When it comes to this week’s Campus Celebrity, Andrew Nathanson, all I can say is: wow. Throughout his time here at Connecticut College, Andrew has become extremely involved on campus – whether he’s snapping photos for his CONNPiX page, managing his time as the Class of 2013’s Co-Chair of the Senior Giving Fund, or working hard on his past campaign, Project rePLAY, Andrew can do it all. Read on to learn more about this awesome Campus Celeb!
Name: Andrew Nathanson
Class Year: 2013
Major: Architectural Studies
Hometown: Purchase, New York
First off, as a Senior, where do you find the time to be so involved on campus? Do you have any immediate plans after you graduate? If so, what are you most looking forward to?
It’s true, some people don’t think I go to class. I do, but I just try to make time for the projects I really enjoy. Google Calendar is my lifeline and I’m usually awake earlier than most. I am not set on post-college plans yet; I’ll have an architectural studies major, an enjoyment of event production, and an interest in marketing and branding strategy, so we’ll see what happens!
It’s amazing that you have an independent photography project, CONNPiX. How did this project get started, and what, in your opinion, is it all about?
CONNPiX is a personal project that I started to accomplish numerous goals. First and foremost, I wanted to force myself to simply bring my camera out more. Additionally, it’s a chance for me to help capture my own senior year. It’s just an added bonus that I have this campus as a backdrop. When I was abroad in Rome during the fall of my junior year, I kept a similar blog, and I thought the idea could translate this year, as well. I’ve been flattered by the response CONNPiX has been getting. Future Camels have been finding it which is really exciting.
As a well-known student photographer and intern on campus, how does it feel to have some of your works published on the Connecticut College website, in the CC: Magazine, and in various College promotional materials and videos? Also, when did you first start getting interested in photography?
Photography for College Relations is, by far, one of the greatest opportunities I’ve had at Conn. I’ve been to events I wouldn’t have otherwise gone to… I’ve met trustees… I’ve been sort of behind the scenes with President Higdon… Some of my absolute favorite memories come from photo gigs, including my visit up the steeple of Harkess Chapel for Founder’s Day in 2011, as well as the various theater department shows and performances like Fusion. Having my photos published is a thrill. I never know what’s going to be in the magazine or on the website, so it’s a fun surprise. As for my history with photography, I just grew up with a camera nearby. Some people are artistic photographers, but I quite enjoy event/live action photography. My mantra is to take the shot until I get it right, not to use photoshop if at all possible. That means a theater show can get upwards of 1,000 images just so I can find the few that are perfect.
It appears you have won several awards for your photos! Back in February of 2011, two of your New London photographs were awarded 2nd and 3rd place in the LINCC Photography Contest! Also, in September 2011, your photograph of Connecticut College’s very own Harkness Chapel received enough votes to be placed on The Day’s 2012 New London Calendar. Wow, congratulations! Would you mind sharing with us at least one of your winning photos?
The LINCC contest was part of the Centennial so it was very fun to have a few photos in the same exhibition as archival images which, to me, are fascinating. For those who voted in The Day’s contest and now get weekly spam because of it: I’m sorry!
Given your involvement in the Arts & Technology center, can you tell us a little bit more about your interests in graphic and visual information design, social media, and advertising?
My senior project for the Center for Arts and Technology is coming up in just a few weeks. In short, I have combined my interests in architecture, history, and event production to create a project on a massive scale: I’ve built a documentary-of-sorts about Cummings Arts Center which will be projected onto the Temple Green side of the building with two high-power projectors. It’s free and open to the everyone–Wednesday, April 24th outside Cummings, on loop between 8:30 and 10:30pm. Also, there’ll be a Cummings-shaped cake.
What are some of the challenges you have faced as the Class of 2013’s Co-Chair of the Senior Giving Fund?
I view Senior Giving as a way to say thanks–to a professor, coach, department, program–by giving future students the opportunity to experience what we have experienced. It’s difficult to explain to seniors that their funds don’t benefit a specific person, be it an administrator or faculty member, but support the College as a whole. Often, we get competitive and try to get higher and higher participation, which is great, but I’m most proud of each meaningful gift.
In the fall of 2012, you became the founder of Project rePLAY; a campaign to replace and tune deteriorating pianos in dorm commons rooms at Connecticut College. After receiving 500+ student signatures and financial support, how did you eventually achieve your goal?
Project rePLAY was a combination of luck and timing. In 2010, I mentioned to a Major Gifts Officer that perhaps an alum might be interested in restoring the pianos in the dorms since they hadn’t been tuned in years. Sure enough, an alumna and her husband actually helped restore and replace Steinway pianos for the music department. Since the “Steinway School” distinction means there can only be Steinways in the department, there were a few left-over, used pianos that were in great condition. We were able to start bringing those to the dorms, and the student show of support influenced SGA to help fund tuning and repair costs. There are more conversations to be had, but I hope that as pianos become available, we can move them to the dorms as replacements while keeping up tuning for all. I sincerely hope eventually the College will find a donor to endow the program! It would really show how philanthropy influences our student experiences in ways that we rarely notice.
Last year, you studied Architecture History at the Pantheon Institute in Rome, Italy. How was your study abroad experience? Did studying in Italy change or affect the way you perceive Architecture? Overall, what was the most rewarding aspect of your time abroad?
At first, I hesitated about studying abroad. I was concerned about “missing out” on life at Conn. I realized, though, that there are few times when you can just pack up and move across the world for four months–in the real world, I would have had to change my address, perhaps my citizenship, etc. I am certainly happy I chose to go. I had been to Europe just once before, and I savored the chance to travel both within Italy and around Europe. I studied architecture and art history and, by far, the most memorable experiences came from the Vatican where our professor was, for lack of the correct term, the head of restoration and preservation St. Peter’s Basilica We had access to places few ever see, including attic spaces above the Basilica and below, into the Secret Archives made famous in Dan Brown books. At one point, we were only about five feet from the Pope!
In the architecture realm, my biggest realization came when thinking about relative age and preservation. In the U.S., anything that’s older than, say, 1920 might be considered historic. Anything from the 1800s is practically a monument! In Rome, I was living in a building constructed in the 1600 or 1700s but that meant absolutely nothing when the building next door is from the 1200s and the Colosseum is less than a mile away.