who engage deeply with the world around them, using their creative problem-solving skills to address complex, real-world challenges.”</p><p>Current students in their first or second year of studies in the College of Arts and Sciences are eligible to participate in the BA+BFA in Integrated Arts program, with the first year of immersive art studies in Cleveland slated for 2027-28. Current �鶹��Ƶ students interested in the program must apply by their junior year and be on track to finish the required credits and submit a portfolio for review. </p><p>New students applying for enrollment in fall 2026 will have the option to apply to the BA+BFA program as part of the first-year application process.</p><hr><p><a href="/arts-and-sciences/ba-bfa-dual-degree-integrated-arts"><strong>Learn more about the BA+BFA in Integrated Arts at oberlin.edu. </strong></a></p><p><strong>Thinking about �鶹��Ƶ? </strong><a href="mailto:college.admissions@oberlin.edu?subject=�鶹��Ƶ's%20BA%2FBFA%20program"><strong>Connect with us at college.admissions@oberlin.edu.</strong></a></p> </div> </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-article-header field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">0</div> </article> <article> <h1>Found in Translation</h1> <p>anagy — Thu, 25 May 2023 15:41:27 +0000</p> <span>Found in Translation</span> <span><span>anagy</span></span> <span><time datetime="2023-05-25T11:41:27-04:00" title="Thursday, May 25, 2023 - 11:41">Thu, 05/25/2023 - 11:41</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Theo Canter will enrich his Greek identity while strengthening his language skills with a Fulbright teaching fellowship based in Athens, Greece. </p> <p>On top of his desire to teach and live abroad, Canter was drawn to this particular Fulbright program because of his personal connection to Athens. His grandfather was born and raised in Athens, and in 1956 graduated as valedictorian of his class at Athens College—the same high school where Canter will teach English. </p> <p>“Such a full-circle moment is incredibly meaningful,” says Canter, a May 2023 �鶹��Ƶ graduate with majors in <a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/cinema-studies">cinema studies</a> and <a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/comparative-literature">comparative literature</a> and a minor in <a href="/middle-east-and-north-africa-studies">Middle East and North African studies</a>. A native of New York City, Canter feels a great level of familiarity with Greece and its people. “Here in �鶹��Ƶ, I've been proud to connect with other Greek students. There is something strong and unifying in our shared culture, food, and language.” </p> <p>Canter’s fellowship begins in September, and he will remain there through July 2024 to help with a school-run English-language summer camp. In addition to classroom responsibilities, the fellowship includes supplementary work teaching debate, theater, and public speaking in both Greek and English. “This combination of disciplines, as well as the chance to spend extended time in a city I love but have only ever visited for brief intervals, all led me nicely to this Fulbright opportunity.”</p> <p>Last fall at �鶹��Ƶ, Canter taught poetry to Langston Middle School students as part of creative writing professor Lynne Powell’s Writers in the Schools residency program. His final semester, he taught an introductory Hebrew course through �鶹��Ƶ’s Experimental College (<a href="https://exco.oberlincollege.net/">ExCo</a>) program. “I've enjoyed both of these opportunities as a chance to share things I'm passionate about—namely writing, language, and music,” he says. “I find that teaching pairs nicely with my experiences of performance: putting that level of commitment to the 'act' and sharing how much I love what I'm teaching.”</p> <p>Canter has enjoyed several study-away experiences since his gap year between high school and college, when he studied Hebrew, Arabic, and history on Kivunim, a program based in Jerusalem with travels around the Balkans and Middle East. For his first Winter Term, he lived in Warsaw and worked for a magazine called <em>Culture-PL</em>—likened to the '<em>New York Magazine</em>' of Warsaw—where he led a production team for a history podcast and contributed articles to the site's English section. </p> <p>For the months he was home during the pandemic in 2020, Canter participated in an online artist symposium through the Onassis Center, a visual and performing arts center based in Athens, where he produced Nostos, a short performance art piece featuring music, poetry, and family history. </p> <p>This year, he returned to Jerusalem to produce an audio documentary for the podcast Israel Story, which has been compared to This American Life. For his capstone in comparative literature, he translated the novel <em>Kastoria</em> by Benjamin Shvili from Hebrew. “This book is of particular relevance to me as it is a poetic reflection on the author's journey to Greece. Both the author and I come from the small Jewish community of Greece, and so I relished this challenge to translate a work that draws on multiple cultural maps I've been raised in.”</p> <p>Canter says �鶹��Ƶ has provided many opportunities to learn and grow. A variety of rigorous courses have “challenged me and pushed me to produce some of my best work.” </p> <p>“I wrote some of my best songs in the class Song and Book with [English professor] <a href="/desales-harrison">DeSales Harrison</a> and wrote my first short story in <a href="/claire-solomon">Claire Solomon</a>'s comparative literature course Love and Death. And the classroom is just part of it,” Canter says. “For me, what makes �鶹��Ƶ special is the chance to be around so many creative and kind people just looking to collaborate. I'm quite excited for my adventures in Athens to come, carrying with me the memories and bonds with friends and teachers.”</p> <p>Outside of the classroom, Canter spent four years on the leadership board of Chabad, the Jewish student group; was a resident of Keep Cottage co-op as a head cook, granola maker, bread maker, and historian; and hosted several radio shows on <a href="https://wobc-fm.org/">WOBC</a>. He also played bouzouki and accordion in the klezmer band Shtick & Poke with friends from the college and the conservatory. </p> <p>Canter plans to pursue a career in creative storytelling and media production, which may include documentary filmmaking, screenwriting, and radio journalism.</p> <p>“As a musician, I am also interested in the way music tells stories,” he says. Building on the music shows I’ve hosted on �鶹��Ƶ radio and independently, and the articles I’ve written, I’d like to eventually have my own dedicated presence on the radio or film, to be something like NPR’s Rough Translation, conveying simple stories from faraway places. In a similar vein, I’d hope to be able to both perform and educate. It is my goal that I can pursue a career combining my talent for languages and passion for music.</p> <p>“Whenever I look around in Greece, I laugh to myself how everyone looks like they could be my cousins—and many in fact are! It's one thing to be Greek in the diaspora, something else to be in the center of it all.” </p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-subhead field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Theo Canter’s deep ties to Greece get a boost through a Fulbright teaching assistantship in Athens.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">News Story</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2023-05-25T12:00:00Z">Thu, 05/25/2023 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Amanda Nagy</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2373">Awards and Honors</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2363">Academics & Research</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2377">Arts & Humanities</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-programs field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=25446">Middle East and North Africa Studies</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=25316">Comparative Literature</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=25256">Cinema and Media</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-departments field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/comparative-literature" hreflang="und">Comparative Literature</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/cinema-studies" hreflang="und">Cinema and Media</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-caption field--type-string-long field--label-hidden field__item">Theo Canter '23</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-credit field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Tanya Rosen-Jones '97</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> </article> <article> <h1>Peter Stern '22 Receives Fulbright to Greece</h1> <p>anagy — Thu, 12 May 2022 13:03:31 +0000</p> <span>Peter Stern '22 Receives Fulbright to Greece</span> <span><span>anagy</span></span> <span><time datetime="2022-05-12T09:03:31-04:00" title="Thursday, May 12, 2022 - 09:03">Thu, 05/12/2022 - 09:03</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>For spring graduate Peter Stern, a Fulbright fellowship to Greece was the perfect fit for his academic background and interests—it was just hiding in plain sight. </p> <p>“I was drawn to Fulbright, and the Greece part came later,” explains Stern, a creative writing and cinema studies double major. A year ago, as he was looking ahead to post-grad life, Stern felt increasingly drawn to opportunities abroad. Like many in his class year, he didn’t get the chance to study away because of COVID, and he was growing eager to explore the world. </p> <p>Stern says he applied to the Fulbright program in <a href="https://www.fulbright.gr/en/scholarships-for-us-citizens/programs/fulbright-student-program-english-teaching-assistant-program">Athens College</a> based on the suggestion from Fellowships and Awards Director Nick Petzak.</p> <p>“I don't speak a second language, which ruled out many countries. Greece's program stood out to me because of its emphasis on teaching English literature, rather than just grammar, and for the large theater component as well. I've been involved in theater (acting, playwriting, and directing) my entire life, and felt that I could bring a unique advantage as an educator in both fields. I've also been drawn to the Greco-Roman world since childhood—I actually studied ancient Latin for all of middle and high school—and have taken a few Classics courses here at �鶹��Ƶ as well. For all these reasons, Greece felt like the perfect fit.”</p> <p>Stern will teach classes at a K-12 school from September 2022 through early July 2023. “Outside of the classroom, I'm looking forward to living in a way that is unfamiliar to me. I think I'll be spending a lot of free time outdoors exploring the islands and the historic landmarks that I've been studying since elementary school.”</p> <p>Through the Creative Writing Program, Stern has been a teaching assistant for the 200-level course. He is also finishing his sixth semester as a PRSM (<a href="/equity-diversity-inclusion/training-education-and-outreach/prsm">Preventing and Responding to Sexual Misconduct</a>) trainer, in which he has been responsible for leading two-hour workshops on consent and bystander intervention for first-year students. He says his combination of training and evaluating in creative writing classes combined with his role in PRSM have prepared him for the Fulbright. </p> <p>A resident of Los Angeles, Stern plans to return to L.A. with the intent of breaking into the film industry.</p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-subhead field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Stern will teach English literature to K-12 students while reconnecting with his interests in the ancient Greco-Roman world.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">News Story</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2022-05-12T12:00:00Z">Thu, 05/12/2022 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Amanda Nagy</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2373">Awards and Honors</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2377">Arts & Humanities</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2391">Languages & Literatures</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2363">Academics & Research</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-programs field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=25326">Creative Writing</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=25256">Cinema and Media</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-departments field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/creative-writing" hreflang="und">Creative Writing</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/cinema-studies" hreflang="und">Cinema and Media</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-caption field--type-string-long field--label-hidden field__item">Peter Stern '22 has been selected for the Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship in Athens, Greece, through the Hellenic American Educational Foundation.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-credit field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Tanya Rosen-Jones '97</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> </article> <article> <h1>Alumni Collaborate on Feature Documentary Film 'Fireboys'</h1> <p>anagy — Fri, 06 Aug 2021 17:38:03 +0000</p> <span>Alumni Collaborate on Feature Documentary Film 'Fireboys'</span> <span><span>anagy</span></span> <span><time datetime="2021-08-06T13:38:03-04:00" title="Friday, August 6, 2021 - 13:38">Fri, 08/06/2021 - 13:38</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Drew Dickler '12 and Jake Hochendoner '12 are codirectors of the documentary film <a href="https://www.fireboysdoc.com/"><em>Fireboys</em></a>, the untold story of young men incarcerated in California who are offered a way out: by fighting wildfires.</p> <p>As seasonal blazes rage across the state, thousands of professional firefighters, including incarcerated volunteers, battle the fires for many months on end, sometimes into the winter. Pine Grove firefighters have fought in all of the deadliest and largest fires in California’s recent history, including the Camp and Mendocino Complex fires of 2018. Without incarcerated firefighters, California would not be able to manage the growing intensity of fire season. The employment of incarcerated firefighters—and the opportunities and challenges that await them upon their release from prison—are at the core of <em>Fireboys</em>. With a passion for social justice, Dickler and Hochendoner are the only filmmakers ever given full access to the Pine Grove.</p> <p>The film was produced by Professor of Cinemal Studies Geoff Pingree and David Sherwin '11, cofounder of Deep Dive Films. Music for the film was composed by Nate Mendelsohn '15, a double degree graduate in cinema studies and jazz studies. Peter Swendsen '99, senior associate dean of academic affairs and professor of computer music and digital arts, also contributed music.</p> <p>Dickler and Hochendoner first met at �鶹��Ƶ as students in Pingree's documentary production course. They were also the first two fellows in <a href="http://StoryLens.org">StoryLens</a>—the organization that birthed the filmmakers' creative partnership and that continues to expand and employ recent �鶹��Ƶ grads in professional filmmaking opportunities. To date, StoryLens, with the support of the Nord Family Foundation and other generous donors, has created eight original short documentaries. The films bring focus to specific non-profit organizations in northeast Ohio and explore issues such as prison recidivism, opiate addiction, child homelessness, gun violence, food access, the foreclosure crisis, and arts education.</p> <p><em>Fireboys</em> is <a href="https://geni.us/Fireboys">available on Amazon and iTunes</a>.</p> <p> </p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">News Story</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2021-08-06T12:00:00Z">Fri, 08/06/2021 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Amanda Nagy</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2368">Alumni</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2414">Faculty</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-programs field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=25256">Cinema and Media</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-faculty field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/geoff-pingree" hreflang="und">Geoff Pingree</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-departments field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/cinema-studies" hreflang="und">Cinema and Media</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-caption field--type-string-long field--label-hidden field__item">A still from the documentary 'Fireboys.'</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-credit field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Courtesy of Drew Dickler and Jake Jake Hochendoner.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> </article> <article> <h1>Zoe Guiney ’21 Looks Forward to Exploring the Importance of Creative Expression in Communication</h1> <p>ygay — Tue, 20 Jul 2021 17:35:47 +0000</p> <span>Zoe Guiney ’21 Looks Forward to Exploring the Importance of Creative Expression in Communication</span> <span><span>ygay</span></span> <span><time datetime="2021-07-20T13:35:47-04:00" title="Tuesday, July 20, 2021 - 13:35">Tue, 07/20/2021 - 13:35</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Zoe Guiney, a <a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/hispanic-studies" target="_blank">Hispanic studies</a> and <a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/cinema-studies" target="_blank">cinema studies</a> major, graduated from �鶹��Ƶ College with high honors in May. Her educational journey will continue in Mexico as a Fulbright recipient.</p> <p>“As a [Fulbright] English Teaching Assistant (ETA), I want to gain experience as a teacher and learn more about the complicated ways in which language expression and language learning create a sense of identity,” says Guiney.</p> <p>“I also hope to participate in cultural exchange, which will, I suspect, teach me about other perspectives and encourage me to reflect upon my own positionality and sense of self. I hope this experience will give me a more nuanced understanding of Mexico, of the U.S., and of the complex but intrinsic relationship between our two countries and cultures.”</p> <p>The <a href="https://us.fulbrightonline.org/" target="_blank">Fulbright U.S. Student Program</a> provides grants for individually designed study and research projects or for ETA programs. Participants learn, work, and live with the people of their host country, while sharing daily experiences. The program facilitates individual cultural exchange through direct interaction in the classroom, field, home, and in routine tasks. </p> <p>Outside of her classroom ETA experience, Guiney—who has interests in folk arts, crafting, and music—looks forward to exploring Mexico’s rich history of spinning, weaving, and embroidery, among other traditions.</p> <p>“I find that all textiles are a window into culture and history,” says Guiney. “[Textiles] are communal arts and indicate complex relationships and community-building. As a maker of textiles myself, I am really excited to learn about others' practices, and perhaps participate as a guest and share my own work in these communal spaces.”</p> <p>Since music has been a large part of her life—Guiney has played flute since the age of 7 and started playing banjo three years ago—the chance to bond with other musicians is also an enticing prospect. </p> <p>During her <a href="/admissions-and-aid/for-accepted-students/gap-year-requests" target="_blank">gap year</a> at �鶹��Ƶ, Guiney traveled to La Paz, Mexico, for the first time as an exchange student and became more comfortable speaking Spanish, a language she started studying in the 7th grade. She played flute with the La Escuela de Música del Estado Baja and says the experience expanded her concept of what it means to connect with others, while emphasizing the importance of creative expression in communication. She later returned to Mexico to perform a summer internship in Chiapas. </p> <p>“Spanish is a beautiful and interesting language for many reasons. It’s spoken in so many different places in the world, and there’s a lot of linguistic diversity, all of which is deeply rooted in complex and specific histories,” she explains. “In Mexico, there are dozens of Indigenous languages actively spoken, all of which influence and are influenced by Spanish.”</p> <p>Guiney intends to pursue a PhD program in media studies, cultural studies, Hispanic studies, or another related interdisciplinary field. Eventually she would like a career in academia and as a filmmaker, largely because of her interests in the way studying theory influences creative work, and the way that creative work influences scholarly work, she says. </p> <p>“I hope that my work as an artist, as a scholar, and as a teacher will specifically explore injustices, inequalities, and the systems that perpetrate them,” says Guiney. “I will strive for my work to elevate marginalized perspectives and facilitate communication, empathy, and collaboration across language, cultural, and physical boundaries. I hope that in doing this work I can participate in building a more equitable and just world.” </p> <p>Guiney, a resident of Granville, Ohio, was awarded the Paul Patrick Rogers Prize in �鶹��Ƶ, and the Excellence in Documentary Filmmaking and Excellence in Film Scholarship from the Cinema Studies Program. She also served as cochair of �鶹��Ƶ Folk Club and a member of the Senior Fellow StoryLens Pictures. She participated in the <a href="/events/solidarity_indigenous_resistance_and_the_fight_against_capitalist_environmental_destruction_a" target="_blank">�鶹��Ƶ Students in Solidarity with Guatemala</a> <a href="/winter-term" target="_blank">winter term</a> project in 2018 and 2019. </p> <p><br> </p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">News Story</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2021-07-20T12:00:00Z">Tue, 07/20/2021 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Yvonne Gay</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2373">Awards and Honors</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-programs field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=25256">Cinema and Media</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=4796">�鶹��Ƶ</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-departments field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/cinema-studies" hreflang="und">Cinema and Media</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/hispanic-studies" hreflang="und">�鶹��Ƶ</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-caption field--type-string-long field--label-hidden field__item">Zoe Guiney '21</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-credit field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Yvonne Gay</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> </article> <article> <h1>From Main Stage to Airwaves</h1> <p>mbragg — Tue, 17 Nov 2020 15:57:41 +0000</p> <span>From Main Stage to Airwaves</span> <span><span>mbragg</span></span> <span><time datetime="2020-11-17T10:57:41-05:00" title="Tuesday, November 17, 2020 - 10:57">Tue, 11/17/2020 - 10:57</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>At least that is the experience thus far for <a href="/node/6541">Chris Flaharty</a>, costume designer for the �鶹��Ƶ College Department of Theater. He was forced to discontinue the production of <em>Peter and the Starcatcher</em> when the college closed in March at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.</p> <p>‘‘We were right in the middle of the production process when the realities of COVID hit us and the school said ‘everyone out …’ So in the spirit of the show must go on, I decided I would work really hard to find a way to do a play in what was going to have to be a new pandemic performance mode.</p> <p>‘‘Thanks to the coronavirus,’’ Flaharty says, ‘‘reimagining the way we operate at all levels has been full of inventions; and particularly, finding ways in which our department can continue to achieve its mission of producing theater works with our students. This has been one of the most important challenges to tackle in the �鶹��Ƶ-in-Covid-era.’’</p> <p>This new performance mode will not materialize on stage; rather, it will be an audio play. Flaharty, who also is an associate professor of theater, will direct students in <em>The Misanthrope</em>.</p> <p>It’s a satiric comedy in five acts by the French actor and playwright Molière. The main character, Alceste, is a 17th-century gentleman who is disgusted by the vanity and hypocrisy of society. His response is to be completely honest no matter the cost. Alceste falls in love with the beautiful Célimène, who is noted for her sharp tongue and manipulative socializing, making her the epitome of the type of person he professes to detest. Can love win? Can love stand up to truth? Flaharty chose <em>The Misanthrope </em>as it offers a relief from 21st-century anxiety and timeless insights into the foolish heart of humanity.</p> <p>And while this is the theater department’s first audio play, Flaharty says faculty and staff are prepared for the challenge, as they’ve been dealing with a variety of issues brought on by the pandemic which the college has worked hard to mitigate.</p> <p>‘‘Because there can be no live audiences this semester, there can be no live performing, no staging, no set, no costumes …,’’ Flaharty continues, ‘‘so the audio play, an old-school yet freshly revived format, provides vivid engagement with theater-making even when restrictions that would sabotage a live, staged production are a condition of the process. Many theaters are looking to create plays through podcasting or invoking the compelling entertainment of radio plays of yore. It feels like a satisfying genre to launch the theater season that will have to pioneer solutions to production challenges.’’</p> <p>The fall Main Stage production of the audio play will be distributed digitally for three days only, November 20-22. Interested persons must register in advance to get free access to the performances.</p> <figure class="captioned-image obj-right"> <figcaption>Verbal expressions and hand gestures bring characters to life via audio. Photo credit: Jack Lichenstein ’23</figcaption> </figure> <p>Four seniors, a second-year, and three first-year students round out the cast of characters, including fourth-year theater major and physics minor Connor O’Loughlin in the title role of Alceste.</p> <p>‘‘I’ve only really done work on stage before,’’ he says, citing parts in �鶹��Ƶ’s production of <em>Urinetown</em> and <em>Cabaret</em>. ‘‘This was recorded like a film, over multiple days doing multiple takes of a scene.</p> <p>‘‘I was actually excited for the opportunity to do an audio play. A lot of places have just done plays on Zoom or with masks. With <em>The Misanthrope,</em> it was specifically chosen as a play that can work without a lot of visual cues,‘‘ he says. ’’Highlighting the language of the play might actually enhance the experience. I would have wanted to be involved regardless, but I was excited to be doing it this way.’’</p> <p>‘‘‘Creating an audio play made sense to me,’’ adds Zeke Schmiedl, who has a supporting role as Oronte. ‘‘It was a safe way to continue theater in COVID-19. I decided to jump right in and learn about how theater can continue during a worldwide crisis while enjoying myself along the way.’’</p> <p>This is the first �鶹��Ƶ production for the first-year cinema studies and theater major and he doesn't plan for it to be his last. ‘‘It was a joy to work with my voice along with such a great cast. It's definitely something I would recommend to other actor friends to try out.’’</p> <p>Garciela Fernandez, also a first-year student, was just as eager to take part. The theater and psychology major had never done an audio play and didn’t know what to expect. ‘‘I’ve found it interesting how much I rely on mannerisms and facial expressions when I’m acting. It’s been a pretty eye-opening experience learning how to vocalize those usually physical mannerisms,’’ she says. ‘It was totally different than anything I’ve done before. ’’</p> <p>Flaharty’s version of the French play draws from British playwright Neil Bartlett and is set in contemporary Hollywood. The social world of the film industry mimics the insular world of Louis XIV’s court of Molière’s time, he says. “It’s really a strong character play, expressed through brilliant conversation.”</p> <p>The play also reflects the isolation many experience because of these pandemic times. Most communication is at a distance, and entirely verbal or written, he says, adding “…it's all about using words as both a weapon and a shield to deal with other people’s assaults on your integrity, and perhaps your heart, in a society fueled by manufactured images and daily hypocrisies.”</p> <p>Preparation and rehearsals have taken on different formats, Flaharty explains—in person with facial masks and socially distanced with hand sanitizer in tow, and on Zoom, unmasked and in solo performances with opportunities to join each other in shared grids. ‘‘The great positive of performing this play this semester is that our actors—a truly wonderful ensemble drawn from all three on-campus classes—must focus on performing with their voices, still using all the tools of a fine actor to get to the ultimate expression of their characters, but in an audio world.’’</p> <p>Once registered, attendees will receive an email on November 20 with access information and passwords. An email address is required. Flaharty encourages attendees to bring their imagination and a bowl of popcorn.</p> <hr> <p><a href="http://forms.gle/xnwQrYZNP8xJjShv5">Register now to access The Misanthrope</a> <span aria-hidden="true" class="fa fa-external-link"></span> audio production.<br> View a rehearsal of <em>The Misanthrope</em> on <a href="https://flic.kr/s/aHsmS3UAVY" target="_blank">�鶹��Ƶ Flickr</a> <span aria-hidden="true" class="fa fa-external-link"></span>.</p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">News Story</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2020-11-17T12:00:00Z">Tue, 11/17/2020 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Marsha Lynn Bragg</div> <div class="text-content field field--name-field-intro-text field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>The curtain has closed on many professional, community, and college theaters throughout the country due largely to the global pandemic. Yet those who have the audacity to reimagine the theater and the arts in new ways are discovering the options are varied and rewarding.</p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2385">Community</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-programs field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=25441">Theater</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=25256">Cinema and Media</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=25286">Psychology</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-faculty field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/chris-flaharty" hreflang="und">Chris Flaharty</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-departments field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/theater" hreflang="und">Theater</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/cinema-studies" hreflang="und">Cinema and Media</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/psychology" hreflang="und">Psychology</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-caption field--type-string-long field--label-hidden field__item">Associate Professor of Theater Chris Flaharty (seated, near right) gives feedback and direction to some of the students involved in ‘‘The Misanthrope’’ audio play.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-credit field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Jack Lichtenstein ’23</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> </article> <article> <h1>Cinema Scholar Leah Vonderheide Receives NEH Grant</h1> <p>anagy — Fri, 22 May 2020 17:04:14 +0000</p> <span>Cinema Scholar Leah Vonderheide Receives NEH Grant</span> <span><span>anagy</span></span> <span><time datetime="2020-05-22T13:04:14-04:00" title="Friday, May 22, 2020 - 13:04">Fri, 05/22/2020 - 13:04</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Visiting Assistant Professor of Cinema Studies Leah Vonderheide has received a $6,000 summer stipend grant from the National Endowment of Humanities (NEH) that will support her research and manuscript on the works of Māori filmmaker Merata Mita.</p> <p>Merata Mita was a leader in the film and television industry of Aotearoa (the Māori name for New Zealand) for more than three decades.</p> <p>“There is currently no book dedicated to the works of Merata Mita, despite her being hailed as the first and only Māori woman to write and direct a dramatic feature film—and despite a chorus of indigenous film artists such as Taika Waititi, along with recent recipients of the Sundance Institute’s Merata Mita Fellowship, who attest to Mita’s invaluable impact on their work and careers,” says Vonderheide. She first learned of Mita when she was studying at the University of Canterbury in Christchurch, New Zealand, where she received a master’s in theatre and film studies in 2009. </p> <p>In 2019, with the support of the H.H. Powers Travel Grant from �鶹��Ƶ, Vonderheide went to New Zealand to conduct initial research on the “feminist fourth cinema” in Wellington and Canberra, and she recognized the need for a comprehensive study of Mita’s contributions.</p> <p>Vonderheide’s book project considers Mita’s body of work in its entirety, revisiting her groundbreaking documentaries such as <em>Bastion Point—Day 507 </em>(1980), <em>Patu!</em> (1983), and <em>Mana Waka</em> (1990), and connecting the filmmaker’s cinema to her later works on self-determination and social justice, as well as offering in-depth analysis of her sole dramatic feature film, <em>Mauri</em> (1988). Exploring Mita’s myriad on-screen roles alongside her early collaborative projects, the study also considers why, and demonstrates how, some of Mita’s foundational contributions to the global cinema of indigenous peoples—deemed the “fourth cinema” by fellow Māori filmmaker Barry Barclay—are overlooked. </p> <p>Vonderheide explains that Mita’s entry into filmmaking is intimately connected to the global feminist movement of the 1970s. </p> <p>“Rejecting the conventional lifestyle of many Polynesian women of her generation, Mita chose instead to embrace the ‘women’s work’ of the film industry, leading to a career filming and documenting landmark moments of protest and resistance in Aotearoa New Zealand. I am honestly in awe of her legacy, and I consider it an honor to be able to amplify her work and contributions to a global indigenous cinema.”</p> <p>Vonderheide says the recognition and support from the NEH for her project will not only allow her to complete significant writing on her manuscript this summer, but it also draws attention to the importance of intersectional and decolonized approaches to film and media analysis informed by critical race, gender, and feminist studies. “The entire project is made stronger with the NEH summer stipend.”</p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">News Story</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2020-05-22T12:00:00Z">Fri, 05/22/2020 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Amanda Nagy</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2373">Awards and Honors</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2363">Academics & Research</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2414">Faculty</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2377">Arts & Humanities</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-programs field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=25256">Cinema and Media</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-departments field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/cinema-studies" hreflang="und">Cinema and Media</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-caption field--type-string-long field--label-hidden field__item">Visiting Assistant Professor of Cinema Studies Leah Vonderheide has received a summer stipend award from the National Endowment of Humanities.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-credit field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Tanya Rosen-Jones</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-flex-content field--type-entity-reference-revisions field--label-hidden vertical-spacing--basic field__items"> <div class="field__item"> </div> </div> </article> <article> <h1>Film by first-year Alba Robledo Díaz Accepted into Two Festivals</h1> <p>hhempste — Thu, 21 May 2020 14:10:36 +0000</p> <span>Film by first-year Alba Robledo Díaz Accepted into Two Festivals</span> <span><span>hhempste</span></span> <span><time datetime="2020-05-21T10:10:36-04:00" title="Thursday, May 21, 2020 - 10:10">Thu, 05/21/2020 - 10:10</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>First year cinema studies major Alba Robledo Díaz, wrote, directed, and edited an auteur short film, titled <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Ye99kYYTJQ&feature=youtu.be"><em>Accidentes</em></a>, that was accepted into the <a href="https://festhome.com/en/festival/incorto-film-festival-cortos">Incorto International Film Festival</a> and the 4th Short Film Contest of Asociación LaBanda, a Spanish film festival in Madrid. The film was created for her 2020 <a href="/winter-term">Winter Term</a> project and takes a slightly satirical point of view on death.</p> <p>While completing her first year remotely at home in Madrid, Spain, Díaz has continued producing films, including ones that reflect the current state of the world during the COVID-19 pandemic. Spurred by an assignment in a <a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/cinema-studies">cinema studies</a> course, <a href="https://youtu.be/lW9Loefg6xE"><em>Familia</em></a> and <em><a href="https://youtu.be/rLIDbYU8qF8">Pueblo</a></em> speak to her experiences with family and her country’s culture and traditions.<br> <br> Read more about Díaz and her films in this Q&A. </p> <p><strong>Your film <em>Accidentes</em> was accepted into two festivals. What inspired you to make the film?</strong></p> <figure class="captioned-image obj-right"> <figcaption>Alba Robledo Díaz during the filming of Accidentes. Photo courtesy of Alba Robledo Díaz. </figcaption> </figure> <p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Ye99kYYTJQ&feature=youtu.be"><em>Accidentes</em></a> started as a short story for the creative writing class Intro to Fiction Writing I took in fall 2019. While I was writing it, I couldn't stop imagining it as something more. The story itself was inspired by another project that I took part in last year, a short film called Terrícolas written and directed by Camilo Fonseca, a student filmmaker from TAI Film School in Madrid. I was an actress and played one of the three main characters. Accidentes has nothing to do with Terrícolas, but working on that project I was eager to know how Bruna, my character, met Eric, another character. Exploring that moment made Accidentes flourish. I am from Madrid, and Accidentes is also very inspired by it, as well as my hometown, Camarma de Esteruelas, where the film was actually shot. I gathered an amazing crew and cast student actors, and with the help of family and friends, we created this piece. I have always known that I wanted to be a filmmaker, and when I got to �鶹��Ƶ I had been eager to make films. Winter Term gave me that opportunity.</p> <p><strong>You’ve also produced several short personal narrative films, <em>Familia</em> and <em>Pueblo</em>, as part of a cinema studies class (CINE 298). What do those films mean to you?</strong></p> <p>In <a href="https://youtu.be/lW9Loefg6xE"><em>Familia</em></a>, my little brother Alex narrates his own drawings of our family, why he is special, and how this pandemic is affecting us. Alex is five years old and has cystic fibrosis, a genetic chronic degenerative disorder that affects his respiratory and digestive systems. I believe that his view is very unique during these times, especially with his background and illness, so I wanted to use that perspective to talk about my family. I couldn't resist only showing it in class, so I posted it on social media. It received an amazing response and got thousands of views and shares. It was also broadcast in an online event hosted by my brother's hospital in conjunction with National Cystic Fibrosis Day, which is celebrated on April 22 in Spain. It meant a lot to me and my family, as cystic fibrosis is an illness that is not so well known but completely changed our lives. We want to raise awareness about it and how it affects families.</p> <p>In the case of <a href="https://youtu.be/rLIDbYU8qF8"><em>Pueblo</em></a>, I wanted to create something that not only spoke about myself but also the Spanish people and how this pandemic is affecting our culture. In Spain, we have an ancestral tradition, which comes from the celebrations of every year's harvests, that has been passed on generation after generation that we celebrate today. For a few days, every Spanish town parties together and enjoys spending time with family and friends on multiple local events including concerts, football matches, and bullfighting. These parties went on even during the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939), but most towns and cities are not going to celebrate this tradition in 2020 because of COVID-19. That has had an immense impact on our country at all levels but mostly on our morale as we have been deprived of a most dear tradition. </p> <p><strong>What’s it been like for you producing films during this pandemic? I understand you’ve been shooting your films on your cell phone.</strong><br> <br> It definitely has been a major challenge using a phone, and no matter how good its camera is it doesn't offer the same results as an actual camera. I also didn't have other types of equipment such as rigs, tripods, etc., so I had to get inventive to achieve the results that I wanted. I have also improved my editing skills, as I had to compensate for the lack of equipment when shooting. It has been an interesting challenge that I have overcome through ways that I probably wouldn't have thought of before this situation.</p> <p><strong>What’s next? Are you working on any other projects?</strong></p> <p>I am currently working on creating a documentary about my grandfather and my town that focuses on stories from older individuals in these times. I have an idea in mind that I can't execute right now because of social distancing restrictions, but as soon as I can get in the field I’ll start working on it. </p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">News Story</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2020-05-21T12:00:00Z">Thu, 05/21/2020 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Hillary Hempstead</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2410">Students</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2402">Winter Term</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2373">Awards and Honors</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-programs field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=25256">Cinema and Media</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-departments field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/cinema-studies" hreflang="und">Cinema and Media</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-caption field--type-string-long field--label-hidden field__item">Cinema studies major Alba Robledo Díaz</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-credit field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Courtesy of Alba Robledo Díaz</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-flex-content field--type-entity-reference-revisions field--label-hidden vertical-spacing--basic field__items"> <div class="field__item"> <div id class="o-flex--video-embed"> No video provider was found to handle the given URL. See <a href="https://www.drupal.org/node/2842927">the documentation</a> for more information. <p>Watch the trailer for <em>Accidentes </em>by<em> </em>Alba Robledo Díaz.</p> </div> </div> </div> </article> </main></body></html>