Albright AM Spring 2015

by Angela Cremer

A.M. HISTORY turning back time on the a.m. clock

Eight years ago Richard Hackman had an idea.

Fueled by two factors, his involvement in the arts on campus and an emerging appreciation for layout discovered in a desktop publishing class, Hackman’s passions came together to form Albright A.M. Hackman, the first president, knew that Albright A.M. was necessary to have on campus when he realized that despite his proactive involvement in the arts, he still felt like he was not receiving the whole picture of everything that went on around campus involving the arts. “"I imagined that if I felt that way, then most students on campus probably had no clue what was going on in the arts at Albright. Albright A.M. was created in the hopes of changing that unfortunate reality," ” he recalls.

In 2006, students had two choices to develop writing skills outside of class: the Albrightian and Agon. The A.M. provided students with a publication where they could be creative and allow the arts to bask in the spotlight for a change. " “I think the publication opened a door to the literary writers at Albright who didn't want to solely write about the news on campus," ” says Adam Stamm, who served as editor from 2009 to 2010.

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"A combination of strengths and talents between Michael Weekley and Richard Hackman brought Albright A.M. to life in 2007. “The two of them together is what really got it moving," says Margaret Rakus, who has been the advisor of the publication since its birth.

With a clean slate of endless possibilities to work with and no previous issue to follow as a guideline, the founding staff went to work in order to turn the idea into a reality. Hackman served as the first president in 2007. Weekley met often with Professor Rakus in order to work out a number of factors, from budgeting to printing, during the magazine’'s first year. “The beauty and the challenge of extracurricular activities is that students are participating at-will (for the most part). From an operational perspective, I had to lead a group and be direct without turning people off from the organization. It is a tricky balance, but it

helped having a great founding team that really bought into what we were trying to do, ” recalls Weekley, who served as Albright A.M. ’s president in 2008 and 2009.

"The enthusiasm and passion towards the magazine has been passed down from editor to editor over the years.

“When I was editor, I tried very hard to make it look and feel like a magazine.

I got comments from people who were founding staff members, saying that my staff's creation was exactly what founding editor Rich Hackman had envisioned for the magazine. I never met him, so I don't know what he would say, but hearing that made me proud, ”"says Kelly Spracklin, who took over as editor after Stamm in 2010.

Amidst the magazines that have been published since 2007, a number of untried features have appeared.

From Spracklin’'s “Sprack Attack” series, which featured Spracklin interviewing a community artist each issue to a full-page piece that was written in Spanish, the publication has experimented over the years.

Often, the more daring articles have been the most memorable to former editors. Such was the case for Stamm who recalls coordinating the Spanish article with writer Germania Chacon as his favorite. "We recognized that we wanted to use the publication to reach out to the Spanish community and we wrote a story about the radio station and the DJ. It was a great experience to learn how radio affected the community outside of Albright," ” says Stamm.

Professor Rakus also recalls having one of her research classes conduct a study that looked at how people perceived student-run publications on campus. Albright A.M. used the results, which showed that people are more willing to pick up a publication and read it if they recognize the person on the cover, and put it into use for a number of the issues.

Today, the A.M. has established itself as a well-known publication across

campus. "I believe that the A.M. was, and still is a vital publication, because Albright is founded on the idea of liberal arts and encouraging students to be multidisciplinary, ”" says Hackman. Although the publication has always been student-run, Professor Rakus has been involved at varying levels. She remembers attending meetings and even looking over copy throughout the past 8 years. "It seems like with every new editor it’s a lot less hand-holding, but everything is working. I am so impressed. It’s beautiful," she says.

As for Hackman and Weekley, the two behind it all, their passion and commitment to the magazine is still thriving to this day. "I remember on my first campus tour, my tour guides were telling me about all the different student activities there were on campus, and they mentioned that one could even start their own organization. Little did I know, we actually did with the magazine, and it has been one of the best experiences of my life," says Weekley.

Both Hackman and Weekley are also impressed with the progress the magazine has made. "I am blown away at how incredible the magazine has become.

It's one thing to start something that is only around for a few years, but to see that it has endured is a testament to every member involved who has bought in and contributed. Rich had an incredible idea," says Weekley.

Hackman reflects on his original intentions for the magazine: "I thought of the arts at Albright as a sleeping giant that would someday "Wake Up" making it hard to be ignored, and with the help of some like-minded friends like Michael Weekley, I think we definitely set the alarm clock." Since this alarm clock has been set, Albright A.M. has been waking up every semester to the tune of the arts.

Ecology in the Arts

by Angela Walter

Science majors dove into an unexpected study on their first day of ecology class. Instead of starting off on the classic vertebrates, plants, or ecosystem lecture, students visited a painting exhibit at the Reading Museum of Art. Art makes its way everywhere, and the science building is not off limits. Dr. Christina Andruk brought her restoration ecology class to the museum on Monday, February 2nd. This 300 level bio course is centered around understanding the ecological, socioeconomic and legal basis for restoration and the ecological science behind restoration planning and actions. The process of recovering ecosystems is of huge interest in today's science field and in the general culture.

As Dr. Andruk started to explain the history of restoration, a main influence that arose was nonetheless linked to an art form. In the mid-19th century, artists and writers reflected this idea of wanting to return nature to its original condition.

From this feeling, the Hudson River School was born. It is not a School but rather an art movement and social network of artists that believed in the preservation of nature because of its qualities of transcendence, awe-striking wonder, and spiritual qualities. Seeing nature as possessing the ability to be a national symbol for America, artists wanted to capture its vastness, its fearsomeness, and its grandeur beauty. The Hudson River School belief system was greatly influenced by the romanticism movement during the same time.

This was during the industrial revolution and this

and magnificence, one of the many paintings within this movement that evoked a sort of spiritual renewal in its viewers.

art battled against the new technological and scientific advancements, combatted the loss of pristine land, and instead brought to the forefront the awe inspiring qualities of nature. It's thought process fought against robotic, rational thinking and emphasized the dramatic and emotional elements of art in combination with the beauty of nature to evoke strong, nostalgic feelings that gave a transcendent quality to the work.

After students were led for an hour long tour by an art history curator they began to see the more

distinct connection between this art movement and the emergence of restoration ecology. The relationship between the two became evident as the class moved from painting to painting. The curator explained the work of the primary artists that led in the Hudson River School movement, starting with the founder, Thomas Cole, who found nature as an escape and a break from the busy modern lifestyle. He painted a large scale piece of the Catskill Mountains that captures their vastness

Students were exposed to paintings full of nature with mountains, streams, sunsets, cliffs, cabins, and forests. They were then asked to analyze the lighting, paint strokes, composition, layout, subject matter, lighting, and tones, all of which contribute to the meaning behind these pieces. The characteristics of the paintings helped to illuminate the artists' strong beliefs in nature and also how nature was having an impact on society during the time of the Hudson River School Art Movement. Nature was a central focus in the 19th century art design world and remains a focus of today's generation. With this inspiration, new forms and actions are taken on, restoration ecology being one of them, as people value the importance and beauty of nature, and want to capture and preserve it. The Hudson River Movement developed an art form that presented and inspired the message of those who wanted to protect nature’s profound beauty.

Students returned to the science building with a new insight into the beginnings of the passions of restoration ecology and now got to see first-hand the artists, paintings, and history that inspired it.

The fusion of art and science is one that cannot be overlooked and its hybrid was perfectly illustrated in the start of this restoration ecology course.

Artists Residing T ogether

The Open Mic Nights turned the basement of Albright Court into a lounge with a soft purple and orange glow accented with twinkling white lights and the flicker of electric candles. Attendees sat at tables with crayons and paper as were entertained by their peers who performed on stage. The events success, both in its decoration and execution, fueled the excitement and inspiration for the building’s future. Even if you're not living in ARTs in Court, here's a glimpse of what you can expect for the fall:

by Stephanie Force

In the Fall of 2015, 17 upperclassman and a handful of new students will be the pioneers of a new residential life program, ARTs in Court. This initiative is an opportunity for artists of any medium to come together and live on the same floor, regardless of their course of study while at Albright. Developed out of the Office of Residential Life, its creation comes from the experience of Assistant Director Melissa Hine and the help of many passionate students. While the official launch will be in fall, there were two Open Mic Nights this past year that gave Albright Students a taste of what they can expect to see upon returning from the summer.

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Transformation. A lot of artists have the ability to look at a space and envision something more for it. Much like the change in the basement for the Open Mic Nights, those involved with ARTs hope to add some artistic flare to the building.

The details have yet to be worked out, but there are murals that are in development and also the possibility of redecorating the 5 different common spaces.

Growth. It’s been said that there is strength in numbers, and when creativity is surrounded by creativity, the possibilities are endless! By living together, the artists in ARTs will have the opportunity to find inspiration not only within themselves, but also within each other. Out of those involved, there will be painters and sculptors, fashion designers, writers, musicians, and even cooks!

This summer, those involved will continue to design and create, brainstorm and envision the best way to bring ARTs to life so that the arts can flourish when the fall arrives. From those involved with ARTs in Court, we hope that you’re excited as we are to share this wonderful experience!

FASHION SHOW

by CarLee Moyer

The annual Albright College Fashion Showcase and Runway Show always brings out the best work of the students in the Fashion Department. Their hard work can be seen in the pieces displayed and worn during the show, but the hard work leading up to the day of the event tends to go unnoticed. The planning committee, along with the designers, use the spring semester to plan the production that is enjoyed by many.

The idea for this year’s show stemmed from a poster design by Freddie Diaz, who won an illustration contest held last year. The poster features a sketch, instead of the type fashion shot of an already created piece. The planning committee took inspiration from the sketch to create the rest of the illustrations for the show.

They also utilized the Center for the Arts social media accounts. They are featuring profiles of the designers, along with other pictures of fabrics and parts of designs that are a part of the show.

Their first profile featured the story behind the work of the show’s opener, Susan Benitez. She partnered up with children at the 13th and Union School and created things with them that were part of her “Once Upon a Runway: Literature Based Art and Fashion Design” project. Some of the clothing pieces created will be featured in the opening of the show.

Fashion design and merchandising major, Ashlyn Alessi, also has a piece in the runway show; jewelry pieces she designed for her Senior Seminar project will also be in the showcase. Alessi designed and constructed a cheerleading uniform while she was interning at GK Elite Sportswear.

Her Senior Seminar project consists of Alex and Ani style bracelets each with a charm designed

by Alessi herself. Her line of bangles can be seen at the fashion showcase, as well as on the website she designed, inspirationcharms.weebly.com.

The committee continues to plan out all the small details, and remain active on the Center for the Arts social media accounts in the weeks leading up to the show. Albright College Fashion Showcase and Runway Show features many of the talented students Albright has in their Fashion Department.

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REMEMBERING

BECKY BUTLER 1955-2014

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“L

ast spring, the Albright community lost an incredible musician, beloved mentor, and valuable colleague. Rebecca Butler was born in New York City as the daughter of the late Henry Gass and the late Betty Gass. She had three siblings and married Bill Butler in 1990. Rebecca earned her undergraduate degree in music education and piano performance at Oberlin Conservatory and later went on to further her education at Temple University where she received a master of music degree in accompanying and chamber music.

Rebecca Butler was primarily known in our community as the co-chair to the Music Department, teaching classes and guiding students in their time as an undergraduate. As a professor of music for 32 years, she advised many students whether they be her academic advisees or musicians looking to continue their passion for music. She conducted the Symphonic band and assisted with various ensembles on campus, while also providing students with private lessons. Her touch on the students in the Albright community can be represented by her earning the Lindback Distinguished Teaching Award.

Rebecca has helped both ignite and rekindle students’ love for music and launched many talented musicians.

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children in the organization from 1992-2004 and as a group that was so close to her heart.

While the memorial was a bittersweet gathering, it was a beautiful and touching ceremony to honor and celebrate the memory of our beloved Rebecca Butler.

Off campus, Rebecca spent her efforts on a multitude of musical organizations and various ensembles. She dedicated 33 years at the Reading Symphony Orchestra as their principal keyboardist, accompanying many performers and soloists. Rebecca also served as an accompanist to the Berks Youth Chorus from 1992-2004. She has toured with the American Boychoir of Princeton, NJ and performed regionally with the Majore Trio. In addition she has accompanied the Reading Choral Society and was the staff accompanist for the New England Music Camp in Waterville, Maine where she traveled to and spent a lot of her free time.

On March 1st, marking the one year anniversary of her passing, a memorial concert was held in Albright College’s Memorial chapel.

The afternoon was held to “celebrate and honor her contributions to the musical life of Berks County” (Center For The Arts) and her fine musicianship. After Lex McMillan’s opening words, the Symphonic Band performed in her honor, playing Casa Grande, which was written by her father and personally loved

by Rebecca. The evening proceeded with a performance by Marie-Aline and Johannes Dietrich as old friends from Rebecca’s time with the Majore Trio. Afterwards, Jeffrey Lentz, Christopher Collins Lee, and Adlai Binger played Morgen in her honor. Following performances by her former colleagues and close friends, her husband gave a moving speech to the gathering about her life and how she touched the lives of those around her through her love of music. To close the memorial, the Berk’s Youth Chorus performed two songs in Rebecca’s honor because of her dedication to the children in the organization from 1992-2004 and as

If you’d like to share any memories of kind words in memory of Rebecca Butler, we encourage you to comment below this article on our blog. http://albrightam.wordpress.com/”

By Samantha Shank

THE

TROOTH P ROJ ECT

I believe that we, as human beings, have voices that deserve to be heard. There can be permanence to our words if we chose to make them known. The TROOTH Project was an interactive, sociological art-experiment that I created to encourage people to exercise their right of freedom of speech. The sculpture’s purpose was to exist as a vessel/safe-space to harbor whatever people believed to be true about the world, people, themselves, etc.

Anything and everything. My general idea was that after I created it, it was no longer mine. It now belonged to the environment I placed it in. In this case, Albright College. The sculpture stood in the campus center for a week’s time and became what I believed to be a dually gratifying experience:

&

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As a growing artist steadily approaching the end of my college career it is my task to create work based upon my influences, abilities, and personal creative energy. I am at a point where “assignments” are not exactly given like they were in earlier years. My professors are preparing me for the next step–the continued creation of work with no one pushing or motivating me–they are preparing me to become my own motivator. So as the semester began I was faced with a serious “creative-block” and could not produce any work that I thought to be worth-while. It wasn’t until I really split the hairs of my influences as an artist that I began to come up with primitive ideas about the “TROOTH”.

I love art that challenges the societal view of “normal”. I started to think with a pop art-influenced lens and it lead me to want to create something big. So I thought, what could I do that could potentially disrupt the status quo of my campus? I wanted to create something that people could interact with, but how? I looked inward to think about what things are important to me and that is where I became charged with the idea of freedom of speech.

I wanted to create a statement that exercised my right to do so while simultaneously involving the students, faculty, and even visitors of Albright College to do the same.

Many people have asked me: Why a tooth? I believe that the way I think and create is in layers. I like to explore the literal, figurative, and imaginative properties of subject matter and combine them all into one unified & chaotic layered product. Exploring freedom of “speech” made me have to find some physical rendition of that idea.

When I though “speech” I thought of the place where speech comes from: our mouths. I didn’t want to make a giant mouth, so I looked deeper. I wanted to show that people’s voices should be heard and that words can be permanent. Even after one’s passing. I began to think of history’s great thinkers and how things they have said have been remembered for centuries after their deaths. This was me building the layers. What is left after humans pass and decompose? Our bones. Bones, to me, became a somewhat physical manifestation of the permanence of human life. More specifically if speech derives from our mouths–after we pass and decompose–what is left of our mouths? Our teeth. To me, teeth became symbolic of our mouths after death and ultimately, symbolic of the permanence of words.

I had solidified the idea and chosen to call it the “trooth” project purely for the sake of an inviting play on words that I believed fit too nicely to pass up. After pitching the idea to my sculpture professor and receiving a positive response it was time to get moving and start building.

The next two to three weeks became a challenging battle between me and the soon-to-be giant tooth. Through trial and error (and a lot of frustration, flour, and water..)

I created the six-foot tooth with a combination of wood, wire, and papier-mâché. Three pieces of wood were glued and screwed together as a skeleton for the overall height, aesthetic, and support of the tooth. I used chicken wire to begin to sculpt the actual tooth-shape and attached it to the wooden skeleton. Once my wire armature was completed and actually looked like a tooth, it was time to cover it all. I used a simple papier-mâché mixture of flour, salt, and water (occasionally I used wood glue in some mixtures for added strength) to coat thousands of torn pieces of newspaper that I applied to the wire armature of the tooth. After multiple hours of drying time and multiple newspaper layers, I had a giant, visibly recognizable tooth.

The finishing touches were a few layers of gesso to conceal the newspaper exterior and give it the pearly white tooth aesthetic. After I finished it, it was just a matter of working with Albright and finding a time to set it up.

After slight hesitance and resistance from administration, I reminded them of the socioartistic nature of my project and how I believe it is important for young minds to be open and involved with the arts. Their hesitance was indeed justifiable but stressing the importance of freedom of speech among growing individuals was what made me able to do what I did. The sculpture was placed in the campus center on the evening of March 22nd and was set to be standing, ready for willing participants for a seven-day period, ending the following Sunday.

Within the first few days the campus had seemed to really take this project by the reigns and truly ran with it. My biggest fear was that people would be too hesitant to write on it. But, the TROOTH was accompanied by a table, a mason jar full of multicolored sharpie markers, a short description of what the project was, what I wanted people to do with it, and a sign that read: “BECOME PART OF THE TROOTH PROJECT”. The TROOTH was collecting a myriad of responses. Some general examples were:

And that is only naming some of the responses obtained on the TROOTH. By the end of the TROOTH’s course, there was literally almost no open space to write on it. I cannot express the joy and gratification I felt/still feel that people embraced this opportunity so much. Many people asked me if I cared that there was profanity or nonsense or certain things drawn on my tooth and my response was the same every time. I truly did not care what was put on this sculpture. To reiterate, once I placed it in the campus center, the project was no longer mine. I knew I was going to get a blend of the good and the bad written on my project and that was ok. The reason I was so on-board with any and all responses was because I gave this to the people as an opportunity to utilize their right to freedom of speech. Any response, anonymous or not, is a total and complete reflection of themselves and the environment I placed it in.

I am overjoyed that Albright gave me the opportunity to pursue this project. The TROOTH Project was the largest piece I have ever done and the first of which I had incorporated the involvement of others in my art for the sake of a bigger purpose. It is a lot more to me than a sculpture or an experiment. It is an example of my passion. I was able to create. I was able to do what I love to do most and have it be appreciated by the environment to which I call my alma mater, Albright College.

-Mike Barreto

Fears of the future Very introverted personal thoughts/concerns Remarks about the project itself “Rumors” of Albright student body Song lyrics Marijuana legalization Famous quotes Body-image statements Gender equality statements Sexual equality statements Doodles/drawings Bashing of specific on/off campus organizations

BRIGHTON

BEACH MEMOIRS

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As the last main stage show of the 2014-2015 season, the Domino Players’ production of Neil Simon’s Brighton Beach Memoirs certainly left the audience with some humorous and heartfelt things to remember. As audience members walked in, they could feel the essence of the show’s 1930s New York setting as the theatre was filled with catchy music from the era and the staged was dressed like the epitome of a lower-class 1930s home. The show truly captured the aesthetics of the time period from the costumes to the props and everywhere in between.

Brighton Beach Memoirs is a coming-of-age story that highlights the life and struggles of the Jerome family through the narration of 14-year-old Eugene (John Tallarida), a prepubescent boy who takes the audience on a journey through the show with his traits of comedy, naivety, innocence, and humorous creepiness through his lust for his cousin. The family is made up of Eugene’s protective but kindhearted mother Kate (Emily Carey) and his humble father Jack (Devin Palmieri) who will do whatever it takes to care for his family. Then there is his dedicated and hardworking older brother Stanley (Garrett Solomon) who will do anything to help Eugene become successful and make his father proud, Eugene’s passive and self-pitying widowed aunt Blanche (Rachel Spause), and her two daughters. One daughter, Nora (Emily Weaver), is an entitled 16-year-old girl who will do whatever it takes to get what she wants, while the other daughter Laurie (Gwenievere Birster) is a sassy 13-year-old who lets her “injuries” hold her back.

This cast of characters experiences many life-changing and upsetting scenarios within their 2 hours on stage.

While Eugene is experiencing a curiosity for the female body, others are suffering through losses of jobs, struggles with principles, protectiveness, worry and guilt. Through the comical blurbs from Eugene and the intense sister-to-sister and mother-to-daughter fights, Brighton Beach Memoirs has provided relatable family issues to leave its audience feeling a wide range of emotions.

By Lani Panico

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Artists Interviews with our Lovely Former Editors

{

"What is one word you would use to describe the Arts Magazine?"

}

of the I ssue " “Mike Weekly (two words, but a singular and awesome person who helped start the organization!)" - Adam Stamm

“"Love." - Kelly Spracklin

“"Proud. I’m just really proud of where it has come, and to see that mission we started out with continues to hold true today." - Mike Weekley

“"Ambitious." - ” –Richard Hackman

" “Friendship. Producing the AM wouldn’'t be possible without a cooperative, flexible, and positive group of students who want to work together." - Blanche Hebling

M ichael

R ichard

eekley

ackman

H

Class of 2008

M

Communications and Music Business Current Occupation: I am a Marketing Manager at Universal Atlantic Systems and I provides strategic marketing and communications support for all UAS initiative. I also manage development and implementation of communication messaging plans to both internal and external audiences to ensure they are high-quality, business driven and effective.

What article was your favorite to write and/or work on? Why? I really enjoyed writing the community articles I did for our “Bridging the Gap” issue where we focused on the arts in Berks County. I think that particular issue helped bring awareness to the artistic achievements in the area and helped connect the magazine to the community.

With your gained knowledge as an Albright graduate, what tips would you offer students today?

Enjoy the moment. When you have a fulltime job your free time really dries up, so you have to take advantage of every opportunity to go to that coffeehouse, try a new club and just enjoy the moment. Dive in and go for it. It's such an amazing privilege to be able to go to a school like Albright that supports your aspirations. It really is what you make of it.

What are your thoughts on how the magazine has transformed over time?

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I think Rich Hackman and our layout team helped to create a vision for the look and feel of the magazine, and that has grown to another level. It's colorful, artistic, takes chances, and also features very well-written and laid out features. I appreciate how the magazine has embraced a visual identity with tweaks from issue to issue. It's become a tight publication with a nice flow to it. Rich had an incredible idea. He and the rest of our founding team worked together to make it happen, with great guidance from Professor Rakus.

Now the magazine has been sustained as a campus institution and I hope I will be able to continue to read it for years to come.

Class of 2008 Communications and Digital Media

Current Occupation: By day I'm a Digital Media Designer for New York Life, and at night I often moonlight as a visual artist working in mixed media, photography, and web technologies.

How has your experience with the AM impacted where you are now?

My experience conceiving the AM was truly invaluable.

You could think of it as creating what we now call a startup. It involved picking up skills in fundraising, team building and collaboration, project management, content management, time management, crowdsourcing, PR and advertising - the list really is endless. It was a trial by fire, and the learning curve was extremely steep. All those skills are the same skills that I apply everyday in my job as designer in a corporate work environment.

Every project requires varying levels of effective management, communication, and execution, and every deadline is ASAP!

Why did you view the AM as an important publication to be on campus?

Well, I think it's important to note that until we created Albright AM, the Albrightian was the only other major publication on campus, I believe, and that needed to change.

I felt there was an overwhelming representation of sports and Greek life on campus, with the arts always being the lesser of that triumvirate. I believed that exposure and participation in the art life on campus was more in line with the college's ideals of graduating well-rounded and cultured individuals.

What is your best memory of creating the magazine?

After all the meetings, planning, attending numerous arts events, designing and laying out the magazine, there was nothing more amazing than getting a freshly printed copy of the first edition in my hands. I just remember thinking “'We made this, we made this all by ourselves.' ” It was a very proud moment for me.

Ke lly

pracklin

S

Current Occupation: I work at a Paralegal at Liberty Law Group, LLC in Reading, PA. I was formerly a Field Organizer for President Obama's reelection campaign in PA and for Wendy Davis's gubernatorial campaign in Texas.

How has your experience with the AM impacted where you are now?

It showed me that presentation does matter. I make sure that the work I complete, whether it is a memo or a campaign training document, is polished and organized because people in the real world appreciate the effort.

What article was your favorite to write and/or work on and why?

I was the creator of Sprack Attack, where I interviewed artists about everything.

Sarah Bruno '11 was a great interview, as was Hillary Helstein, a filmmaker out of LA whose film about Resistance Art during the Holocaust played at the Goggleworks in Reading, where I got to sit with her and discuss her work. She was so open about how close she got to these resistance artists and was so proud of her production.

Why did you view the AM as an important publication to be on campus?

The campus needs a publication like the AM to highlight student and community work, and I always saw it as a way to promote work that most people wouldn't necessarily think of when they thought of the word "art."

With your gained knowledge as an Albright graduate, what tips would you offer students today?

Try everything, but stick with what you like and do it well.

Class of 2008 Communications and Digital Media Class of 2011 Political Science/Latin American Studies

Adam S tamm

How did your experience as editor of the AM help prepare you for the real word?

I joined the AM during the fall semester of my freshman year. At that point in time the AM was producing one publication a year. It was both exciting and challenging to have my first writing assignment (I believe it was on a play that Jeff Lentz wrote). The following year I was voted to run the organization, and while I was helping facilitate what stories we wanted to publish I pushed to find local businesses to advertise in the publication. By the end of the year we found a single restaurant that paid to advertise in the AM! Looking back on it now it has helped land me where I am today.

What article was your favorite to write and/or work on?

Why? I think my fondest memory while working on the magazine was creating a story that was written in Spanish. Albright is a key part of the large Spanish community as it hosts the only Spanish DJ on WXAC. It was a great experience to learn how radio affected the community outside of Albright.

With your gained knowledge as an Albright graduate, what tips would you offer students today?

Learn as much as possible. Learn language, learn excel, learn to love learning.

More than ever we are required to know how to do many tasks in any work environment.

Albright AM offers so many opportunities to learn how to design software. Writers should learn how to design, and designers should learn how to write. These skills will only help you in the future.

What is your best memory of creating that magazine?

The hours spent working with friends on the actual AM are times I will always cherish, but the first Arts Night stands out as a Top 3 moment in my life overall. The showcased talent, the amazing crowd, the beautiful space (the T.E.A. Factory), and the overwhelming support all around combined for a magical night of art that will always reaffirm the power of art for me.

How has your experience with the AM impacted where you are now?

The AM was everything for me while I was at Albright and I only look back on it fondly. Without the experiences the AM gave me, be the design, writing, or editing, I would most certainly not have been accepted to the University and I feel as if I wouldn't be as well-rounded of a librarian or person.

Did you include your work from the AM in your portfolio? If so, how did that help you?

I always mention the AM in my resumes and portfolios. The ability to write, edit, and design is something every employer I've spoken with and, I assume, a graduate school will take into consideration when reviewing applicants. They are indispensable skills and the team aspects of publishing the AM benefit everyone that takes part immensely.

What was the biggest obstacle that you faced with publishing the AM while you were the president?

Deadlines. Deadlines are always so difficult in general and mixing that with the duties of being a college student makes it near impossible to coordinate due dates for articles, editing those articles, and pulling together the team to get it done. But, we somehow almost always managed to pull something together that I was proud of!

B ryan

S

Current Occupation: I am a graduate student studying Library and Information Science at the University of Illinois. I am also a Graduate Assistant in the Undergraduate Library on the UIUC campus where I do reference work and run the library Facebook page. I hope to become a Teen and Adult Services Librarian. I'm also in a band called We Have Ghosts and I plan on launching an online literary magazine and blog in the upcoming months.

Blanche H elbling

Class of 2014

Current Occupation: I’'m spending most of my final semester as an undergrad interning in the communications department of the Center for International Environmental Law, a non-profit focused on the intersection between human rights and the environment, headquartered in Washington, D.C. I’'ve become extremely passionate about sustainable food systems and increasingly aware of the need for social change in its interest.

I was responsible for drafting press releases, writing blog articles, monitoring social media, attending relevant public events, and creating informative content to populate the organization’'s new website. This summer, I' ’ll be working-- and learning!-- at a sustainable farm near Pittsburgh whose tag line speaks straightforwardly enough: We <3 Local Vegetables.

English

Why did you view the AM as an important publication to be on campus?

otnyk

I’'ve always valued the AM' ’s unique platform for allowing students to express themselves creatively as they celebrate the creative efforts of their peers. The magazine’'s tractile structure has allowed for a wide variety of journalism approaches ranging from long feature articles on Tim the Baker to Table of Contents pages designed so beautifully that the graphics themselves speak to the AM’'s mission statement. With the AM, students contribute pieces that reflect their own unique aesthetics, and still, the pages fit cohesively into one unified final product.

How has your experience with the AM impacted where you are now?

I reference my experience with the AM in almost every interview I’'m fortunate enough to land, and more often than not, I discuss the invaluable lessons the magazine has taught me about the powerful effects enthusiastic leadership and teamwork can have, from even a very small group of dedicated individuals. In addition to the creation of the magazine itself, the AM’'s amazingly successful collaborative efforts with the folk at Reading’'s T.E.A. Factory and numerous on-campus organizations have demonstrated that energetic ambition and creative thought garner results far beyond the limits of feeble apathy. The importance of harboring a passion for whatever I’'m doing has stuck with me. And that passion, I’'ve learned, tends to be contagious.