October 16, 2006

The new school term is off and running and we're excited. We have our largest and most gifted freshman class ever and we're meeting the onrush with many talented new faculty members.

We have an impressive slate of upcoming performances, exhibitions and lectures that augment what we teach in the classroom. Almost all are open to the Drexel family. New Paradise Laboratories is in residency with our Mandell Professional In Residence Project. Their new play BATCH: AN AMERICAN BACHELOR/BACHELORETTE PARTY IN SIX ROUNDS will be performed at the Mandell Theater from October 19^th through the 22^nd and will then be presented at the prestigious Humana Festival. The Drexel Players upcoming season is also an ambitious one. Their slate includes THE LARAMIE PROJECT, an important and moving play, and the very fun THE ROCKY HORROR SHOW.

Actress, singer and storyteller Anita Singleton-Prather will be our Rankin Scholar in Residence on October 17 and 18^th. She'll be presenting a series of workshops and performances on the unique Gullah music and culture from the Sea Islands of South Carolina. Acclaimed independent filmmaker Philip Haas will also be a Rankin Scholar in Residence for the entire week of October 30^th. Philip's films include ANGELS AND INSECTS (Kirstin Scott Thomas), MUSIC OF CHANCE (James Spader) and UP AT THE VILLA (Sean Penn) and his documentaries have featured artists David Hockney and Richard Long.

An evening with Scott McCloud, part of the Sibby Merkel Brasler Lecture Series, will be a fun night on November 30^th. McCloud's latest book UNDERSTANDING COMICS explores the singular magic that occurs when words combine with pictures in the form of comics. Matt Groenig, creator of the SIMPSONS, says ‘If you've ever felt bad about wasting your life reading comics, then check out Scott McCloud's classic book immediately. You might still feel you've wasted your life, but you'll know why, and you'll be proud.”

I could go on and on about the performances of our numerous music and dance ensembles, upcoming exhibitions at the Pearlstein Gallery, our amazing senior shows, and other lectures and symposia, but I don't want you to feel as if this is a homework assignment. Suffice it to say, we hope you -- our students, faculty, staff, alumni, friends and supporters – will avail yourself of some of these exciting doings which we'll tell you more about in upcoming editions of this newsletter.

Our already fine faculty has been strengthened with the addition of photographer Andrea Modica; artists Francoise Dureese, Sarah Steinwachs and Lee Arnold; Dr. Myron Moss, Program Director for Music; graphic artist Shushi Yoshinaga; filmmakers Zhenya Kiperman and Dave Schwartz; Cynthia Golembuski in Fashion Design; Karen Peltzer in Interior Design; Nick Cassaway in Design and Merchandising; as well as Dr. Jeff Nimeroff, a joint appointment in our Digital Media program and the College of Engineering.

I think it's safe to say that the Westphal College is as strong as it's ever been and we appreciate your support and the strong support we've received from the University.