Positive Post Tuesday

Penny Remsen and James McNamara

The first person I recognized today after I left my house was Penny Remsen. She is my lighting design advisor here at UMASS. I met her over the phone...a nice 30 minute long conversation about why I want to travel across the country to study with her, why lighting design for the theatre, why her, why now...Needless to say she a lot of questions...most of which just made me question myself more. And in the end it was exactly what I needed more questions to answer...after all, I wasn't just moving myself...I was moving my wife 18 month old son (oh...did I mention my wife would be 6 months pregnant when we moved and delivering our princess during the first week of gradschool)...Yeah, Penny had every right to ask quesitons.

Anyway, she has met me where I am in my studies. Challenged me to push ahead, advance my knowledge at an advanced rate to catch up to the standards of Graduate school (I haven't had any formal training in Lighting Design until now). Just last week Penny and I discussed the fact that we approach lighting from two completely opposite directions. Hers is more standard, and mine is more well, we haven't figured that out yet. Regardless, I appreciate Penny taking me on knowing full well tha I would be a challenge! She gave me the opportunity to learn when most other graduate programs felt that I would not be able to catch up, push ahead, and become what I need to be to be a great designer.

Thank you Penny for believing in me, challenging me, and trusting me to step up to the plate!

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