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Author describes publishing journey

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Author Yaa Gyasi speaks to Hood students.

Author Yaa Gyasi speaks to Hood students.

By Maddie Collins//

Hood College hosted this year’s first-year read author Yaa Gyasi – the young writer behind the novel “Homegoing” – to campus on Wednesday, Oct. 25. to discuss her creative journey and how she came to publish her debut book.

Every freshman or transfer student who goes through the orientation process must read a book over the summer chosen by students, faculty and staff who are a part of the First-Year Read Program committee.  When they arrive at Hood, the freshman and transfer students then complete an assignment based on what they read. This is considered their first college-level assignment. Not only does the book serve an academic purpose, it usually prepares students for the next chapter they are about to begin in their lives as the committee hopes that “Homegoing” did.

Dr. Martha Bari who is the head of the program chose “Homegoing” because she said it was, “very meaty, very thoughtful and historical. It talked about a lot of complex issues which was something that was really good for first-year students so that when they went to discuss it during orientation there would be a lot of different ways to approach it.”

The night began with a reception in which students, faculty and staff welcomed Gyasi to Hood’s campus. She had some time to mingle with those who have read her book and answer any questions that her audience had for her.

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Filmmaker describes joys, sacrifices of craft

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Filmmaker Samuel Tressler IV tells Hood students about his struggles.

Filmmaker Samuel Tressler IV tells Hood students about his struggles.

By Kristina Hong//

An independent filmmaker spoke at Hood College last week about overcoming the trials and tribulations of following your dreams when there is no clear path.

Samuel Tressler, IV, 31, is a director of photography currently living in downtown Frederick, Maryland. Although multiple opportunities to really hone in on his aspirations have come his way, Tressler chose to stay close to home every time.

In his speech on Wednesday, Oct 18, Tressler said, “I got into NYU for screenwriting but decided to go to Stevenson University instead.” Due to his financial status, he attended Stevenson: “NYU was too expensive and I felt like a failure for that,” Tressler said.

Interested in writing for pictures, the Maryland school had more appeal to him, as one of their main focuses is archived motion pictures with projects involving 16mm film. However, his classmates were not as dedicated as himself to their studies. “My peers weren’t interested in putting in the work and I wasn’t focused on the grades,” Tressler said. “I wanted to make something that meant something and move further out beyond school.”

By graduation, he completed three 16mm projects and realized his true passion was right in front of him: film. “Stevenson was more hands on.. It was the full spectrum the whole time rather than just writing,” Tressler said. “Filmmaking is an art like no other and my love was in the whole process.”

After school, he flew to California to attend a camp and made a few friends interested in the same field. By the end of the camp, his friends urged him to stay in the area. However, he found it hard to find a place to fit in and grow. “The longer I was there,” Tressler said, “the more I realized that the film industry is a horrible place for an independent voice.”

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Companies and colleges need free speech

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Flying Dog Brewery CEO Jim Caruso

Flying Dog Brewery CEO Jim Caruso

By Tim Silvia//

As part of an ongoing effort to promote and educate on free speech, Hood College played host to Jim Caruso, CEO of Flying Dog Brewery, and his speech “Free Speech for Me, But Not For Thee?” The speech outlined the history of free speech in America and the challenges that truly free speech brings.

As a private institution, Hood has no obligation to provide students free speech. Regardless, Free speech is something that Hood College president Andrea Chapdelaine holds in the upmost importance.

“For me it is a core of a liberal arts education; that what is most important to me is for students to experience and learn and grow from here,” Chapdelaine said. “The opportunity to use their own voice, use their own mind, use their own talents and interests to learn. So that right to free speech, as I think about it, is so critical to fulfilling our mission.”

The president and, subsequently, the college’s dedication to the promotion of free speech were the main driving forces behind inviting Caruso to speak. Additionally, Chapdelaine awarded Caruso with the President’s Medal for Democracy for his work education the public on the principles of the First Amendment.

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Tolerance is not enough, speaker tells Hood community

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Ash Beckham present her talk “Give Voice to Your Truth.”

Ash Beckham presents her talk “Give Voice to Your Truth.”

By Shannon Jones//

Students, staff, and faculty gathered to see Tedx speaker Ash Beckham present her talk “Give Voice to Your Truth” on Wednesday, Oct. 27 in the Brodbeck Music Hall.

In this talk, Beckham, who considered herself an “accidental advocate” for the LGBTQ community, addressed the importance of empathy and acceptance and shared her own experiences to engage the audience. The main idea of this talk was “creating a more empathetic community on campus,” she said, and bringing that empathy into other communities as well.

“The first step is to embrace the diversity that we all bring,” Beckham said. “To embrace our own differences, and be willing to share our own stories so people better understand us.”

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Students talk about sex and consent

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By Destani Jameson//

On Thursday October 10, the Hood College Health Center and the Coordinator of Diversity inclusion cosponsored an uncensored series conversation about sex and consent. The Coblentz game den was the perfect atmosphere for the drop in conversation for “real people with real issues to have a real conversation.”
Although staff members of the Hood College community sponsored this event, it was a conversation for students and led by students. Travis Eichelberger, Assistant Director of Student Engagement and Diversity Initiatives Coordinator, and Dede Trapp, Staff Nurse from the Health Center, facilitated the conversation.

Free pizza, drinks, candy, condoms and sex education gathered about 15 students. The Coblentz game den was set up in a cozy comfortable setting with couches set up in a circle. The group was instructed to write a topic that connected to sex or consent and place it in the bowl. This is how topics were picked for the discussion.

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Circle K holds cutest baby contest to combat tetanus

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By Jeanne Robinson//The Circle K International Club raised enough money to vaccinate 97 women against maternal and neonatal tetanus during their inaugural cutest baby contest held Feb. 16 – Feb. 20.

Members of the club collected donations and shared information via their board in Whitaker for the week with the baby pictures of four professors who had given their image for the fundraiser. Students and faculty “voted” for their favorite baby with any spare change or cash they had to offer, and learned of the effects of maternal and neonatal tetanus.

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A class project of CMA 304.