You’ve probably seen Collin McCanna all over campus, but chances are that you’ve has trouble keeping up with him.
That’s because he’s up and (literally) moving before most of us are awake. There’s the 6 AM swim practices, the classes for his studio art major, and – did we mention? – all the responsibility that goes along with being Lawrence’s Senior Class President.
And after being voted into the position last year by his peers, McCanna feels honored to represent the graduating class, where he oversees the committees and the actions for the other class officers.
“Lawrence is an excellent institution and I wanted to give back to it in a way that can be beneficial to the other students and beneficial to my class,” he said. “It’s a great thing to do to contribute to the university.”
The 22 year old senior also has invested ties within the Appleton community itself. As an Appleton native, McCanna said he gets a lot of guff for being “townie” but has grown to love it.
“I’ve been involved with a lot of the music and athletic camps that were offered [through the university], so Lawrence has been a part of my life since I was young,” said McCanna. “I’ve been heavily interested in the music program, the small class sizes and the acessability of the professors.”
More about the man:
McCanna is a studio art major with a concentration in printmaking, and had a show in Mudd gallery last November entitled “Pieces of Rome,” where he displayed photos and paintings from his year abroad during his junior year. He will be featured again in the studio art majors’ Senior Show opening in early May at the Wriston Art Gallery.
As a member of Beta Theta Pi, McCanna serves on the Executive board as a Risk Manager. He describes the position: “I throw down, I break people.” Ok, but really Collin!
He was sure to tell me he was kidding. “No, no, I assemble the six men at the parties and talk with security if need be or if something goes wrong. I take care of the chapter.”
And if that wasn’t enough, in his fourth year of swimming, McCanna has been named captain. He competes in the sprint freestyle 50 yd, 100 yd, 200 yd, backstroke, and is the anchor in relays.
Clearly, McCanna has covered all the bases during college. But even though he relishes all these wide and varied experiences, McCanna said that his post-graduate ambitions extend far from the Lawrence bubble. He is now in the application process for jobs that will lead to a position as creative director or art director for a major advertising company.
“I am going to move out of Appleton because I’ve been here far too long; and I want to go to a big city where there is larger market for advertising and mass mass media.”
There’s a fallback option though too. And one that sounds pretty awesome. McCanna told me about his secret alter-ego “Kilroy,” that many LU students haven’t fully experienced, but one that might make him even more famous than he already is on campus.
“I’m a hip hop producer. I compose my own beats and I worked with Rich Jones a bit,” he said.
“If advertising fails, I’m going to the West Coast to become a world renound Grammy-winning hip-hop producer.”
We say go for it.
And as a good Class President should, McCanna was sure to give a few plugs for upcoming activities planned for the senior class and the LU community (over 21).
Sunday, February 6 is the Superbowl Party in the Viking Room
Come over beginning at 4 to cheer the Pack to a Superbowl Victory
And at the end of the month, there’s the 100 Day Party… A milestone party for the seniors celebrating their ‘Oh, crap!’ moment as they realize they’ll soon be thrust into the real world, unprotected by the safe haven they’ve known as the ‘Lawrence Bubble’ for the last four years…
And McCanna reminded all the seniors to give back!
“We’ve gotta donate, we’ve gotta give back, because that’s where the cost of tuition is deducted and what keeps Lawrence going.”
It was great to get to know and talk to Collin.
He told us that it feels awesome to be chosen as a Campus Celebrity, but – really – it was our honor to have him!