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Morgen Chang
Honolulu, Hawaii
Linguistics
I had never considered myself an artist, yet
the summer before college, I inexplicably
signed up for the “3D Design” first-year
course taught by Professor Stan Sears. As
a dancer and performer, I was attracted
by the study of space and dimension from
a visual arts point of view. The residential
aspect of the course also intrigued me.
Who wouldn’t want to live among a bunch
of bohemian types toting sketchbooks and
paints? Within the first month, I knew I had
found what I was looking for—a new and
challenging environment, an education
with real-life applications, and a supportive,
friendly and diverse community.
 
In “3-D Design” we rarely sat down for
notes and lectures, but instead spent our
energies creating personal and group
projects. On day one, we were introduced
to our first big assignment—creating
paper lanterns for a big art event that our
professor was helping to organize, titled
“Art+Fire.” The event combined these two
media and culminated in a festival and the
burning of a massive Viking ship on Lake
Pepin. Nervous new students set to the
task of contributing to a major artistic festival,
working alongside established artists,
creating yet another bridge between
Macalester and the community.
“On day one, we
were introduced
to our first big
assignment—
creating paper
lanterns for a
big art event.”
Morgen Chang ’11
Living and working side by side,
our class formed a strong bond,
observing the creative processes
in each other, gathering inspiration,
and giving feedback. We have
radically different backgrounds,
talents, and interests. Of the 14
of us, four were international students
from Asia and Europe, and
the rest came from across the
USA, Hawaii to New York. Our
identities manifested themselves in
subtle ways through our designs,
and our differences presented new
ways of seeing the world.
I no longer walk into a public space
without noting the structure of
a bench or the positioning of a
statue, and in this way, I feel that I have
become an artist. The deeper value of the
class, and of Macalester in general, lies in
connecting aspects of art, design, festival,
culture, and history with community and
personal identity. Each person here, from
students to faculty to guest speakers,
contributes a little of themselves to our
ever-widening perspectives, making every
minute a learning experience.
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