On Tuesday, Dec. 10 at 7 p.m. at the Blackistone Room, environmental studies students presented their final projects for ENST 285: Sustainable Development in Latin America taught by Parisa Rinaldi, PhD, assistant professor of environmental studies (ENST). Her collaborator, Diego Villada, PhD, assistant professor of theatre, dance and performance studies, directed the staged reading of an environmentally-focused devised play aided by his performing arts students Sadie Grzymalski, Summer Wells and Ren Hanovich. These capable student actors were joined in the acting ensemble by Mercedes Pope (environmental studies) and Lauren Brown (ENST intern).
Villada also facilitated the writing of the play which was an original work written by ENST students: Jack Brown, Sebastian Borland, Mercedes Pope and Alexandria Cooke. The play was entitled Felipe vs. The World and featured class themes such as deforestation, biopiracy, indigenous knowledge and grassroots development.
Rinaldi noted that students and staff who attended the staged reading of this interdisciplinary collaboration of dramatic work were invited to "join us in learning something new and celebrating our students' intellect, creativity and hard work."
Rinaldi and Villada are both Ross Fellows, SMCM faculty whose expertise across their diverse fields of specialization further elevate the college's research profile, and whose pedagogical practices seek to improve the educational experience of underrepresented students.
