We spoke with Angie Jasper, Director of Cultural and Community Events for Chatham University. Her career is a theatrical fairytale: she staged managed for The Second City, Chicago Shakespeare, iO and Quantum Theatre, working with companies on the front-edge of dramatic innovation. Now she orchestrates the Eden Hall Summer Series at Chatham, cultivating a creative life for our rural campus.
HC Chatham: And so for everyone who comes out of undergrad and thinks, Well, I have a dream that’s maybe going to be tricky to pursue or that’s not going to work…. I mean, you’re an example of someone who pursued a dream, did the dream in a big way and found a way to then parlay that into a career that you want. So what advice do you have for people who have an unconventional approach to what they hope their life will be after college, but maybe they’re afraid to pursue it?
Angie Jasper: Go for it. I mean, especially at that time. I even feel that way now. You only get one opportunity with this life, right? We’re not in a dress rehearsal. This is it. Do what you love. And if you go in and decide, This is what I want to do my whole entire life, or you get into that industry and you’re like, Wait, this isn’t anything that I thought about it, don’t be discouraged. There’s always so many really cool opportunities out there to go and take advantage of. You know, I came from a very small town in Ohio, had been to theater productions, had never really acted, hadn’t done much, but I knew I wanted to do something in the arts. And just by really exploring the different avenues of acting, technical – really what was a good fit for me – and just went with it. If it makes you a little bit nervous and a little bit scared, that’s usually good. It means it’s something that you should pursue and do, because then the payoff is just so much more than if you’re playing it safe all of the time.
Finishing her first full month as Executive President of Chatham Student Government, Sarah Jugovic gave us a two-part interview on her emerging life as a leader. After a summer spent studying abroad in Morocco, an adventure awaited her: navigating the changes at Chatham. The challenge doesn’t phase her: she studied ‘13/’14 President Mareija Bibbs closely, and she works efficiently. She’s a self described “people person” with an enormous network of supporters, from the Senate to the soccer team.
HC Chatham: As a soccer player, has being on a team taught you anything about being a leader?
Sarah Jugovic: Oh my gosh, so much. The team dynamic the soccer team has is like none other that I’ve ever experienced. From our inside jokes to bus rides to away games, and everything in between, it’s made me realize that everyone’s a leader. We have individuals that stick out on the soccer team, but we all kind of coexist in a way that no one’s better than the next. And something silly is whenever we go in for a team huddle, we scream “Bangarang!” to start the game. I couldn’t imagine being here at Chatham and not being on the soccer team. They’re my little family.
Rachael Owen encouraged us to be literary rebels. As President of Beyond the Page Book Club, her fall semester responsibilities include raising awareness of Banned Books Week. Artist Collective crafts a book cemetery at the base of the library steps, while Owen hosts a discussion. This year’s pick: The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian.
HC Chatham: Why should students read banned books?
Rachael Owen: All of the greatest books have been banned. They can be controversial or upsetting, but those are the books that we should be reading. Books should challenge how we think and give us insight into the lives of others, not just confirm what we already think about the world.
Kaitlyn Lacey is a campus talent scout. The Minor Bird editor spends her semesters soliciting submissions, leading a team of editors, and curating Chatham’s beloved literary magazine. She’s not looking for perfection, just potential.
HC Chatham: Many people are shy about sharing their creative work. What advice do you have for students who would love to submit their art or writing for a future edition but are worried it won’t be good enough?
Kaitlyn Lacey: My advice is to submit. Even if you don’t have people in your life telling you how good your writing is (which you probably do, you just might not be able to hear or believe them), that nagging self-doubt is part of every good writer’s waking nightmare. It’s part of what makes all of us better when we go in and revise, rewrite, or even give up and write a new piece. But sometimes, we let it get bigger than it should be, either by listening to the inaccurate opinions of others or just by spending too much time in our own heads comparing our writing to someone else’s.
If you do end up getting a rejection email, it’s usually because a piece isn’t fully polished. The editorial board can see its potential, but it hasn’t been taken as far as you can go with it. What they want is not for you to give up. What they want is for you to take it back, look it over, see what they saw in your writing or artwork, and take it just that one step further. They want to see your pieces again so they can publish them when they’re at their fullest potential.
As President of This is Me! Queer-Straight Alliance, Maggie McGovney is the touchpoint for all LGBTQIA students on campus. She brings the community closer through ice cream socials and other informal get-togethers. She also leads her organization in driving the campus conversation on sexuality.
HC Chatham: Why is This is Me’s mission close to your heart?
Maggie McGovney: As a queer person who has been around LGBTQIA people for my whole life, This is Me’s mission of promoting acceptance in the LGBTQIA community is close to my heart because I have seen exactly what lack of acceptance does to people. In terms of biology, humans are herd animals; most of us need to have community to be happy. This is Me provides that community on campus, and the importance of that cannot be overstated, especially with the upcoming changes that Chatham is facing.
Brittanie Terensky is President of both the Creative Writing Club and the Education Major Club. She also co-chairs Beyond the Page Book Club. Being constantly immersed in words is a delight for this writer, and she hopes she can help other students fall in love with literature the way she did.
HC Chatham: Part of workshopping a piece is learning how to take – and give – constructive criticism. What are your tips?
Brittanie Terensky: All writing is subjective. It’s important to remember that if somebody doesn’t like your piece, that it’s not any sort of judgment on what kind of writer you are. Getting constructive criticism sometimes sucks, but the person giving the criticism is trying to help you, not bring you down. And when giving constructive criticism, I think it’s really important to be as respectful, but as honest, as you can be. You have to think about how your criticism would make you feel if you were in the other person’s place. If your criticism would upset you, then it’s obviously going to hurt another person. Just try and rephrase your suggestions so they are more respectful and less hurtful, but always be honest.
Under Skyler Wilcha’s leadership, this year’s seniors may fundraise enough money to renovate the Carriage House patio. Of course, that’s just one responsibility of the President of the Class of 2015. Wilcha plans events, tables on the quad, and even speaks at campus-wide events. Perhaps her most important job is to answer the concerns of seniors during the university’s transition. But even when it’s challenging, she handles her role with grace and energetically serves the students she loves.
HC Chatham: What do you love most about Chatham?
Skyler Wilcha: The relationships I have formed. I have made so many great connections and friendships with peers and professors alike. It really is not what you know, it is who you know. I used to hate that line. But it now means something different to me. To me it means there is a lot to be learned from every person you meet and make relationships with.
Who would you like us to interview in Spring 2015? Click here to fill out our suggestion form!