Experiences
On Campus Involvement
Open Mic Night
This semester I decided that I wanted to put myself out there more and take strides toward my goal of being more comfortable with public speaking and performance in front of audiences. The Open Mic Night organization accepted me into their community right away, allowing me to play piano and sing in an uplifting and encouraging environment. Listening to, performing with, and befriending other artists has expanded my appreciation for live performance and strengthened my confidence with public engagement!
ICTV
This semester I took a different approach to ICTV, joining a scripted show for their preproduction process. While I was mainly focused on independent student projects, I took on an Assistant Director role with the Homeschool'd crew, which plans to begin production next semester. My responsibilities include script preparation, call sheet designing, and scene breakdowns. Joining this crew of talented creators has been an inspiring and uplifting experience, as I have been able to observe and assist in the creation of a brand new show!
STUDENT PROJECTS & THESIS FILMS
While not technically an "organization" on campus, working on Senior thesis films and other student projects has provided me the opportunity to meet students from all majors, backgrounds, and lifestyles. Learning how to lead in a professional film set environment has absolutely been the highlight of my first year. I have diversified my skills, made lifelong friends, immersed myself in the local community, and created art that I am immensely proud of.
Community Service
SERVICE SATURDAYS
In February, I had the opportunity to participate in the Service Saturday event at Kendal at Ithaca, a local retirement community. IC students were brought in to assist with technology, such as setting up new phones, calibrating text-to-speech and voice-activated commands, video editing, and other simple tech support. The Kendal community members happily embraced us and our "young" tech knowledge! We had enough time to solve any issues and have in-depth conversations with the residents. I made lasting relationships with some of the community members, and I've returned to Kendal on my own multiple times this semester!
SLI: Emergency Preparedness and Response
"Emergency Preparedness and Response," presented by Samm Swarts and Elyse Nepa was a fascinating seminar about how students should handle emergency situations. We learned the process for reporting emergencies, Shelter-In-Place procedures, and proper planning techniques for when unfortunate incidents occur. I left the session feeling much more confident about being a leader in emergency situations.
