Centennial Documentary Impresses Opening-Night Crowd

Published 01.08.2015

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President Davie Jane Gilmour welcomes employees, retirees, students and community members to the grand finale of the college's Centennial celebration. Afterward, admittedly near-speechless in admiration, she said the documentary reflects a passion for the institution and a responsibility to build upon its legacy.With pride born of a college career spanning more than a third of the period covered by the film, Elaine J. Lambert (one of its executive producers) asks co-workers Christopher J. Leigh (left, director/editor/camera) and Thomas F. Speicher (producer/writer/editor/camera) to stand and be acknowledged for their creative efforts.A sea of supporters, which later rose in a tide of ovation, anticipates the enlightening success story about to unfold.WVIA President and CEO Tom CurrĂ¡, co-executive producer, discusses the long partnership between Penn College and the public television station.Following the premiere, the ACC Auditorium hallways were used for on-camera interviews with key contributors and commentators including Veronica M. Muzic, a former vice president of academic affairs/provost and English faculty member, who was questioned by  Brad L. Nason, associate professor of mass communications and an award-winning contributor to WVIA's National Public Radio arm.A one-hour documentary that recaps a century of institutional history (and caps Penn College's yearlong Centennial celebration) met with an enthusiastic and appreciative audience on its initial showing Thursday afternoon. The premiere of "Working Class: 100 Years of Hands-On Education," chronicling the story of the college and its contribution to the American workforce, was held at 3:30 p.m. in the Klump Academic Center Auditorium. The college co-produced the film with WVIA Public Media, which will broadcast it on public television on a variety of dates beginning at 7 p.m. Tuesday.