Examples

Jenny Schreer 

Bill Carey

            When discussing journalism, topics such as airplanes, aircrafts, and international conventions don’t seem to first come to mind. At least in the minds of Mary Carey’s Journalism 300 class where students sat in awe listening to her brother, Bill Carey, discuss his interesting career as a writer for aviation trade press.

            Carey currently works for a family company, Convention News Company, originally based out of New Jersey and Connecticut. He was hired back in April 2011 and is based in Washington D.C. Here he writes about business aviation and puts together about five pieces a week, each 400 words. He also contributes to two newsletters about military and aviation.

            “You might question how I can only write about airplanes, but it’s quite a substantial industry,” Carey said.”

            Working at this company allows him to travel to conventions and air shows all over the world. He has traveled to all ends of the earth, including places such as Dubai, Paris, and soon Singapore. He describes how trade press is an alternative to mainstream writing. “It always paid me better and sent me all around the world,” said Carey.

            He attends around seven of these conventions and air shows a year with about 25 other people. Together, they create a daily paper called “Show Daily.” This daily paper contributes to around 40-50% of the company’s total revenue.

            Carey also describes how keeping up with technology is a must, though it can be a little difficult due to keep up with being from an older generation. “E-media needs to be a priority. We’re all dinosaurs,” said Carey, “It’s hard to make transition to just online. I’m slow to the game.”

            Being technologically advanced is a skill that he highly recommended to the students. “As a journalist, it’s good to be multidimensional. It would definitely be an advantage.” He also concluded with another very important piece of advice, “Don’t take anything too seriously. You have got to be proactive and you have got to work hard.”

            

Alex Lane

Ben Storrow - Daily Hampshire Gazette

                Western Massachusetts native, Ben Storrow, did not take the traditional route into a journalism career. In fact, he had to go abroad with the intention of starting a career in international affairs at a development agency to determine that none of that was what he actually wanted.

                Hailing from Gill, MA, Storrow, graduated from George Washington University in Washington D.C. with a degree in International Affairs in 2008. Following graduation, he got an internship at Skopje University in Macedonia located just north of Greece at a research and development facility. Within months, Storrow realized that it was the idea of international affairs and living abroad, not the actuality of it that he was in love with, and returned back to the states to determine what to do next.

                Storrow did not have to try hard to find what came next. While out to lunch with his mother, Storrow met Phoebe Mitchell, the editor in chief of the Daily Hampshire Gazette, who after talking briefly with Storrow, encouraged him to apply for a position with the paper. Apply he did, and although he was rejected from the position that he wanted, he was not discouraged “I didn’t get the position, and rightfully so. I hadn’t ever written an article before.” Instead, he was offered a correspondent position at the paper “covering the towns of Sunderland and Whately and really enjoyed it and kept at it.”

                Now three years into his job at the Gazette, Storrow continues to be flexible, always eagerly accepting and seeking new challenges and stories. He said “I guess I have an open mind.”

                He enjoys writing all types of stories, but is particularly interested in politics, economics, and environmental issues, but would prefer to not be a general beat reporter. He says of being a journalist “it’s a stressful job, the pays not great, but its super rewarding…to me.”

                The stress of the job is something that both encourages and discourages many journalists, including Storrow. “You have got to produce. You have a deadline, you may have multiple stories, but you have got to get it done”…”you have to be able to juggle a project over here, while still trying to get two to three stories out the door.” For the Gazette, Storrow says that depending on the week, he is writing six to twelve stories a week. 

                Never having formal journalistic training in a classroom setting, Storrow has had to seek outside sources to model his work after. Two journalists that Storrow reads consistently and emulates are Lawrence Wright, a staff writer for the New Yorker and Grant Wall of Sports Illustrated. Of Wright, Storrow says “that guys just frickin’ brings it…he doesn’t hold back on anything.” Storrow advises aspiring journalists to read widely and find successful journalists, saying “if you were a trumpet player you would want to play like Miles Davis, just because he’s the best. You try to emulate the best.”

                As for the future Storrow says “I want to keep growing, that’s for sure”. Although he is currently doing well for himself as a journalist, he says “I like journalism…I’d like to keep doing it, but im not married to it…I want to do something that interests me and pays the bills.”

                His advice for the next generation of writers is to write well, and about things that matter to them, because “good work speaks for itself. Whether it’s national or local, good work is good work.” And to those who are unsure or hesitant he says “Just do it goddamnit!”

Jenny Schreer
  Decade of the DJ’s

            It’s the end of October, and a swarm of college students holding glow sticks and dressed in crazy neons, tutus, and crop tops, are heading into the Mullins Center at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. One might think this has to be something relating to Halloween. But anyone other than college students probably wouldn’t guess that this is actually for an Afrojack concert.

            Afrojack is one of the many dj’s that has come to visit UMass. In September, DJ Tiesto performed and in early October came Deadmau5. These dj’s have become all the rage among young adults at all different universities, uncluding UMass. In the past two months, three dj’s have performed at the Mullins Center. This simply shows the increasing trend in how music is changing.

            In the past decade or so, techno was not at all as popular as it now is today. Young adults would be caught listening to pop, rap, hip-hop, or maybe even country. One would occasionally find someone listening to techno music. That may be because techno and house music originally started in Europe but has now somehow spread to America and has everyone hooked. Nowadays if one were to turn on the radio, almost all songs feature some sort of dj or heave techno beats throughout the song.

Here at UMass, the dorms are constantly bumping to the sound of house music, especially on the weekends. Students look forward to the weekend when there is no class and everything seems stress free. So students commonly resort to house music to lighten the mood and have fun.

            Sophomore Courtney Wright is a huge fan when it comes to techno, electronic, and house music. “It makes me want to dance and it’s upbeat,” she said, “It makes me happy.” Hence all of the happy bright colors students sport when attending one of these concerts.

            At the Tiesto concert Wright attended, she could only describe it as just one big dance party. “It’s just a sea of crazy neon colors and lights. Everyone is just dancing and having a great time,” she said, “It’s cool being around people who enjoy the same thing as you and are there for the music.”

            The attire itself is a huge craze that all fans seem to follow. Fans typically wear crazy outfits inspired by neons or crazy concoctions that seem to not go together. This can be anything from bright fanny packs, ballerina tutus, spandex, leg warmers, or even sporting a pacifier around their neck. It seems that almost anything goes when it comes to attire. But it must follow the simple rule of being neon colors.

“I definitely think it’s becoming a big trend,” said Wright, “Our generation doesn’t appreciate good music anymore, so they just follow what everyone else listens to. It’s not even actual music, it’s just beats.”

And she’s right about the beats part. House music rarely has lyrics and if so, it’s kept at a very minimum. This music sticks to the formula of plain old beats and sounds.

This is beginning to turn into a huge trend that seems very similar to ones that occurred back in the 1970’s. House music today and the concerts and festivals devoted to it seem to be the modern day version of Woodstock and the hippie era. What makes it different today is the modernized style of clothing and music. Music now has modernized along with technology, and that comes across through the music.

Drugs were very popular back in the 60’s and 70’s when artists such as Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, and The Who were at their peak. Similar behaviors are occurring now but have been modernized with techno music.

What seems to now be quite popular among young adults at UMass who attend these techno concerts, is doing Ecstasy or taking Molly, which is the purest form of ecstasy. This is commonly known as “rolling.”

“A lot of people like to roll for these concerts because it enhances the whole experience,” says sophomore Sam Toscano.

She continues to explain, “The main reason why dj’s perform and have these intense background lights, is because they know people are rolling. And when you roll, it enhances the way you feel when listening to the music or how you see the lights.”

Many students seem to associate drugs with these dj concerts, in the same way as people associated drugs with Woodstock and similar events back in the seventies. But not everyone follows the trend of “rolling” for these concerts.

Sophomore Charlotte Paffet says, “I love listening to the music just as much as the next person, but I don’t feel the need to roll like everyone else does, because I can have a good time regardless.” She continues, “I think some people go into it thinking that they won’t like the music unless they roll otherwise there’s no point in listening to it, but I don’t find that the case at all.”

This new phenomenon has not only taken over UMass, but also other schools across the country. There are even festivals that are solely dedicated to this genre of music. Ultra Music Festival in Miami, Electric Zoo in New York City, Tomorrowland in Belgium, and Electric Daisy Carnival in California are just to name a few of the most popular. Fans from all over the world all come together to these festivals to share their love for techno and house music.

              

Alex Lane 

Brendan Hall - ESPN.com 

                Strolling into the classroom with an air of confidence about him, and an approachableness that put students at ease, Brendan Hall returned to the University of Massachusetts Amherst to discuss journalism, his career, and the notable moments along the way with a group of aspiring journalism students.

                Originally from Westminster, Mass, Hall, now 26 years old, graduated from UMass in 2007 where he studied journalism. A subject he decided on because “I thought I was a pretty good writer growing up…I have [always] been very intrinsically motivated.”

Hall put his journalism skills into practice by covering sports and police reports for The Daily Collegian, and writing for The Hampshire Gazette and the Worcester Telegram. He went on to internship both at the Boston Globe and the Florida Times Union, located in Jacksonville. An internship that he got without “connections or anything like that, [I] just sent out resumes.” Hall said he “learned more in three years than in 7-8 years doing sports.”

                 The experience from these internships and opportunities lead him to the position he is in now as a prominent writer and reporter for ESPN Boston Online, a site that covers Boston area high school teams and their up and coming athletes. This position has gained him invaluable experience in reporting, networking opportunities, and numerous journalistic skills. In talking to the students, Hall presented the classroom with a plethora of knowledge and years of experience to pick his brain about. Needless to say, the students did not miss the opportunity to practice their interview skills.

                As questions began to fly about the room, a conversation arose between the journalism students and the journalist who once sat where they are. He gave advice on how to refine a story, how to give it detail and what traits make for a good journalist.

                “Get the little details, because they illuminate your story and give it some life”, Hall said in reference to how to make a story more intriguing, then clarified with an analogy “if your story is going to flow like a river, don’t make it a Mississippi. Make it more like an Amazon, add some life to it.”

                Hall included anecdotes from writing for the Boston sports teams, like the Boston Bruins. In trying to explain some advice, he told of interviewing Andrew Ference,(a defensemen for the Bruins). Hall questioned Ference regarding his interaction with the public ‘do you hide more?’, which immediately instigated a negative reaction from the player because of the word ‘hide’. Hall said that he then went on to ask Milan Lucic a similar question, but phrased it differently so as to get better cooperation in the interview. “You never want to insert your own opinion”…”you are there to get information not sound bytes” said Hall.

                About his form of reporting and writing, Hall says that “there is a certain style that I have adapted for myself”…” [You have to] let your writing come with reporting, from what you have observed.”

As for those bigger pieces and articles, he says that he has developed a certain rubric for himself when it comes to his writing, which helps him in at least outlining what he intends on saying. He then goes back to the outline and puts in those details and personal pieces because “its not just about the ‘x’s’ and ‘o’s’, it’s about the human condition.”

Now in a position of relative importance in the sports world, Hall preaches to keep in touch with the people that help aspiring journalists get their start. Hall says one of his biggest influences is Bob Hohler of the Boston Globe. “He helped me get a career…I owe it to them to keep in touch, to confirm information if I have it” Hall said.

As for the future, Hall says “I don’t want to think ahead to that too much.” But ultimately Hall said he would “love to have the job of Wright Thompson” who is a senior writer for ESPN.com and ESPN the Magazine.

His parting advice was delivered in a thick boston accent that he has developed over the years; “you never know who your going to meet in this world, so meet everyone” and most importantly “bust your ass”.                              

Jenny Schreer 

Issue Paper

            On a typical afternoon at University Health Services at University of Massachusetts Amherst, a student will walk into the room where they face a swarm of people anxiously waiting to see a doctor. In past years, UHS had running hours from 8 a.m. to midnight, but has now informed the University that the hours have been shortened.

            At the start of next semester, UHS will now only be open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. On weekends, the hours are even shorter, from noon to 4 p.m. Bernette Daly, Director of UHS, announced the changes to the campus via email on Nov. 1. This creates an issue with many students due to the fact that they have limited options and will be forced to travel to the Cooley Dickinson Hospital in Northampton more frequently than before.

            Many students on campus do not have means of transportation to and from the hospital in Northampton, and UHS provides convenient transportation through their own private buses for students during regular UHS hours.

Daly explained in her email that the hours have been shortened due to financial reasons. “Cost-effective services have never been more important. These shifts are expected to reduce UHS’ expenses by approximately $1 million annually,” said Daly.

            In a letter to the Editor of the Daily Hampshire Gazette, Daly said, “The clinic treats an average of just four to seven patients after 8 p.m. weeknights, and about half that many on weekends - a demand that did not justify existing levels of staffing or overhead costs.”

Daly also explains that UHS will be closed on certain holidays when students are not “living” in the residence, such as on Thanksgiving, Christmas Day, New Years Day, Martin Luther King Day, Memorial Day, and July 4^th. But many students stay on campus for certain holidays, such as Martin Luther King Day, and are wary on staying on campus because UHS will not be running on days that they may need their services.

            “Being from California, it’s not exactly easy for me to go home for every holiday,” says freshman at UMass Jessica McFadden. “I wasn’t planning on leaving campus during some of these holidays, and now I’m not sure how I feel about staying because in case of an emergency, health services wouldn’t be open.”

            UMass student, Carlene McGuigan, shared her recent experience with UHS. “When I went to UHS a few weekends ago, I was there for 5 hours,” she said. McGuigan mentions in a letter that she wrote to UHS after her bad experience, that not only was she there for an extensive amount of time, but that the doctor forgot she was in the treatment room, where she was left ignored for two hours.

            “I am paying to attend school here, and I believe that having access to proper health facilities is a right that I can expect. I understand that money and budgets are tight, but UHS is one of the most important operations on campus and I think the campus community will suffer with less hours,” McGuigan said.

            Community Health and Patient Educator, Amanda Collings Vann, discussed her take on the new changes. “What UHS will look like in the future is still yet to be determined,” Vann said. “We are doing our best to make it less of an impact on the student body. UHS is taking every precaution they can and are trying to make it better.”

            When being asked the financial aspect of the change, Vann said, “I think it is what it is. Decisions are necessary based on the financial health at UHS.” She continues, “Health care in general is under fire. Cuts are sometimes necessary.”

            Amherst College Health Center hours are also minimal, beginning at 8:50 a.m. and closing at 5:30 p.m. during weekdays. Their website explains that in case of an emergency after hours of operation, students can rely on UMass’ UHS. This shortening of hours at UHS will now also impact Amherst College, as its students utilized UMass’ UHS in an emergency once their Health Center closed.

            Some students aren’t concerned by the reduced hours, because they have the impression that services are minimal already.

            “I’ve never been to UHS,” says junior at UMass Sarah Kronwith, “I’ve always heard stories that people told me about how UHS would close once they got there and they had waited hours before getting put in a room. I feel like I won’t even get anything out of going, especially now with the time changes.”

            Though hours are cut beginning in January, the hotline for mental and medical health will remain available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. UHS also, and as always, encourages those with a life-threatening emergency to call 911 for an ambulance to the hospital.

Alex Lane Profile Piece 

A UMass Transit Employee

As you climb the stairs to the northbound campus shuttle, there is something different about the driver. Poised at the wheel in her tie-dye shirt and Boston hat, she nods along to the mix of alternative bands coming from her nearby iPod, and kindly greets new passengers. 

Today is a good day for University of Massachusetts sophomore transit employee Megan Healy (19).

Healy, who grew up in Easton, Massachusetts located just south of Boston, joined the UMass community and the Pioneer Valley Transit Authority team in the fall of 2010.

 Going through training and driving her first routes with a supervisor for the first semester, Healy is now working upwards of 20 hours. She also maintains the status of a full time student, and is a recent addition to the club softball team which meets three times a week. Noting that she is working at accomplishing a lot of goals, Healy said “I am a little crazy for trying to do a lot at once.”

Although she dedicates a lot of time to work, there is a method to the madness.

Megan Healy is largely involved in community service endeavors run both through UMass, but also on her own. Healy works the hours that she does in large part, to make money to fund her service trips. She says she has been inspired to do service, but it has become a passion.  “One of my favorite quotes has always been ‘Be the change you wish to see in the world’ by Mahatma Ghandi. I have always taken that quote literally and it really kind of defines me as a person I think.”

In high school, Healy was a peer mentor, volunteered regularly at a soup kitchen, and her local food pantry. In the past few years here at UMass, she has volunteered in many ways. In the spring of this year, she worked for MassPIRG as a leader for their Hunger and Homelessness Campaign on campus.  Over her 2011 spring break, when many of her peers went home and relaxed, she travelled to South Carolina to work for an organization similar to Habitat for Humanity, where she worked with a group of UMass girls that rehabilitated a house as part of an Alternative Spring Break program.

“Helping other people is a huge passion of mine…if I could do that with the rest of my life, I would.” said Healy.

She did not become this strong, independent person on her own however. “My mom and I had a really bad relationship growing up, and I think in many ways that made me more independent” she said. These days, their relationship is better and both Healy’s parents are confident in Megan’s resolve. “It doesn’t mean that they support all of my endeavors, but they know that I am going to do them anyway” she said.

 Healy also has two older cousins that are influential to her. One of which put herself through law school and is now a defense lawyer for abused children and the other is a special education teacher for children with autism.  Healy said that they are influential to her because they are essentially doing exactly what she wants to do in the future “teach and help people, its ideal.”

As for the future, Healy is optimistic, saying that the future “looks glorious! I am going to get my stuff together and I am going to change the world. And I am going to do it with a smile on my face.” Out of college, Megan either wants to join the Peace Corps or Teach for America and eventually go on to work for a non-profit organization.

As for the near future, Healy has purchased her ticket and requested her passport for a service trip to Guatemala that she is taking over Winter break. She is taking this trip by herself, and meeting up with a group of volunteers she has never met before, when she arrives in La Antigua, Guatemala. Her mother had reservations about her going on the trip, primarily worried about Healy’s health and safety.  To that end, Healy says “I see where she is coming from. But I recognize that I am too much of a people pleaser. There have been situations where something has happened … where I don’t say anything because I would rock the boat.”

This year, Healy is working on herself, and being a little bit selfish in the sense that she is doing things for herself regardless of how she thinks the people around her will react. This trip to Guatemala is “just an example of that” she says.

Healy is also already planning her 2012 Spring Break service trip that she is taking with some of the same girls from last years Alternative Spring Break. Healy is thinking “somewhere warm, so we don’t freeze while we work outside.”

For now though, Healy continues to do service on a daily basis where she can, in between her classes. She anticipates, eagerly her trip to Guatemala.  And all of this on top of her 20 hours a week driving the buses that ‘Move UMass’, a job that she has somewhat come to appreciate for the skills that it has taught her. “There are tons of different people that get on the bus everyday, and they can be jerks or they can be really nice. Either way you have to know how to adapt to any situation very quickly and calmly” Healy said, recognizing that this is an important trait to have in the future, especially if she ends up working closely with people, as her aspirations dictate. 

Jenny Schreer - Speech Paper

The Fox Proprietors

         Run down crumpled paper, scattered graffiti, and watercolor painted animals, are all in a sea of black and white with a hint on some neon colors. What might sound like a mumble jumble of pieces actually assemble a unique art exhibit explained by Anne LaPrade Seuthe, the curator of this exhibit, which was held in the Hampden Art Gallery at the University Massachusetts Amherst.

            It was Monday October 19 as Seuthe spoke to Mary Carey’s Journalism 300 class about the exhibit titled, The Pawn Shop: Fox Proprietors. The exhibit was created by two artists, Tim Winn and Zehra Khan. Both are Massachusetts College of Art and Design graduates. Winn is in charge of the paper architecture while Khan does the costume performing aspects. They’ve been collaborating together for about two years. It took both artists about three days to finish this exhibit, spending about 10 to 12 hours a day working on it.

             “It’s a place to go when things are pretty hard,” Seuthe said, “It’s an element of desperation…it’s desperate times.” Seuthe speaks to students with a gloomy tone when discussing to the class on the emotions and reasoning behind the artists’ choice of work.

            The exhibit is a run down looking house with a tunnel that leads to an empty vault containing stacks of money. The entire creation is made out of black ink drawings, which are then photocopied and enlarged. Afterwards, they are painted over with black watercolor.

In a separate room in the gallery, there is a projected two-minute long video on a loop of Winn and Khan dressed up as foxes. It shows their gradual movement in these costumes in which Khan created. They are made out of bed linen and pillowcases because she likes the notion of intimacy.

Seuthe tells the class that this video represents the idea of the foxes being away while there is an empty vault of money where no one is watching them if one chooses to steal.

            Once inside the main the actual art piece, all anyone can see are bunches of paper drawings of skulls, guns, sunglasses, and animals. It is filled with these random drawings all over the walls ranging anywhere from a crutch to kitchen appliances. There is even a sign that says, “Shoplifters will be eaten.” Each drawing has a price tag on it, which Seuthe explains, “What is the value of your possessions? What is your value of art?”

            Seuthe explains to the class that it is in relation to the United States’ current economic situation. “This is a gloomy desperate place,” Seuthe states, “These collapsing industries put people on edge.” 

There is a very drab color scheme to the exhibit, but the only bit of color one can see are some signs that hang that serve to draw people inside. One colored sign includes several dollar sign. “Wee see this S with two lines in it…it is a globally recognizable symbol.” This is something she says will make the unfamiliar somewhat familiar.

            When some students question whether or not one can steal some of the paper money in the vault, she explains the idea of danger in the piece of art. “[Winn and Khan] are witty…this is danger underlying. The artists are foxes and they could get you.”  Students continue to wonder as to why the artists chose to dress as foxes. Seuthe responds, “ Look to fairytales and children’s books. Foxes are portrayed as cunning, and sneaky, and sly.” She continues to say that it’s looking at society with a critical eye.

            Thomas Conan, a gallery staff member, gave his take on the piece of art saying, “I look forward to seeing more from these artists. It’s got an interesting edge to it….it’s really dark.” Another staff member, Elanore Wong gave her opinion as well saying, “It’s very interactive. It let’s the viewers think about it on your own.”

            Journalism student Patrick Strohecker agreed with the aspect that the world definitely is in a hard place right now and he can relate. “I think it’s interesting,” Strohecker says, “It relates to college kids in scrapping for cash…it’s not just like pretty paintings.”
            Seuthe concluded with the class that it is a very communicative piece and that it is all about personal interpretation and experiences. “There is a real layer to looking at what’s going on in our own world.”

            The Pawn Shop: Fox Proprietors exhibit is currently running until Oct. 6. More work from Winn and Khan are coming up in the future months. For more information on the exhibit and the artists of the creation, one can visit www.blurb.com. For information on Winn, one van visit his personal website at www.folkdevils.com.

Alex Lane - Speech Paper
The Pawn Shop
           With eyes wide and heads swiveling in all directions, students entering Hampden Gallery Monday afternoon attempted to absorb every aspect of “The Pawn Shop: Fox Proprietors. “

As first impressions settled in, Gallery Director Anne LaPrade Seuthe began to speak of artists, the economy and foxes.

An installment piece by artists Tim Winn and Zehra Khan, “The Pawn Shop: Fox Proprietors” is a playful way of looking at serious issues, like people’s values and the economy. Winn and Khan artfully set up the premise of a pawn shop, temporarily abandoned by its owners – the foxes, and cunningly create a dialogue with the viewer of the art itself. As viewers of the installment come in, they enter the world of “The Pawn Shop,” where they have the opportunity to steal from a vault (or not), and find many items for sale hanging on the walls. In a back room, they find video of what the foxes do when no one is around.

As Gallery Director, Anne Laprade Seuthe has had ample time to ponder the meaning of the piece and what the artists are trying to convey and question. In describing what she takes from the artwork, Seuthe said she felt an “element of desperation about the whole thing.” Seuthe mentioned that in most regards, a pawn shop is a place people go when things get bad or desperate. “This piece really makes an audience question ‘what happens when you find yourself in a desperate situation?’ and ‘what are the values of your possessions?’” Seuthe said.

Overall, the exhibit is drab in color with a few exceptions of signs that read “Pawn Shop” and “$$$”, both of which are neon. Seuthe suggested that perhaps this contrast was the artists’ way of drawing attention to the issues of monetary value over sentimental value. As for the foxes themselves, they add a humorous touch, but still have an element of danger to them. The “casualness [of the piece] belies the seriousness of the topic,” Seuthe said.

The exhibit is aimed at getting an audience to think -think about themselves, their morals, their values, and that of the world around them. Seuthe said that this is “a fitting exhibit for the times” especially in regards to the economy. In such a bad economy, what length are people willing to go to, to have rent money? This exhibit forces audiences to question that, and think about what they would do in those situations.

A part time overseer of the gallery, Thom Konan said that the piece “seems like a cartoon world with something sinister too” and that “it has a sort of edge to it.” Another overseer, Eleanor Wong, likes that the artwork speaks to an audience and “lets viewers think what they want.” 

One member of the audience, Patrick Strohecker,  spoke for most of the students in attendance when he said “even though it depicts hard times, it sort of relates to college kids because we are always strapped for cash”; most in attendance shook their heads in agreement. 

Both artists Tim Winn and Zehra Khan got their Master of Fine Arts from Massachusetts College of Art and Design at the Fine Arts Center. They plan to continue making art, both separately and collaboratively. As of right now, they have shown their art at local locations, but want to expand to distant galleries and museums.