Savannah Thorpe

"My end goal right now is public policy. I would love to be Governor someday. I have a huge heart for the minorities and underprivileged and people in the lower-rungs of socio-economic ladder. I find that in government that people who tend to advocate for them tend to speak with words that deal with emotion and feelings. Legislatures speak in graphs, numbers, and statistics. I want to be able to help bridge that so that we can more effectively communicate policies that better serve the underprivileged."

-Savannah Thorpe, Junior, English and Economics Dual Major

I’ve actually encountered the subject of this interview a number of times. First in a couple of social settings. Then she once served as a guest panel member for the Generation Gap TV show; during an episode in which our show addressed the issues of how African Americans are perceived today in American culture. I decided to see if I could get her to sit down and do an interview for the Faces of I.U.P. blog. After messaging her with my request, she agreed kindly. We arranged to meet last Saturday at the Crimson Café.

Once we had taken a seat at a table in the Fireplace Pizzeria, we sat down and discussed what the concept of my blog was about. Afterward the subject and I began conducting the interview. Unlike the others I interviewed previously, she didn’t wait for me to ask the simple questions such as her name or her major. Instead, upon my announcement we were recording she eagerly dove right in and said, “My name is Savannah Thorpe. I’m a junior here at I.U.P. I am an English-Econ dual-bach and I have minors in Applied Statistics and Biology.”

Not even five seconds into the interview and I was already amazed. I knew about her dual-bach having worked on the show, but I couldn’t hearing about her minors. In an impressed tone I said, “Wow! You’re very sophisticated.”

She chuckled and exclaimed, “I’m not though! That’s the thing! I have a broad interest all over the place and I want to be equipped for what I want to do in the future. I’ve got the time and I got the credits, I might as well.”

“How did you start on all those paths?” I asked her.

“When I was in high school,” she began to explain, “I’m a writer by nature- but I always loved math and science. They’re just other means of communicating. When I came to college I asked my Dad, ‘What do you think I should study?’

“My Dad went on to tell me, ‘Well you might really like Economics because you love storytelling and you like math.’

“I said to him, ‘Money is the root of all evil, Dad! Absolutely not!’

“So as a compromise I picked up a Small-Business Management major. I took one semester of it and I hated it!” She exclaimed those words as if they were foul in taste. “I switched to English afterward, but I didn’t just want an English degree since it was very narrow. I started taking some statistic classes. I stumbled into a Gen Ed course called the Principles of Statistic Microbiotics. The kid who sat next to me there took Calculus III with me- and we turned to each other and exclaimed, ‘This stuff is awesome! This is like real, live, math that we can actually make happen!’

“We stayed after and talked to our professor one day after class and we were like, ‘What you said makes sense. This would make more sense though if you used Calculus, not just Algebra.’

“He said to us, ‘It would, but this is a basic-level course. If you guys are interested you should take my Calculus-level of this course.’

“That was how my friend and I both picked up an Econ major.”

She went on and told me, “What I want to be able to do is to be able to translate the scientific-economic terms into ordinary words that regular people can understand, and vice-versa. My end goal right now is public policy. I would love to be Governor someday. I have a huge heart for the minorities and underprivileged and people in the lower-rungs of the socio-economic ladder. I find that in government that people who tend to advocate for them tend to speak with words that deal with emotion and feelings. Legislatures speak in graphs, numbers, and statistics. I want to be able to help bridge that so that we can more effectively communicate policies that better serve the underprivileged.”

I was impressed. “We definitely need people like you,” I told her. “I’ll admit it, when it comes to that kind of thing I only understand in lay-man’s terms. Numbers are good and all, but I need people to help me interpret them.”

She nodded. “That’s what I have found when I take Economic and Statistics classes- which are even worse! Once you start to realize what’s happening- you can tell a story. You can take the numbers and translate them into a narrative. My Math major friends have described statistics as taking numbers and telling a story with them. That’s all it is! So everything I do I approach with a storytelling perspective.”

“Nice!” I complimented, pretty impressed. However, I decided to switch gears a little bit just to see if I could get a little more of her back-story down. I went on and asked her, “How did you come to I.U.P.?”

“I came here almost completely on accident,” she told me. “My family was on our way out visiting Carnegie Mellon. My Dad is an engineer so by nature he wants to gather information and crunch data. 

"He said, ‘You know, I wonder what happens to our Pennsylvania students who are really, really bright but want to go to a state school and not some liberal arts college?’ He was poking around and he stumbled upon the Honors College here. He said, ‘You know it’s almost on our way. Let’s stop by- it couldn’t hurt.’

“I was like, ‘You know what Dad? You’re right. It couldn’t hurt.’

“We took a visit and I fell in love with the place. They offered me so much money to come here. It made so much sense! They gave me a big university feel- with a football team, and all the concerts and shows- but at the same time I had the tiny Liberal Arts field that Whitmyre has to offer. I couldn’t have asked for more!”

“So you’re in the Honors College?” I asked her.

“I am!” she exclaimed, “People talk bad about it but I love it. I mean there’s problems with the administration and there’s problems with the way the classes are handled. I think though that what the Honors College has to offer is something different. We are able to have some deep discussions with our friends moderated by a professional. We can all- I think as we mature- realize that there are people of sane mind and sound judgment, who- with different experiences and information- came to an opinion that is completely different from yours. What the Honors College allows you to do is to follow what led people to the opinion that they have. That’s a skill we all need to develop more. I feel that if we as students or even as people developed that more; we wouldn’t be so quick to name-call or blame a person’s stupidity for their opinions. That’s often not the case! There are very intelligent people with very different opinions. It doesn’t make them wrong. It just means that they have access to different information and life experiences. So yeah, it just allows you to follow through on that. I love it!

“Also,” she added, “They treat us Honors College kids like royalty! I have taken classes that I haven’t had the pre-requisites for, that were for, and that were only for majors and minors. I just took them all. I say ‘So I want to take this class...,’ and they’re like, ‘Sure! Whatever!’ I once took a class in Graphic Design. I didn’t have to, I’m not an Art major and the class is full and I had zero of the three pre-requisites. I took it anyway! At I.U.P., anything is possible with the right person’s signature! It has yet to fail me!”

I laughed and asked, “How long are you going to be in school for all the studies you have to take?” 

“I’m getting out in four years. I made it all work. I came into school with a bunch of AP credits. I took a ton of classes that I thought were cool.” She laughed as she said, “I scrambled around some classes and I’m going to be getting a degree in a year. Well, here’s to hoping anyway. That’s the plan for now!

“I was actually worried about that,” she went on to tell me, “I said to my Dad, ‘What am I going to do? I have to feed myself someday.’

“He told me, ‘Don’t you worry about that. Determined people, friendly people, intelligent people, get jobs! While you’re in college, take stuff you like to take! You’re going to get a job, don’t worry about that now. Worry about getting knowledge and experiences. You’re a driven, intelligent and generally likeable person. The job will come.’

“Needless to say I listened to him, because my Dad works in Human Resources. All he does all day is hire people. So I took him at his word.”

Her mentioning of Human Resources got me thinking about how she had mentioned she had a passion for the underprivileged and minority groups. I decided to go on and ask her, “How did you first get involved in social justice movements?”

She didn’t hesitate. “On one hand it’s honestly always been a part of me. I’m biracial, my Dad is Black and my Mom is White. It was a huge deal when they got married in 1990- it was still illegal in some states to do that. My Mom’s family was so upset, they didn’t show up to the wedding. Her brother had to walk her down the aisle. Her Mom and Dad didn’t come. My parents were very hardcore! They’re still married twenty-five years later and they still love each other! Just coming from that badass marriage- I like to joke about stupid things that Dr. King would have marched for- but that’s actually something he did! That kind of stuff should be legal! Just that being a part of me, my family, and our legacy is something that I cherish.

“Then what happened in Ferguson hit me super-hard. I realized just after that went down how much people don’t understand. It’s difficult to parse out the truth between what the media dramatizes, and the systematic corruption in government. I hadn’t realized until then. I realized that that’s something we need to talk about. The indictment of former officer Darren Wilson will go down as history will write it, but I think that just opened up a slew of problems. One that comes to mind is the ability to vote, and how the media makes it difficult for us to make informed decisions. Healthcare is abysmal, the food, and simple things like that which aren’t accessible to communities. How sad is that? We want to blame the obese, but all they can afford is bad food! It’s harder to afford helpful foods that won’t contribute to you digging into your healthcare. There’s a whole slew of problems that feed into each other. Will I be able to solve them all? Absolutely not! There’s only one of me. If nothing else I want to inform and inspire more people to contribute and try fixing the problems. Among those being better representation in media. We need more positive Black role-models in media. As well as the right to vote, that one is so urgent!”

“Going off of better representation of various kinds of people in media,” I said, “do you think we’re doing better at that, or are we stagnant?”

“I think there’s two schools of thought on that,” Savannah told me. “On the one hand there are more Black people on television. Just statistically, that’s the numbers. Which makes it tempting to say ‘Go us! We’re so diverse!’

“The representation of them is so abysmal though! We have thugs running around and shooting each other up- which is one representation. Or you have the Empire side of things where it’s nothing but people from the ‘hood who don’t know how to handle so much money- so they go hog-wild: ridiculously materialistic, unwarranted and unprotected sex with unmarried people. So while there are statistically more Black people on the screen- they’re not helping. You can point fingers at whoever, but we need more positive role models. I want to see Lupita Nyong’o as the main character in some pithy rom-com, because you either get Tyler Perry movies, or you get White people. I want to see more something along the former’s lines.

“Mixed kids are doing great on the screen right now- there’s a ton of us! I can’t complain about that. There’s a lot more work to do, but I think because we’re finally starting to make some noise that it’s going to have to happen. If not for anyone else, we have to do it for Black people. The ones who mainly consume those terrible images of Black people are White people. White people won’t make a ton of money selling terrible images of Black people to both White and Black people.”

“Do you feel that there are more accurate portrayals of people of minority groups in the media?”

“Oh sure! I think there is more positive representation working its way up. I think the most influential side of that is how viciously the media has attacked people promoting bad images. The scandal with Zendaya Coleman at the Oscars- where that White woman said that her hair probably smelled like oil and weed- people started flipping out. Saying how it was racist and rude. Everyone was praising Kylie Jenner and her dreads, but let a Black woman have them and she probably smells like oil and weed! (Are you kidding me?) The whole media avalanche practically killed that woman. The thing that happened with ZAE, nobody came to their defense. Zero people! While that’s not really the same as representation in media- I think the fact that we’re not tolerating that shows we’re trying to move forward.”

“You’re a strong proponent of the Black Lives Matter movement,” I said, “are there any other movements that you’re passionate about?”

“I’m very passionate about Black Lives Matter of course. I think we need to be more informed as voters. I don’t know if there’s a hashtag for that rolling around, but basically I say do your research and vote! I think I always identify as a feminist. I think that word has become real deceitful though because that has so many waves and versions of it. None of which that are wrong. I always get excited because February is Black History Month and March is Women’s History Month. It’s great! I feel like I get two months in a row. It’s a lot easier though to unify 13% of the United States population, than it is half of the United States under one umbrella."

She went on to explain her position further, “All Black people- whether you’re a CEO or a single mom of three kids- we all feel that we need better representation and this and that. Not that I’m a spokesperson of the Black community- but we’re all sort-of on the same page with how we need better representation in the media. When it comes to women though- there’s so many more of us! I’m all about the feminist movement! I’m for a more hopeful feminism though. I subscribe to Black feminism. Black feminism and White feminism are different. CEO feminism and single-mom feminism are very different. There’s nothing wrong with either, but oftentimes those groups fight among each other and that’s why I feel feminism gets a bad rap. Which is sad because it’s such an important movement. I don’t know a word to describe it but I feel we need to have more discussion within the different branches of feminism. It’s not good that when there’s differences that they bash one another. That’s not okay. Women need to rise up for other women.”

I decided to go on and see what more I could learn about her desire to get into politics. “You said that you’re looking into politics and possibly becoming a governor. What made you decide it was something you wanted to go into?”

“I think that politics is one of the very few forums that we have which we can have these kinds of discussions in a way we can legislate them. You can have all the hashtags you want on tumblr, and that’s not going to do very much unless you start enacting the legislature and getting it into the community. That’s not going to happen unless we look at statistics and crunch data and do all the nerdy stuff. Hashtags are almost useless to that kind of thing. While I’m all about what you can do with social media and getting all the people from around to follow the movement, you have to get boots on the ground. That’s why I picked up this major in economics. That’s why I want to get into politics.”

Laughing, she said, “Plus, power-suits are cool! I want to spend the rest of my life wearing power-suits!”

We talked for a few more minutes about various issues and ideas. However, we soon drew the interview to a close. Savannah had a rap battle that she wanted to see, and I had my own errands I had to run.

I thanked her for sitting down with me and allowing me to interview her, and reassured her that that were some great stuff for me to work with.

I can honestly say that Savannah is a pretty impressive individual of I.U.P. She not only has sass, but she is knowledgeable and she knows how to stand up for what she believes in. As I’m writing this, I won’t deny that I admire her spirit and her drive. Wherever life decides to take Savannah, I hope that same passion continues to burn within her. Passion, commitment and knowledge are something that this world could definitely use. Whether the reader may agree with her statements or not, we have to give her that at least.

Unfortunately, we have reached the end of this piece. I did have a lot of fun writing it though. As always, be sure to keep checking back because there’s still more stories to learn, and more faces to shed some light on here at I.U.P.

Until next time, catch you all later! 

Khalil Edwards

"I think in terms of humanity and the universe. I feel like humanity likes to manipulate things and make them smaller- so it mainly deals more culturally-wise. Universally-wise we’re all equal. We all have the same emotions. That’s what resonates with me the most. At the end of the day we’re all the same. You can’t dispute that in my opinion. We’re all the same, and I feel that gets so diluted, and so twisted. Some people may say that that is over there, it’s their problem. What’s that to do with me? Yet in the end we all share and deserve the same day and the same time. There’s a beauty in that and it needs to be recognized more. If we realized that we’re all one person, one people- life would be so much simpler.”

-Khalil Edwards, Junior, Communications Major

I had actually first encountered the subject of this interview on the Friday of IUPatties weekend. He and I were both at the Artists Hand Gallery and Espresso Bar attending the same event. That event being- Lit Night. A segment of time where people with a passion for literature and poetry and writing all gather to share their love for the written word. Not only do you happen to witness people read lyrics, stanzas or words from stories that they admire- but also you’ll also find brave souls willing to share their original work. The subject of this interview was one such person. He astounded me with his ability to command the written word. The words flowing deceptively like a river, but then all of a sudden smashing you with emotion as if it were a tidal wave striking the shores of a beach.

After the event was finished, I managed to catch up with him and ask if I could interview him at a later date. Kindly he agreed. After exchanging names and numbers, we set up a date and time for us to sit down and talk. The following interview is a result of that time when we sat down at the 

Crimson Café on the 27^th of March.

Of course, as I normally do I started off by asking some basic questions.

“What is your name?” I asked him.

“Khailil Edwards,” he told me.

“Kahleel?” I asked, uncertain if I was pronouncing it correctly. “Is that how you pronounce it? I’ve been pronouncing it like that whenever I mention it.”

“Kuh-lil,” he corrected me in a kind tone. When I apologized- a reassuring smile crossed his face as he laughed, “Don’t worry about it though. Honestly, I’ve had my name mispronounced so many times that I forget how to pronounce it.”

I laughed too, as I moved on to my next question. “What is your major?”

“I’m a Comm Media (Communications) major.”

As a Communications major myself, I was ecstatic to find that I was interviewing a fellow major. I managed to keep my excitement down a few notches though as I went on to my next 

question, “What year are you?”

“I’m a junior,” he told me.

“Cool,” I said. “Where are you from?”

“I’m from Philadelphia, PA.”

I drew a mind-blank right around that moment, and couldn’t remember what question I was going to ask him. (We were doing this interview immediately after my Math class, which I won’t deny- not my strong suit. After each class my brain is still muddled from all the operations and calculations. Which in turn kind of inhibits on my ability to communicate. Don’t ask me why, it’s just happens. ) Khalil helped me out though by asking, “Do you want to know what my hobbies and interests are?”

It was the same question I was looking to ask him before my mind blanked. “Yes! Thank you! That’s what I needed!”

Khailil wasted no time in diving into his answer. “I’m very interested in expression. I like videography. That’s partially what I want to do after I graduate. I like a variety of things. It’s funny- I can do a thing like Literature Night- but I can also go out to parties and have a good time. I feel like I’m very diverse in what I like to do. I feel like that’s why I’m kind of a loner. I don’t have one specific group, and I’m a multitude of things.”

I smiled and nodded in understanding. I then went on and asked him, “How you decide to come to I.U.P.?”

“It’s actually a funny story. I was supposed to go to a different school but it didn’t pan out. So I was just at home since I had taken a semester off. I had time to think about what I wanted to do with the rest of my life and see how everything goes. I had a friend who went here- his name was Eugene. At the time we weren’t as close- we were friends but we didn’t hang out as much. He told me that I.U.P. was a good school and you should come here. I figured- why not? I didn’t even visit or anything- I just took a leap of faith. Let’ just try something new with my life. It turned out it was one of the smartest things I’ve done in my life. Eugene and I are also now best friends; and I’ve learned so much. Not just about me- but also my friends and people in my life and how the world acts- well- how I think the world acts.”

“So you said that you took a semester off, were you uncertain whether you wanted to go to school or not?” I asked him, my curiosity afire, burning to find out more about this aspect of his story.

“I knew that I wanted to school. I just didn’t know what I wanted to do. I was in a limbo after I graduated from high school. I didn’t want to just jump out and pick something to with the rest of my life and be unhappy. I’d rather be happy with myself and have a nickel, rather than hate myself and have a million dollars. It was a personal choice to me- being happy and trying to find myself.”

"How did you decide on Communications?” I asked him.

“First I was an English major because for me it was about expression. I’m more of a human literature kind of guy and I like the humanities. I just really like the New Age- where everything is digital. I feel that people don’t really read books. Many of them just watch TV or movie or stuff like that. I feel in my past life I could have been a poet or writer. I feel like digital media is the way that this generation chooses to express themselves. In the end that’s the avenue I chose to take.”

“So you said you’re a poet and a writer, is there a particular pattern which you tend to write in?”

“I just write as I feel inspired to. When something comes to mind I just write it. I try and keep an infinity to that. It’s less structured. I’m not very big on structure- that’s just the type of person that I am. I just write whatever is coming out at the time. I write on impulse because I feel that is the realest reaction you can get.”

“Was there an age where you really started to write poems and stories and it was something that you were into?”

He thought for a few moments, his facial features taking on a deep pondering expression- like a miner looking for precious stones. “I don’t think there was an exact time. I just noticed that when it to English and writing and poems that the teachers would normally praise me higher than other kids. They told me I had a way of wording things. I try to emulate great writers like Thomas Jefferson. Great writers have a way of compelling people and I always wanted to emulate that.”

“What do you usually like to write?” I asked him.

“Poems are usually the way I like to go,” he told me. “I do like screenwriting but I’m not too big into it right now because I’ve been so busy. Screenwriting is definitely for me though. That and poems- I’d say that fiction for the most part.”

“Is there a common theme that runs through your works? Is there something that you’re very passionate writing about?”

“I wouldn’t say so, but most of what I write about has a connection to me. There was a screenwriter over in China whom I admire. He brought to light a lot of different situations like how people with AIDS are treated there and also about the poor working conditions. With the kind of environment I’m from- light doesn’t get shed on too awful much on those kinds of issues. Things tend to be overlooked. I often feel compelled to write about him. I tend to write poetry a lot. If the moment strikes me and I’m emotionally compelled to do it- then I will.”

“You mentioned the guy from China who shed some light on some controversial issues. Are there any similar issues here in America you like to shed some light on in your works?”

“I think in terms of humanity and the universe. I feel like humanity likes to manipulate things and make them smaller- so it mainly deals more culturally-wise. Universally-wise we’re all equal. We all have the same emotions. That’s what resonates with me the most. At the end of the day we’re all the same. You can’t dispute that in my opinion. We’re all the same, and I feel that gets so diluted, and so twisted. Some people may say that that is over there, it’s their problem. What’s that to do with me? Yet in the end we all share and deserve the same day and the same time. There’s a beauty in that and it needs to be recognized more. If we realized that we’re all one person, one people- life would be so much simpler.”

“Would you say that instances happening now- such as Ferguson- are instances where we need to come together and discuss?”

“Definitely,” he said in a voice strong in conviction. “I feel that first and foremost people need to learn and understand. I feel that people need to understand where different viewpoints are coming from, as scholars and human beings. We have the right to figure out what is the underlying problem. We need to ask why there’s a problem. We need to ask why a group is upset that this kind of thing is happening. This isn’t just a Black or White issue. This is a worldwide issue that is happening with all sorts of different cultures. Once you ask those questions and try to find the answers- it becomes more tolerable. You actually appreciate what people went and are going through. It’s when people don’t care to try that we get people who don’t know what they’re talking about.”

I then went on and asked him, “There’s a lot of confusion as to what kinds of factors are playing in Ferguson. One of those factors includes what is called white privilege and how to definite it and even if it exists at all. Do you think that white privilege is something that only white people don’t understand or is it something that people from all groups don’t get?”

“Yes. I feel that sometimes even Black people don’t understand what is going at times either. I feel that when it comes to discrimination- it doesn’t matter what your creed, color, race or ethnicity. It has to deal with the understanding of the individual. Some groups will tell you that white privilege isn’t a thing. I believe that it is. Let me tell you this- if I’m walking down the street with a hoodie on and there’s a white guy walking down the street with one on- then there’s a higher chance you’ll actually get to walk across the street. That to me is privilege. It’s based on initial prejudice. Prejudice is something you can’t escape, it’s been drilled into us since we were children subconsciously. You can’t say that you’re not prejudiced- if you do I will call you a liar.”

“What do you think when people say that prejudice and discrimination aren’t their problem and that it has nothing to do with them?”

“I feel that those people are ignorant,” he told me without skipping a beat. “If you say it’s not your problem, then you’re a part of the problem. Let’s just bring up another notion- the notion of global warming. You can say that it’s not your problem. That it doesn’t affect me. It may not now- but two hundred years from now it could. You saying that it’s not your problem is contributing to the issue. It’s like putting off your homework until the last minute. It doesn’t make things better, and definitely doesn’t help the community. As members of the community we have a social responsibility to contribute. So when you say that it’s not your problem, then you’re part of it.”

“Is the fact that we’re all in this together a theme that you hope people take away from your work?” I asked Khalil.

“Well, I don’t think I’m that good of a writer,” he told me. “Honestly I don’t feel that I’m that good where I may compel people to make a change. If somebody does I’ll be really proud. I just do it as a means of expression and take some weight off my chest. But I’d be elated if they did. I don’t know if it has that power though. I’m not that driven to change people though because people need to do that themselves. If it contributes though and plants a seed- that’s more than a job well-done.”

“You said that you share poems. Where do you tend to go?”

“Lit Night at the Artists Hand is where I normally tend to go. Sometimes I get nervous showing my work in different settings because it’s intimate, since it comes from my heart. So I usually like to share my poems with A.J., with my friends, people whom I’m secure with. I’m more pragmatic and I think logically. So when I do stuff like this it’s all emotion.”

(As a side note to the reader. A.J. is actually a reference to one of the English department professors- Professor Schmitz. Funnily enough I now have the same professor for my English class.) 

I was curious how he had first been drawn to the Artists Hand. “How did you first start reading at the Lit Nights?”

“It was all A.J.,” Khalil told me. “He was my professor and he was methodical with it and the way he taught- it definitely opened up my mind. He’s so theatrical. He had it set up where his students who went and read at the Lit Nights would get extra credit. So I originally went for the extra credit more than anything. I felt very comfortable, it was a very changing event.”

“When did you first have him?” I asked.

“I had him in the fall and we’ve been in contact since. We send each other e-mails back and forth still. When we meet up we just have natural conversations. He’s definitely been one of the professors who had the most impact.”

“How did he impact you?”

“When he teaches, you can tell he’s passionate about it. It’s not just about getting paid for him. It’s not just a course he does to just fill out for his doctorate program. He’s doing it out of the sincerity of his messages. He goes deep into it, his lessons aren’t just simple plans. It’s more in-depth, and he definitely tries to reach to the heart. I really appreciate that. Watching him teach is liking watching art in my opinion.”

I decided to move away from one specific class and professor to see if I could see how the university itself impacted him. “How would you say your overall experience at I.U.P. has been?”

“It’s been a very maturing experience. I can still act like a kid at times- but it has definitely helped me become an adult and realize what I want to do with my life. I remember when I was a freshmen this was all new to me. Now looking back on it I see all the new kids coming in as freshmen and I find that to be a very comedic experience.”

“As a junior, what is your advice to freshmen students coming in?” I asked him.

“Just remember why you’re here,” Khailil sincerely said. “Take your time and learn stuff. Do what makes you happy.”

The point he made about doing what makes one happy brought to mind another question. “You said you’re a Comm Media student. What do you plan on doing with your degree once you get it?”

“I’m hoping I can get into videography and do it at the top professional level. After I graduate- I’ll probably take some time off and save some money. I want to move out to L.A. and try to make a future for myself. I’m not too concerned about making it big. I’m more concerned about being happy and making myself proud. I think that’s why indie films are more for me.”

I was curious as to how he as a writer would respond to critics who claimed that cinematography and writing weren’t the same thing. I asked him, “Some people say that writing and telling stories have nothing to do with videography, what you say to that?”

“I think it all depends on content,” he told me as he cleared his throat. “A poem can inspire a video. People like Edgar Allen Poe or Ernest Hemingway can inspire people in media. I’ve had inspiration for videos by reading. A story can translate in multiple ways. It’s about content. I think if you say that you can’t translate a story that you need to focus on content. A video is nothing but a story- it’s showing you audio and visual material. It doesn’t just have to be words on paper.”

“Would you say that the one thing that you want to do in life is storytelling?” I asked him.

“Definitely,” he told me without even a pause. “That’s definitely what it is! Everything has a narrative. My experience in life is different from yours. It’s all about collision. Everything in your life has added up to this moment, and everything in my life has added up to this moment. Now we’re coming together and colliding with our own ideologies and ideals. You have a different narrative than I do, and they have a different narrative than we. That’s what geeks me out the most about life. That’s what it’s all about at the end of the day.”

I will say that I was disappointed that I had to pull away from the interview- but alas I had another matter to attend to. I thanked Khalil for letting me interview him.

“Not a problem, man,” he told me as we packed up our stuff and we shook hands. “I hope you have some good stuff there.”

“Oh, I do,” I told him with a smile. I then said farewell to him, promising I’d let him know when the story was up.

I just wanted to say that I’m very grateful that Khalil was willing to meet up with me so I had a chance to interview him. When I listened to his work- I was moved by his courage and his willingness to discuss matters that are very close to his heart in not only his poems, but also in our interview. I’ll be honest- I was completely honored that he was willing to sit down with him and talk. I’m actually hoping that he feels that this interview is doing him justice.

Unfortunately I’m going to have to wrap this post up. Before I do, I would like to thank my readers and the time they take to read the posts. I also want to thank all the followers of this blog on Facebook and Instagram. All of your support is much appreciated.

There are still many stories to tell. Be sure to keep checking back for more. If you have any feedback, positive or negative- it’s much appreciated. Don’t be afraid to let me know. Until next time, catch you all later!

Jeremy Vincent

"I like that the only thing philosophers can really agree on is questions."

-Jeremy Vincent, Sophomore, Philosophy Major

With IUPatties being this past weekend, I really wasn’t expecting to find anyone willing to talk to me on Sunday morning. Still, I figured it’d be worth a try.  If anything it would at least give me a chance to get out of my dorm. I walked across campus looking for people, but the numbers were rather thin. However I will admit that I was pleasantly surprised to see that there were actually some people out and about. Not many- but it wasn’t as dead as I was expecting. I was astonished to see that there were even people walking and standing in the middle of the Oak Grove. Despite the decent turn-out of individuals, one could tell that many of them had places to go and people to see.

That was until I saw the subject of this interview from where I was standing in the Oak Grove. I was just standing beside stairs near Clark Hall, and he was sitting on a bench by himself in front of the library- looking out across it- still as a statue. He wouldn’t have really stood out to me had he been moving- but out of everyone in the area at that time- he was the only one who seemed staying in one place.

Figuring I might as well chance it, I made my way up the library steps and then asked him if I could interview him.

“Sure,” he smiled, and even made some room on the bench so I could sit down next to him. The two of us were both looking out towards the Oak Grove as we began talking.

“What is your name?” I asked him.

“My name is Jeremy Vincent.”

“What is your major?”

“My major is Philosophy.”

“What year are you?”

“I think with how many credits that I have that I am a sophomore. I went to school in Florida for a little bit. I don’t think any of them were really consecutive semesters. I also did some AP classes and got AP credits. It’s my first semester here at I.U.P.”

“Oh cool!” I congratulated him. “Where are you from?”

“I’m from Blairsville, it’s like twenty minutes south of here. It’s a small-town- but it’s all right.”

He didn’t say any more about it. I didn’t push either. I was willing to listen to whatever it was he wished to tell me. So instead I went on and asked him, “So you said that this is your first semester at I.U.P. Where did you go to college before you came here?”

“It changed its name since I’ve been there. Originally it was Edison Community College. When I went to it, it was called Edison State College. Now it’s called like Florida Southwest College or something like that. I feel like that the college is trying to be a university. They started off as a community college and then they were given recognition by the state.”

He shrugged his shoulders and said, “Eh. They’ll get there one day.”

“Where is Edison?”

“It’s in Fort Myers, Florida.”

“Why did you decide to first go to college in Florida?” I asked him.

“Well the story is that I went to high school in Blairsville- I went there my whole life. Then I wasn’t going to college, I tried working the restaurant job that I had. I knew then that it wasn’t going anywhere quick. I moved to Florida and lived with my grandparents- they retired down there. I did some college down there, lived down there. I did some jobs and took some classes there. I was there for about three-and-a-half years. I came back, and I worked at Romeos for a while. Then I finally got into the University here.”

“Why did you decide to come to I.U.P.?” I asked him.

He laughed as he explained. “I was living in the area, and it was close. The way I look at it is- what else can I do in this town? I like it here, it’s pretty cool.”

I wanted to see if I could go deeper into this story. “Why did you decide to go and live with your grandparents in Florida?”

“I had problems,” he told me. “Essentially it was running away from my problems.”

From the way he responded I could tell that he didn’t want to go too much into what those problems were. As curious as I was at finding out what they were- I decided not to push. Among the many things I’ve learned in life is that everyone is entitled to their secrets- and don’t always have to reveal what makes them most vulnerable save those they feel comfortable with.

So instead I listened as he went on and told me, “I realized though that you can’t run away from your problems. You have to solve them. Which is what I did. It was a good experience though for the most part.”

“Well, I’m glad you solved them,” I told him sincerely. I decided that I would try to learn about other aspects to his story. “So why did you decide to become a Philosophy major?”

“You think deeply about things. I had some trouble making some decisions on it. I had it narrowed down- and I was just looking into it. Philosophy had a lot of liberal arts studies requirements- that meant lots of electives. That meant I had more ability to choose my own classes essentially. I figured that that was cool. Besides, I could always change it.”

“How did you get to that point where you said Philosophy was where you wanted to go?”

“Originally I had chosen music. But I was too intimidated. My music studies were deficient. I never had official experience. So I was intimidated. I guess I could have gone with it. I think it was not so much making the decision as finding what was for me. I mean I thought about Psychology and Philosophy- both of them are general. Philosophy was just even more general. I like that the only thing philosophers can really agree on is questions.”

To my surprise, he then went and asked me, “What major are you?”

It threw me off. Never before during my experience interviewing for Faces of I.U.P. had anyone really asked me any questions. They were content with answering mine. However I humored him and replied, “I’m a Communications major.”

He laughed. “I see now why you’re doing this blog. This makes more sense.”

I laughed and decided that I should ask another question before he fully turned on the tables on me. 

“Why did you originally want to go into music?”

“I learned guitar when I was fourteen. I liked rock bands- that was a theme of my life for the past ten years. I was playing a lot of music at the time, and writing my own music. It was a pretty good time. Then when it came to actually doing it- it didn’t go as well as I had hoped. I had a few gigs that went well, but others that didn’t.”

He was silent for a few moments before laughing. “I actually haven’t picked up a guitar in a long while. Don’t have the time.”

I laughed. “So you’re sitting out here looking at the Oak Grove, just observing. Do you do it often?”

“I don’t really do it often, but I do like people-watching. It can be especially amusing. It can be mundane at times, but then you witness those moments where people do something out of the ordinary. Makes you wonder why people do what they do.”

“Is that one of the many questions you ask yourself as a philosophy major?”

“Yeah, it’s one of them. I like to ask lots of questions. It sometimes gets me into trouble.”

“How?” I asked him. “Do you get in trouble with anyone?”

“Not really. It’s mainly just getting stuck trying to find an answer. You try and find the answers, but sometimes there’s none.”

“Why were you here by yourself?” I asked him.

“My girlfriend didn’t want to come. She’s doing laundry, and she wanted to stay at the house since she has schoolwork to do.”

Before I could come up with another question, he asked me, “What about you?”

“It’s kind of hard to interview someone when more than one person comes up to them” I told him. “I try not to overwhelm my subjects.”

“Makes you more approachable?” he asked me.

“Yeah,” I said.

“Tell me more about this blog,” he said.

This threw me even further off than the past two questions. I hadn’t realized how quickly he could easily turn the tables. Jokingly I asked him, “Aren’t I the one who’s supposed to be asking the questions?”

He smiled and shrugged. “No reason why it can’t go both ways.”

I nodded. “Fair enough,” I told him again and went on to explain what the blog was about, and what I was going to do with our interview, and again I told him that if there was anything we talked about that he didn’t want mentioned that I wouldn’t.

He nodded in understanding. Then he went on and asked me, “How do you make a blog? I’ve heard of people doing it. I just wouldn’t know how. I don’t have Facebook or any other types of social media. I have heard of a blog though and I think the concept is cool. What does a blog entail?”

“Whatever you want to talk about,” I explained to him. “It’s basically a journal except it’s not written in a book.”

“Are there sites for that?”

“Yep, there’s lots of them.”

“What would a successful blog be?” he asked me.

I shrugged. “However you choose to measure it, I guess.”

“What do you consider successful?”

I recounted my idea of a successful blog to him. Which I have chosen to keep to myself. More to just keep this blog post about Jeremy rather me. When I finished, I asked him, “What do you think makes something successful?”

“I guess it depends on what it is you’re talking about,” Jeremy told me. “I’m actually taking a class right now that tries to answer the question about what makes life a success. It’s called Philosophy and the Good Life. So I’m trying to figure that one out.”

“Is there one thing you’re certain of?”

“That there’s a lot of things that it’s not. Some of them I’ve tried, so I know. To be honest I don’t really have a set idea. Recently in my class we’ve been discussing Confucianism and Daoism. They’re both about being a part of something bigger. Whether that it’s society as a while or just the universe as a whole.”

“Do you often find yourself wondering if you’re a part of something bigger?” I asked him.

Jeremy laughed. “I don’t know. I think that the question in itself is pretty complicated. I wish I really had time to sit down and really ask myself those kinds of questions. Yet I’m always being distracted by my assignments and work.”

“Do you still work at Romeo’s?” I asked him.

“Nah, I quit that last November. I’m a personal care aide now. I’ve had quite a few interesting experiences with that with people I worked with before. I now help an older couple though, and they’re really nice. The job can be demanding at times but it’s rewarding. They’re good people and they need help, and I appreciate the pay. It’s good stuff.”

“What do you plan on doing with your Philosophy degree?”

“I don’t know. You can go up to the Philosophy department and they’ll tell you what you can do with it. I actually just did an interview here myself not too long ago with one of philosophy professors. People do all kinds of things with it, he told me. He also told me that the easiest transition is going into law school. They have the Philosophy Pre-Law track here at I.U.P. You can basically double it with anything. I’m still thinking about what I’m going to do with it. I think way too much and I end up stalling. I would like to think more about it, but right now I’m just focusing on assignments and classes, and trying to make my girlfriend happy.”

He happened to look down at his watch and he looked up at me. “I’m afraid I’m going to have to cut you off man, I have to go in the library and take care of a few things.”

I nodded and told him it wasn’t a problem. 

As we closed off our interview he said to me, “It’s cool what you’re doing, man.”

“Thanks,” I said gratefully. I then thanked him for letting me interview him.

“No problem,” he told me.

Then he caught me completely by surprise by hugging me. For a few moments I was a little dazed- not going to lie. I hadn’t expected it, and I wasn’t sure what I should do. After a few seconds though I embraced him, and we stood like that for a couple of moments. Until finally he pulled away from me. Again I thanked him, and then he made his way towards the library. He turned smiled at me as he approached the door. As he opened it he said to me, “Have a good day, man.”

“You too,” I told him.

With that being said he went into the library. I decided it was time for me to go and run some errands of my own before my Sunday. So I made my way back to my dorm to drop off my equipment, my thoughts lingering on my interview with Jeremy.

While I didn’t get to know much about his past, I did get to know about his present. I know that he’s still asking himself questions about life and where he is going from here, as well as trying to figure out where he fits in this space that we call the universe. I hope someday that wherever he is now, that he will have his chance to figure out where he stands. Though I didn’t get to know about his backstory- I can tell from what I’ve talked to him about that he has had quite a few adventures. As I recounted before in this post, not all journeys are meant to be shared with just anyone. Stories may be meant to be told, but who tells them and when is up to no one else but the person with it.

Unfortunately this post has come to an end. On an upside, if you’re reading this- congrats! You survived IUPatties! You’ll now get to be able to read more about the stories of the Faces of I.U.P. Which is always a great thing since there’s going to be stories to tell for a long while yet.

Be sure to check in next time. Until then, catch you later!

Gabrielle Reed

On Wednesday afternoon I was in the Oak Grove, and having come out of the library and with some extra time on my hands- I decided to see if I could find someone to interview for the Faces of I.U.P blog. There were many walking through it and thanks to the warm weather it felt as though campus were alive once more. As I glanced around I could tell many of them were either coming to or getting ready to head to a class. Save for some people standing alongside the edges of the Grove and in front of the library. Since it was I.U.Patties, many organizations on campus were selling t-shirts to raise money. It was in front of Leonard Hall that I happened upon two girls a part of a gender-inclusive fraternity.

“Would either of you be willing to help me with my blog?” I asked.

“Sure,” both of them said. “Which one of us do you want?”

“I’m thinking of a number between one and ten,” I responded. I figured it was fair.

The number I had in my head was seven. The subject of this interview guessed six. That was how it was decided that she would be the subject of my interview. (Much to the relief of her friend, which I only mention because it was actually hilarious.) 

“What is your name?” I asked her.

“My name is Gabrielle Reed.”

“What is your major?”

“I’m an English Literature major with a minor in German.”

“Ooh, why German?” I asked. I didn’t bring it up during our discussion, but German is one of the languages that I’m currently trying to learn along the side of everything else that goes on with my life. (I’m also trying to get back on a healthier diet and exercise plan. We’ll see how it all goes.) I wanted to know why someone would want to go into a language that isn’t frequently spoken.

“When I was in high school, I got placed into a German class even though I wanted to take French. I automatically fell in love with the language. My teacher was amazing. I decided to continue German. I plan on going into Genocide and Holocaust studies so the German really helps.”

“Interesting,” I noted, making sure to pocket that as a possible element to ask more about to go further into her story. However, I decided to get the basics down first. “What year are you”

“I’m a sophomore.”

“Where are you from?”

“I’m from Selinsgrove, Pennsylvania. It’s a really small town close to Central Pennsylvania. Lots of cow. We’re about four hours from Pittsburgh, and four hours from Philadelphia. Yeah, we’re really in the middle of nowhere.”

“It’s okay,” I told her. “I have to tell people that I’m from Scranton because it’s the only city that’s really near me.”

“Oh I’m not too far away from Scranton!” she exclaimed.

“Are you really?” I asked in surprised excitement. “That’s so cool! That’s awesome.” I got really enthusiastic and if I didn’t keep my senses about me, I would have just talked to her about what it’s like living in the Northeastern and Central Pennsylvania area. However, I figured if I did that that’s all this interview would be about. Instead I went on and asked, “So why did you decide to come to I.U.P.?”

“I chose to come to I.U.P. because they have a fantastic English program and I got accepted into the Honors College here. I thought that would be something interesting to do and I like really challenging things. Plus it’s beautiful here.”

“Definitely,” I said. “So why did you decide to join the Honors College?”

“I decided to join for a few reasons. One of which was taking classes that were a little bit different from the typical base classes here at I.U.P. They’re a lot more conversation-based. You do a reading, you discuss it, and you go really in depth behind it. I like how it’s not just a lecture where you get spoken to and then have to repeat back. There’s a lot of critical thinking. I also enjoy the fact that it’s a smaller community because I’m a bit shy and it was easier for me to make friends and have a smaller group pool of people to get to know."

“What activities are you involved in?”

“I’m a part of Sigma Tau Delta, which is an English Honors fraternity. I’m also a part of Toss-and-Turned- which is a student organization. We’re a theater non-for-profit which puts on shows in the spring and every fall. The money we get for it, we donate to a local charity.”

“Do you enjoy Sigma Tau Delta?”

“Yeah. It’s a mixed fraternity and it’s a lot of fun. Everyone is really nice, and if you’re an English major or minor and of sophomore standing with a certain GPA- since it is an Honors fraternity- you’re more than welcome to join. Everyone is really welcoming and it’s nice you have people to talk about what classes you should take and the process of going through your major here.”

“Cool,” I said. I decided it was perhaps time to go deeper into her story. I asked Gabrielle if she was ready- and with her permission- we did. “Can you give me an interesting fact about yourself?”

She thought for a few moments. “I have had training in eleven different styles of dance.”

My mouth dropped. “Eleven different styles of dance!”

She laughed. “Yeah, I started dancing when I was in kindergarten. I just started off with ballet, then jazz, then point. I accumulated different styles such as ballroom and different styles of that; as well as tap. After a while I realized that perhaps I learned a few too many and that I should focus on one or two. That’s when I really focused on ballet. I don’t really dance any more since it doesn’t fit in my schedule. I did take a dance class semester though, I try and fit it in my electives when I can.”

“Why did you decide to become an English major?”

“I love reading, which with my last name it’s kind of hard to not to enjoy it!”

“I get it! I get the pun!” I exclaimed as I burst into laughter.

She laughed as she went on to further explain. “I just love reading. I love taking a text and analyzing it and deconstructing it. I know that a lot of people don’t like to take that deep reading into a text but I love it. I love to take a text apart and look through all the metaphors and the symbols. With that I decided that was the perfect reason to be an English Literature major.”

“Nice,” I said. “So why do you want to go into Genocide and Holocaust studies?”

“When I was in seventh grade we had a unit on the Holocaust. After reading the book Night I was so heartbroken by it but fascinated at the same time because there’s always that thought of how could someone do something like this? So I just kept reading and reading about it. When I found out that with my courses of study I could possibly end up working at the Holocaust Museum Archives and translate documents and find out what happened to people, it seemed like the best way that I could give back to those who lost people and try to help people find out what happened to their family because there’s still a lot of uncertainties behind it.”

“Do you have any personal attachments to the Holocaust? Did you meet anyone or know anyone who went through it?”

“I know several Holocaust survivors actually. A few of them actually came and spoke at my school. I’ve been to the Holocaust Museum many times and spoke to them, plus one of our professors here- her mother is a Holocaust survivor.”

“Really?” I asked in surprise.

“Yes, Dr. Berlin. Her mom survived it. I’ve talked to her about it a couple of times. Her family is of Jewish heritage, but it wasn’t just Jews who suffered from it; it was all minorities and those who didn’t fit into the ‘perfect Aryan race.’”

“I didn’t realize that I.U.P had a course of study for that,” I admitted.

“Well, we have courses of study that involve it. It’ll be more once I go into Grad School that I’ll be able to go into that more.”

“You do plan on going into Grad School?”

“Yes, I want to go into a PhD program here immediately after I get my Bachelors. Most museums will require you have a PhD to work for them. Since I want to go into museum and archive work I think it’d be better to just dive into a PhD program.”

“You said you want to work at the Holocaust Museum. I take it you mean the one in D.C.?”

“Yes. I’ve been there several times. Once for a class trip and a couple of times with my Mom just because I wanted to listen to some speakers that were there.”

“Would you recommend that someone go and hear people- particularly survivors- speak if they have a chance?”

“Yes. Even if you’re not interested in the Holocaust and Genocide Studies, listening to their stories of how they survived are heart-wrenching but inspiring all at the same time. Being able to go in and listen to them is amazing- and every year more and more of them are dying. Every year more and more of them are dying and we need to utilize them as a resource as much as we can.”

“Of course,” I said, “because afterwards there’ll only be documents and documents just don’t have everyone’s story.”

“Yeah,” she agreed. “And with some documentation you have memoirs. But much of the documentation it’s just cold, hard facts. We don’t learn of the personal experiences of them.”

“Could you see yourself traveling across the country or even the globe to advocate for these kinds of programs?”

“Definitely. I think it’s really important that the world knows about it so that it can see other signs of genocide so that it can stop it from happening before it gets to be just as the Holocaust- like it almost did in the Armenian and other Genocide. We said that the Holocaust would be the last, but they continue. A lot of it has been us been turning a blind eye and ignoring the signs of what is up and coming. We need to make it a priority to us.”

“So you definitely think that this isn’t something that we can just leave in the past. It’s something we need to address even today.”

“Yes, as we’ve learned from history the past will repeat itself unless we stop it from doing so. We need to learn about it in order to stop them from happening, especially those kinds of horrible events.”

I glanced at my watch and realized that it wouldn’t be long before I would have to get to my class. I decided to ask a couple of more questions. “So as an English Lit Major, do you have a favorite book?”

“My favorite book is Beloved by Tony Morrison. It’s an odd read but it’s got so much symbolism in it, it’s such a deep and rich book and I love it.”

“What’s it about?” I asked her. I had never heard of the book before.

“It’s about a mother and her child that are living in a town. The mother was a slave- and she’s trying to raise her child- but there’s a ghost of another child that she had to kill in order to keep herself from going back into slavery. All of a sudden a woman named Beloved comes to her- and she’s the same age that the child would have been had been still alive. It talks about how this ghost is acting like a child and yet is draining the energy of the household; and how they try to get rid of this entity. It’s very symbolic. It’s not commonly read but it’s very good.”

“Was there a book that you were assigned to read, but you absolutely loved it anyway?”

“Catch 22. It’s about a man who is flying planes during World War II, but he wants to get out of it because he doesn’t want to die. He can’t be released though because he has to be sated, he’s insane because he doesn’t want to go home- he wants to stay. He also keeps having flashbacks of other people’s deaths that he’s witnessed and that he doesn’t want to remember.”

“Just one last thing, what are the t-shirts being sold for?”

“We’re selling the t-shirts to try and raise money to send our fraternity’s officers to a conference in Sigma Tau Delta in Albuquerque, New Mexico. They’re going to meet up with the rest of the officers of the Sigma Tau Delta chapters in the country; and the money is to help alleviate the cost for the officers who would otherwise have to pay entirely for themselves to go.”

I thanked Gabrielle for taking time from selling the shirts and letting me interview her. I will admit that I did purchase one of their shirts. I will admit to the fact that I was going to buy one of their shirts anyway, but as I said- I wanted to see if I could get an interview in.

I would like it to be known that that I as the runner of the Faces of I.U.P. blog don’t support one organization over another. As mentioned before- I just interview people who are willing to let me interview them.

Thanks very much for reading. Two things before this post comes to an end. Firstly, I want to thank my audiences who continue to come back. It truly means a lot. When I asked if they wanted to be interviewed- they both told me that they had heard of my blog. It's great to see that this blog is getting recognition- and none of that would be without you guys. So please, be sure to keep spreading the word around. Tell your friends, tell the people who live in your apartment or on your floor. Even tell your family if you want. This blog would be nothing without you guys.

One last thing. I.U.Patties is still going on, and while it’s great to have an awesome time, I would like to ask everyone to be safe.

Be sure to check back in next time as I try to get to know the stories behind more faces of I.U.P.
Until next time, catch you all later.

Taylor Weitzel

I encountered the subject of this interview with no intention at first to include her in this blog. I was given an English assignment to interview random strangers and see why a particular place was important to them; and why they were there at that particular moment. I decided to go off-campus, since it’d give me a chance to actually go into the town of Indiana.

With one of my friends tagging along, I walked over to one of my favorite places off-campus. If you don’t already know, there’s a nice little coffee shop on Philadelphia Street known as the Artists Hand Gallery and Espresso Bar. Not only is it a place for coffee hounds such as myself- but also a place where one can see and even purchase artwork made by local artists in the area- including paintings, pottery, photographs, among others.

I walked over to the shop and ordered an Irish Crème Latte. As the one barista prepared it, I asked if any of them would be willing to sit down with me so I could interview them for my project. The subject of this interview kindly agreed.

Once we had taken our seats at one of the tables, I asked her:

“What is your name?”

“Taylor Weitzel,” she told me. “I came to town as a college student until last semester. I decided to take some time off after I got offered full-time hours here. I’m trying to figure out where I’m going from here.”

Not even a few seconds in and my curiosity had already been snared. “What year are you at?”

“I am a sophomore. I’m a non-traditional student in that I decided to wait a couple of years before going to school. I do plan on finishing even though I’m taking a break for now.”

“When did you start school?”

“I had just turned twenty when I started coming to school.”

“Why did you decide to wait?”

“I didn't really know exactly what I was going to school for,” Taylor told me. “I thought it was absolutely ridiculous to take out loans for housing if I didn't know exactly what I was going to do. So 

I traveled and even followed some bands around. I did my own thing and saw how the real world works, and try to find myself.”

“Did you know what major you wanted to go into when you did decide to go to school?”

“Yes. When I sat down and thought about it, I remembered my favorite and the easiest subject for me was Spanish. I had really bad teachers when I was in high school. I love learning, but I hated school. I wanted to be that kind of teacher who could inspire a student like me to go on to college. I realized learning is really important, so I thought education would be the perfect route for me.”

“Why did you decide on I.U.P.?”

“It was only half-hour from my house. I had been accepted here when I had applied when I was in high school. I figured I could get in pretty easily. All of my friends also went here, so I thought it’d be a pretty easy transition for my first couple years in my college education.”

After touching base with her, I decided to ask her about her relationship with her work. “How did you start working here at the Artists Hand?”

“I was working a crappy retail job and I had to go home every weekend. I was extremely unhappy, I decided I needed a job here in Indiana so I could work more often. I went up and down Philly Street to look for something I would like. This place stuck out to me, and I came in to fill out the application. It was very cool. I was asked what type of coffee I liked and to draw a self-portrait. I thought that extremely interesting. Once I came in this place- I didn't care if I got a call-back from any place else. Luckily enough, they did need someone when I came in, and they gave me the job.”

“Nice,” I complimented. “Were you a frequent customer to the Artist Hand before you applied?”

“I was not actually! The first time I came in was when I put in my application.” She chuckled as she continued. “I wasted a year at getting really crappy coffee at Java City and doing work in the library when I could have been here. If I didn't work here, and did know about it, I’d be here all the time. It’s an amazing space. I don’t say that just because they pay my paychecks!”

“You said you fell in love with the cafe, what made you fall in love with it?”

“I think at first the staff for sure. I have the greatest bosses on the planet and two incredible fellow baristas. I felt super-welcomed here. I had no idea what I was doing, and they didn't judge me and they weren’t rude at all. They just showed me the way and let me go. After two weeks of training they let me work alone and that really helped. Then obviously I’m surrounded by art and incredible thoughtful people. It was such a change from selling shoes and working with awful people. The clientele here are incredible. Also, what made me fall in love with it was I get to make coffee but I can hang and sell artwork and pot plants. No crazy day is the same and I really like that. It definitely fits with my personality.”

“Would you say that this place would hold a place in your heart?”

“Oh yeah! Absolutely. It definitely changed my life and the course of my life. I hope to be here as long as I can and I hope I can contribute as much as I can. I really don’t see a life outside of coffee now. I hope to be involved with coffee for a very long time.”

“Do you plan on going away from Indiana in the future?” I asked her.

“Yes. I don’t plan on being here forever. This is a great stepping stone, but I will not be in Indiana for the rest of my life. I can say that with almost certainty. This place though will always be extremely special for me.”

“When you do leave Indiana, do you still plan on working at coffee shops in the future?”

“Yeah, I do,” Taylor told me. “I will probably have to work a part-time job until I graduate. That won’t be for a while. My first pick would be as a barista. Hopefully it’ll be at a small community one rather than a Starbucks. These places give a lot to the community, I’m very proud of that aspect. It’s nice here. Until I got this job I never had one where I wasn't upset to wake up, and one where I wasn't bored. The time goes by here. I’m extremely lucky.”

“Even now?” I asked as I glanced around us. Aside for the other barista and one of my friends who came along with me, there wasn't anyone else. “This place is very slow now.”

“It tends to be in the mid-day,” she informed me. “Our mornings are usually pretty busy, and it usually also depends on our specials. Every day is different, but luckily there’s always something to do. Stock things, clean things, work on stuff in the gallery. There’s always something to do, it’s never super-boring even if it’s a little slower.”

“Just yesterday the Artists Hand just tried out some Monday hours,” I said. I then recounted to her that I had come in during them that day. “Did you work at any of those?”

“I didn't,” she told me. “I might be brought on for Mondays if it does become a frequent thing. I pretty much close the shop every single day. I am here a lot. I’m not totally sure if I’ll be brought on for Mondays- it might be a half-day thing. I’m always open to be here more.”

“If you guys were to hire and someone were to try and apply here, what would they have to do?” I asked her.

“Filling out the application is important. We want to see how much you enjoy coffee itself. We also want to see if you can manage the fact that this not just an art gallery or it’s not just an art gallery because there is so much more to this place. I would say that artistic talent isn't required at all. Being able to appreciate that and talk about that is though. We’re also like a family here and you just got to be able to mesh with us. If you’re really nice, honest, and hardworking and responsible and maybe a little cooky then yeah, you definitely have a place here.”

I realized that our interview was going for ten minutes, and decided that I probably had enough for my project. Plus I didn't want to take up any more of her time and distract her from her work. I drew our interview to a close and thanked her for letting me interview her. After some discussion about the picture, we decided she should stand behind the bar.

It was after taking her picture that it occurred me that I could possibly use her interview for not only my English project but also for Faces of I.U.P.

 “Would you care to let me use your picture and interview for my blog as well?” I asked her and then went on to explain that I was also the one who operated the Faces of I.U.P. blog.

“Oh sure!” she told me, her smile lighting up the bar. “By all means feel free!”

I thanked her again, and my friend and I left.

I would like to take this time now to thank Taylor again for letting me to not only interview her for my project- but also allowing me to use her interview and image for this blog. Her kindness is much appreciated. While I will probably be seeing her every now and then whenever I go in to the shop- I do want to wish her the best of luck as she pursues her passions- wherever life may take her.

I would like to apologize if this is shorter than you like, but be rest assured. Like I previously mentioned in the beginning, I hadn't intended on this to be a part of the Faces of I.U.P. blog. 

However, there are still plenty of faces to meet and get to know here at I.U.P. and in the community outside of it. As always, be sure to check back because there will always be more stories to unveil. Wherever you are and wherever you may be- stay safe and enjoy life. Like Taylor, don’t be afraid to explore and discover new things whether it be about yourself or the world around you. 

Nicola Cohen

I encountered the subject of this interview while she was working at the front desk of Ruddock Hall (located on the first floor). While she at first seemed uncertain about whether she wanted to be interviewed, she agreed.

"Are you sure?" I asked. "You really don't have to." 

 “I don’t mind,” she told me and smiled.

 Taking that as a final reassurance, I began conducting the interview:

 “What is your name?” I asked her.

“Nicola Cohen,” she responded.

“What year are you?”

“I’m a junior.”

“Where are you from?”

“I’m from all over the place.” She didn't go into specifics, and I didn't immediately ask despite the urge that practically killed me to hold back. I figured that as the interview progressed the opportunity would come up.

“What is your major?”

“I’m an English major with a concentration in Writing Studies,” she proudly told me.

I was super-excited. This was the first time I had gotten to interview someone who wasn't in some form medical field. However, I managed to keep myself calm and continued asking some questions to make sure she was comfortable talking with me. “Do you have any hobbies or interests?”

“I enjoy working on a TV show,” she told me. With a laugh she also added, “I also like eating.” We both broke out in light laughter which lasted a few seconds before she went on to explain. “I have a lot of hobbies and interests. I just don’t quite know how to describe them all.”

“What TV show do you work for?” I asked her. Being a Communications major, I happened to also work on a TV show here on campus. Since I didn't recall seeing her face among the crew of the show I take part in. I was curious to find out what show she was a crew member of.

“I’m a member of the I.U.P-TV station,” she explained to me. “I work on Sketchophrenia. It’s really funny. It’s a sketch comedy show.”

I laughed. “Oh, I've heard about you guys.” Sketchophrenia is one of the longest running TV shows on the I.U.P-TV network, and one of the longest running comedy shows.

“Yeah,” she laughed.

“Since you like food, do you have a favorite?” I asked her.

“It’s funny you should ask, because I’m writing a paper about pûtin.  It’s a French-Canadian cuisine. Since I used to live there, I would eat it a lot. I would definitely say that it’s one of my favorites.”

“What is pûtin?” While I had taken French in high school I didn't quite know what the dish she was talking about consisted of.

“It’s made of french fries, gravy and cod-cheese,” Nicola explained to me.

While we were on the topic of Canada, I decided to see if I could learn more about her past. “So you lived in Canada?”

“I used to live there. I lived in Ontario. My family was from there.”

“What was it like living in Canada?”

“It’s kind of different to America, but at the same time there’s not much of a big cultural difference.”

She had mentioned previously she was from many places. I wanted to see if I could hit a more specific mark. I pictured my question was a dart and that the answer to my question was the bulls-eye on the board. “So where are you from exactly?”

“I’m from all over. There’s no specific location.”

If my question had been an actual dart, and her answer was a possible outcome on a board, I’m not sure where on the board that dart would have landed. I feel like it might have been outermost ring- but I suppose that’s up for debate. An argument could also be made that I got a bulls-eye, since she was from so many places- it didn't really matter if I had an exact location pegged. That aside though, I figured I should try another question. “What are all the places that you lived?”

Little did I realize just how long the list would be until after she had finished. “I've lived in New York, Pennsylvania of course, New Jersey, Georgia, Jamaica, and Canada.”

My mouth dropped. “My god! You've lived in more places than I've ever visited,” I said to her. (This by the way is truth and not an exaggeration.)

I decided to move on to a different question. “Why did you decide to come to I.U.P.?” I asked.

“Mainly cost,” she told me. “I actually wanted to go to college in Canada. I didn't apply for my citizenship though, so I wasn't able. Looking back on it now, it was foolish of me- and I should have done that- but I guess it’s for the best.”

“Is it cheaper to go to school in Canada?” I asked her.

“It’s definitely a lot cheaper. In Canada they actually work with you. Here in America they pile loans on you and then you’re basically stuck here. In other countries they work with you and they want you to succeed. In America they basically force you to go to school and make you pay back the money you borrow and then you’re stuck trying to find a job that’s really hard to get into.”

“So speaking of jobs,” I said, “You currently work as an Office Manager. How did you first get involved as an office worker?”

“Well in my freshman year the person who was hiring- the A.R.D. at the time- sent out an e-mail saying that they were looking to fill one more position in the office this semester and then two more in the next. I was one of the first people to apply and I got a call for the interview. I didn't get it in my first semester- but the next one they called me back and told me I had a job. I've had this job since my freshman year.”

“Do you like your hours?”

“I actually schedule the workers here. It all depends on availability and class time. I try working with people but sometimes people have really weird shifts. Some people also have priorities too, but I try to be fair. I’m technically the one in charge here but I also do answer to a boss. I report to the A.R.D when there’s problems in the office however I don’t have a say in hiring or firing.”

“Do you have any fond memories involving your work here?” I asked.

“The Student Leadership Banquet,” she said. “In Housing we have R.H.C committees. At the end of the year every committee forms a C.O.Y- Community of the Year. It’s very overwhelming because everyone involved- C.A.’s and A.R.Ds- get nominated to win awards for C.O.Y. It’s so nerve-wracking. I haven’t won yet in the two years since I've been involved but I've gotten certificates for things we've done and whatnot. Plus the food is really good!”

While she may not have won, I was still pretty impressed. I decided to move away from her work experience and find out more about her story. “You said that you’re an English major with a concentration in Writing Studies. Why did you choose that?”

“Well I changed my major five times,” she informed me. I raised my eyebrows in surprise as she explained. “My original intent was English Film Studies since I've had a passion for television since I was in fifth grade. However I got a taste of it when I was in college and I realized that I didn't like it. I realized I’m more of an observer- and I like watching films. I realized I liked films and I didn't really like television as a career. I changed it to Undecided Communications, and then I changed it to Political Science. That was a bad idea because that was when Obama and Romney were running against each other. I was pushed into doing campus activities like getting people to register to vote. I then changed my major to English. I asked myself what my weakness was and I realized I wasn't good at communicating and writing- so I chose English. I figured that I should improve myself in that area. I’m good at public speaking now, and my writing skills are better. If I had a choice I would switch it again- but I've come so far and I’m working in a field that I want to go into.”

“What do you plan on doing with your degree once you get it?” I asked.

“I want to go into marketing for like music and film festivals. I see myself managing and organizing. I’m still passionate about film- but I want to have a steady job and hopefully be able to travel.”

“You've been to many places, is there any place you haven’t been that you’d like to go?”

“I’m planning on going to China this summer!” she told me excitedly. “I've been to Europe but I would love to go back. I really like the Mediterranean. I want to live in Portugal or Ireland for a couple of years.”

“Do you speak Chinese?” I asked her, going off on that fact.

“Yeah, it’s my minor! I’m okay in it, but I’m not a pro. That’s why I’m going to China itself.”

I nodded, and then decided to change the subject. I was curious about her past with other majors. I randomly chose the Political Science major to ask about. “When you were involved in Political Science and you were taking part in those activities- did you ever witness any debates between people in public?”

“Not necessarily. I mean I've seen and participated in a few for some of my classes but that was about as far as it went. However, I can recall that during the 2012 election there was a lot of tension. You could feel it in the air and you could tell who was a Republican and who was a Democrat. It was just a bunch of people yelling at each other and not solving anything. I only became that major because I wanted to travel and I thought it would be great. That’s the one thing I discovered about myself- it’s that I want to travel. But I haven’t seen any really.”

“This is a college campus and I.U.P. has a variety of political affiliations, anything from extremely liberal to extremely conservative,” I observed.

“Oh my god, yes!” Nicola agreed. Suddenly her eyes lit up. “Oh my god, I just remembered something!" she exclaimed. "One time during the election season Romney’s son came to our school. I’m a Democrat, and we were demonstrating in front of the Republicans. We had two girls kiss one another in front of them. Then the Punks come out yelling, “You’re a bunch of fascists!” Then there were many of the Townies- who are straight-up Republicans- shouting things like: “Blacks and Whites shouldn't mix! Interracial babies are sins!”

“This was happening in a college-town?” I asked in surprise, my eyes widening.

“Yes! It was at the KCAC! There were a lot of people but not a lot of college students since many of them don’t like to surround themselves with that kind of atmosphere. It was tense. Both sides were screaming ‘F--- you!’ They were slinging insults at one another. I feel that some of the old Townies here can be mean- especially when screaming things like how interracial people are sins and that they shouldn't be here. I have two sisters who are mixed- so yeah that was…memorable…to say the least. All that during my freshman year. I’ll never forget that!”

“I think I would've been completely traumatized if I witnessed that,” I admitted.

“I’m used to people and I’m used to them saying awful things like that. Nothing really shocks me anymore. I've dealt with racists, having lived in the South.”

“Since we’re on the topic of race,” I asked her, “what are your thoughts on what’s happening in Ferguson and other places across the United States?”

“History repeats itself. It’s nothing we haven’t already come across yet. I’m glad race is being discussed because I feel if we don’t talk about it then no action will be taken. However, I do feel like sometimes people on either side can be too extreme and then there are people on both sides who are civil. I believe in doing things like Martin Luther King- being verbal and using peaceful action. I don’t feel like it will ever be perfect- but it’s good to put your voice out there. I’m proud of my race and my culture- but I do feel even we have our extremists.

“However,” she continued, “I also feel that minorities are targeted more than those who are white. I had a situation where a couple weeks ago I got pulled over- understandable since I had snow on top of my car- but I wasn't going fast. I wasn't nervous, and I cooperated with the officer. I got a citation because my registration went over twenty-six days. However- one of my white friends later told me that they were parked in a place where they shouldn't be; and he and his car smelled like marijuana. They didn't go after him with drug possession charges, they just gave him a small fine for being parked in the wrong place. His fine was smaller than mine, and I was being pulled over because of my registration and my car- yet mine smelled like Febreeze! I just feel that the officer probably would have let me off easier if I was white. It was the first time I had ever been pulled over and it was just for a citation. I don’t understand why my friend- who smelled like weed- can be let go with a small fee and here I get a large fine. It’s like…whatever! Having traveled, I've dealt with people and their prejudices. I think people will be prejudiced no matter what. I think it’s good to raise your voice though.”

“In your travels,” I asked her, “has there been any places where you felt the people were less prejudiced towards you?”

“Canada all the way! I mean- every country has prejudice in some type of way. When I lived in Canada though- there you can be lower or middle or first class; you can be Black, White, Brown, Asian, but it’s okay. We’re all here struggling and there the majority of the population doesn't care. It’s friendlier there. It’s one of the many reasons why I love going there.”

“Do you go there often?” I asked her.

“Yes, my father’s side mainly lives over there. I actually went there over Christmas Break. My Mom and Dad’s families are both from Jamaica. His family moved to Canada and her family moved to America. I’m glad that they did because I've gotten to travel a lot. I get to learn a lot about cultures because of it.”

Before I could ask any more questions her phone started to ring. Her Chinese was being delivered. I didn't want to bother her while she was eating, so I decided to bring the interview to an end. Of course I thanked her for allowing me to interview her. “I hope you have enough,” she told me.

“Oh yeah,” I reassured her, “I got plenty of good stuff here.”

That of course wasn't an exaggeration. Nicola not only is an interesting face of I.U.P., but she has a strong passion for traveling and learning about other cultures. As I’m writing this post I can’t help but feel excited for her as she is even now making her plans to go to China, and who knows where else life may decide to pull her. Her story is as impressive as her travel record.

Unfortunately it’s time to draw this post to a close. As always, feedback is much appreciated. Be sure to check back for the next story. Hope you all are having a great week back and- in case I don’t update by the weekend- have a safe IUPatties!