CLARKSVILLE,TN – From working on a historical novel in England to creating original animation, students from Austin Peay State University’s College of Arts and Letters recently took on practical learning opportunities through the Center of Excellence for the Creative Arts (CECA) Transformative Student Experience Grants.
Students who received these awards include Lily Goodowens and Florence Isbill (Department of Art + Design); Parker Jones and Winter Parker (Creative Writing); Zachary Tucker (Department of Music); and McKenna Asher (Department of Theatre & Dance).
Recipients completed a variety of projects, such as attending writers’ workshops both nationally and abroad, interning at Chautauqua Institution, dancing with Drum Corps International, working on an animated short film, and attending an international flute masterclass.
For music student Zachary Tucker, this experience included studying with the acclaimed solo flutist Marina Piccinini in Switzerland, as well as exploring Italy and networking professionally.
“This grant aided me to attend the international masterclass in which I learned many things about performing,” Tucker said. “However, I also learned a lot about travel, job opportunities, and networking. This will contribute greatly to my professional development because I will be frequently using many of the things I learned.”
The grant was also professionally valuable for art and design major Florence Isbill, who led a team to develop a short animation, The Black Unicorn.
“As animation students, this project gave us hands-on experience working as part of a production team,” Isbill said. “We learned how to navigate challenges through communication and problem-solving, while adapting to the demands of a real production pipeline. With such a small team and no professors guiding us step by step, we gained confidence in our ability to take initiative and complete significant milestones independently.”
Creative writing student Winter Parker attended a writer’s workshop at the Fine Arts Work Center in Provincetown, Rhode Island and received intensive, hands-on feedback on her writing. In addition to spending time in numerous studio spaces with a close-knit writing community, she enjoyed the interdisciplinary nature of the Fine Arts Work Center.
“The highlight of my experience was surely the environment of Provincetown, the Fine Arts Work Center, and the classrooms and studio spaces I was given access to,” Parker said. “The people, the scenery, and the resources surrounding me felt magical, surreal, and I was profoundly inspired … specifically, Studio One was a largely impactful space for me and two other writers who I am now eternally bonded to; we call ourselves the Studio One poets. Studio One allowed us the space to work independently without being in isolation; we covered walls with our full manuscripts and worked on organizing poems, noting themes, and tabbing gaps or perceived issues.”
Parker Jones also focused on creative writing, using the Transformative Student Experience Grant to travel to England and work on a historical novel.
“I am substantially closer to finishing the first draft of my novel, and the work I produced during my trip is some of the best I’ve written for this draft so far,” Jones said. “Having that much time to devote solely to my writing gave me an idea of what the career of a full-time writer might be like. I gained experience planning and executing large-scale research projects, which is an extremely useful skill when writing historical fiction.”
McKenna Asher gained valuable experience as a working dancer, traveling with Drum Corps International (DCI) across the United States.
“While marching with Santa Clara Vanguard, I got to dance under three professional dancers and choreographers,” Asher said. “Their styles included ballet, modern, contemporary, hip-hop, and lyrical. Being able to learn different styles helped me grow significantly and become a well-rounded dancer. I can see large improvements in my muscle control and strength in leaps.”
Not only did Asher gain professional-level experience, but her organization also won third place in the overall DCI competition.
“While this was extremely exciting, my favorite part [of the experience] was the long dance classes and when I was in dance line,” she said. “The four-hour dance classes gave me the technique and dance line gave me the stamina to apply the technique even when I am tired. This summer gave me some of the best dance training I have ever received.”
Through the CECA Transformative Student Experience Grants, each of these students expanded their education and returned to APSU with newfound knowledge and skills.