A special thanks to…

Joe Nelson

Last term I produced and starred in Rinaldo, a baroque opera by G.F. H„ndel. There were many people who were involved with this project, not the least of whom were my teacher and my faculty advisor. However, there were some people that didn’t get recognition through the promotional material that need to be acknowledged. These people were vital to the whole production and are accessible to and enthusiastic about working with students.

The Class of ’65 Grant for Student Activities through the Alumni Relations office is a flexible and important interaction between alumni and students. It is a group of people who have set up a fund for interesting, innovative, and creative/original projects to happen on campus. They are committed to supporting students in their endeavors to enrich our campus culture and make themselves available in whatever capacity they can to helping the project be a success.

They were very encouraging and positive when I initially contacted the department, and especially given my particular project’s time frame, were extremely willing to work themselves into the project’s needs.

Another group that was vital was the Alyssa Paul Maria Fund for Student Entertainment, through SOUP. Paul Shrode, who was advising the project on the financial aspects of the production, was an immense help in both organizing our list of needs and in directing us to the different funding options available. Nancy Truesdell, who regulates the money of the Class of ’65 Grant, has also been extremely helpful in working on the monetary details.

Without a doubt, my experience with these two groups was incredibly positive. It was absolutely necessary to get support financially, given the costs of the production, and they were willing to back my fellows and I 100 percent.

I would encourage anyone with a dream project to consider these sources. Their support can allow you to exceed even your own expectations and make truly wonderful contribution to campus life.

-Joe Nelson