Better Know the Alliance: Where we went to college

With the fall semester in full swing, many colleges across the country are holding their homecoming ceremonies.

That includes the University of Minnesota, which just held theirs last week. With that in mind, here’s a little MNFCA homecoming, where members shared where they went to college, what they learned about film, and how it shaped their roles as critics today.

Joe Botten

The University of St. Thomas, St. Paul, Minn.

• School colors: Purple and grey.
• Nickname: The Tommies.

Was your major related to film, and if so what was it?

I majored in Theater and briefly considered staying on to get a Masters Degree in Business but I started working professionally in town right after graduation and always knew I could go back if I wanted. Now I work for an online university where I can pretty much attend classes for free – I just need to get my act in gear.

If your major wasn’t related to film, did you take film classes?

The college did offer film classes as part of the theater curriculum, taught by one of the beloved members of the department, George Poletes. More than half the fun of the class was listening to George wax on about film and though we watched a number of important films throughout the course the most best memories I have of those quarters (and that year in general) were the lively discussions/debates we’d have after/during.

George is gone now but he was a huge influence on my admiration for every genre of film and willingness to review whatever comes across my inbox.

During your time in college, did you do any work related to film, such as write reviews for a student publication or make short films?

I was in a few short films that I honestly blocked out of my memory – none were that pivotal or profound and they certainly didn’t go anywhere past the final presentation in a college classroom.

My earliest reviews, though, were for my high school student newspaper. However, it was published on a strange enough schedule that it was hard to plan what film would fit the release schedule.

Eli Brau

Minnesota State University, Mankato

• School colors: Purple and gold
• Nickname: Mavericks

Was your major related to film, and if so what was it?

I minored in Film Studies, so I took a handful of courses dedicated to film history, authorship, theory, etc.

During your time in college, did you do any work related to film, such as write reviews for a student publication or make short films?

While I didn’t contribute to publications on campus, it’s during this time that I started Cinephile Corner. I used what I was learning in class to better understand what was being released in movie theaters today.

I liked applying the concepts to films I saw outside of class, and it helped me gain a better understanding of quality filmmaking and how to respond/interact with what I was watching either in a theater or at home.

Brian Eggert

The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities.

• School colors: Maroon and gold.
• Nickname: The Golden Gophers.

Tiffin University, Tiffin, Ohio

• School colors: Green and gold.
• Nickname: The Dragons.

Was your major related to film, and if so what was it?

I attended the University of Minnesota for my undergraduate degree, spending my time on the Minneapolis campus. I received my Master’s degree from Tiffin University. The school is located in Tiffin, Ohio.

My B.A. is in Art History, plus minors in Cultural Studies & Comparative Literature and Film & Media Studies. My primary focus was on Northern European Renaissance painting. Most of the courses for my minors were related to close analyses of literature and film.

My Master’s degree is in Film Studies, with a concentration on Classical Hollywood, postcolonialism, and film theory. My thesis explored anti-Nazi and anti-fascist classical Hollywood cinema released before the attack on Pearl Harbor, before the studios actively started making propaganda.

These films (such as “The Great Dictator” or “Black Legion”) were usually passion projects—stories that filmmakers and studio heads felt needed to be told to comment on the world.

If your major wasn’t related to film, did you take film classes?

While studying for my undergraduate degree in Art History, I took a lot of film classes. But I had been a cinephile long before college, so courses like Film History 101 were a breeze. The challenging film-related courses often concerned a very specific area of study relating to theory.

For instance, I took a course called “Monsters, Robots, and Cyborgs” that focused on literature and film of this kind, but the theories behind these concepts prove more intellectual than mere genre appreciation. The course deepened my love of certain favorites, like “Blade Runner,” RoboCop, and “The Thing.”

During your time in college, did you do any work related to film, such as write reviews for a student publication or make short films?

I made a short film or two during my undergraduate studies. They weren’t very good. I quickly decided that I enjoyed reading and writing about movies more than making them.

Kelly Florence

Lake Superior College, Duluth, Minn.

• School colors: Blue, white and gold.
• Nickname: The Ice Hawks.

The University of Minnesota-Duluth

• School colors: Maroon and gold.
• Nickname: The Bulldogs.

The University of Wisconsin-Superior

• School colors: Black and gold.
• Nickname: The Yellowjackets.

What did you study in college and did you take film classes?

I started my college journey as as post-secondary student during high school at Mesabi Range in Virginia, MN. Next, I got my degree in Broadcasting at Lake Superior College in Duluth, MN (where I now teach!) then got my BA in theatre at the University of MN-Duluth. Lastly, I got my MA in communicating arts at the University of Wisconsin-Superior.

Theatre and communicating arts degrees involved many film and television classes. This definitely shaped how I watch movies and helped inform my views.

During your time in college, did you do any work related to film, such as write reviews for a student publication or make short films?

I was involved in community theatre and dance and made short films with friends throughout my college years.

Hunter Friesen

The University of Northern Iowa, Cedar Falls

• School Colors: Purple and gold
• Nickname: The Panthers

Was your major related to film, and if so, what was it?

Despite my love for film, I’ve never intended for it to be my career. Instead, I decided to enter the glorious world of accounting. It’s a career I enjoy and am proficient in, but I will readily admit that it’s not the most exciting field. Thankfully, I have the movies to act as my creative outlet.

If your major wasn’t related to film, did you take film classes?

Just as the movies are my break from my current job as an accountant, I also had a Film History class that was my break from the intensive accounting courses during my senior year.

Although the title of the course would suggest that we’d cover the entire timeline of cinema, most of our focus was on the New Hollywood era of the 60s and 70s. “Bonnie and Clyde,” “Night of the Living Dead,” “Shadows,” “The Godfather,” “In the Heat of the Night,” and “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner” were some of the films we examined.

We often compared and contrasted them based on their production values, messaging, and cultural relevance. It was a really interesting course and taught me a lot about how to think of a film as a product of time and history, and not just a piece of entertainment.

During your time in college, did you do any work related to film, such as reviews for a student publication or make short films?

My presence as a movie personality was felt all over campus, leading many people to wonder why I majored in accounting (although anyone who knows my personality understands how closely I embody the stereotypical accountant).

I was the president of the Film Appreciation Club for three years, programming weekly screenings that aimed to entertain and educate the student body. I would introduce each of the screenings, and then lead a short discussion afterwards.

I also served as the film critic for the school newspaper, writing over 100 reviews during my tenure. Finally, I hosted a short segment on the campus television station called Movie Minute. It was a sort of solo tribute to episodes of Siskel and Ebert, featuring me introducing and giving my thoughts on the movies coming out that weekend.

Jay Gabler

Boston University, Mass.

• School colors: Red and white
• Nickname: The Terriers

Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass.

• School colors: Crimson, white and black
• Nickname: The Crimson

Was your major related to film, and if so, what was it?

Nope! I majored in early childhood education

If your major wasn’t related to film, did you take film classes?

I should have! BU has an excellent College of Communication. I did attend numerous film screenings and appearances by industry pros.

Most memorable were a talk in a tiny screening room by legendary editor Thelma Schoonmaker; and a campus premiere event for “Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Mitchell Tour.” I waited in line for hours to get into the latter…for the former, there was room to spare!

During your time in college, did you do any work related to film, such as reviews for a student publication or make short films?

Again, I should have. At the time, though, I was exploring different careers and trying to prove myself in education. I came back to my teen film obsession in graduate school, when I did make short films that screened at Harvard campus festivals. After completing grad school, I returned to arts writing and I’ve been at it ever since.

Kyle Goethe

Minnesota State University, Moorhead

• School Colors: Red, black, white and grey.
• Nickname: The Dragons.

What did you study in college and did you take film classes?

I attended MSUM for an English Major, a focus in Creative Writing and a certificate in Publishing. While I contemplated minoring in film, in the end I elected to focus on English and the writing.

I took a number of film related classes, specifically three different Scriptwriting classes, a few film criticism classes, and, strangely, a law class that looked at creative works and how accurately they realized the world of law.

During your time in college, did you do any work related to film, such as write reviews for a student publication or make short films?

I supported several film projects during my time there, ending with writing the screenplay for senior film project for a colleague, but I was regular involved in several film groups and always on hand to help.

Paul McGuire Grimes

Viterbo University, La Crosse, Wis.

• School colors: Red, blue and white.
• Nickname: The V-Hawks

Was your major related to film, and if so what was it?

No, I received a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Music Theater.

If your major wasn’t related to film, did you take film classes?

No. They didn’t offer any film classes.

During your time in college, did you do any work related to film, such as write reviews for a student publication or make short films?

No.

Meg Hafdahl

The University of Minnesota-Duluth

• School colors: Maroon and Gold.
• Nickname: The Bulldogs.

What did you study in college and did you take film classes?

I was a Literature major, so sometimes we watched films and compared them to the text.

If your major wasn’t related to film, did you take film classes?

I took several film classes in college. It opened my eyes to films I wouldn’t have normally watched, as well as taught me how to analyze film in much the same way I was used to close-reading literature.

During your time in college, did you do any work related to film, such as write reviews for a student publication or make short films?

In high school/college I wrote film and music reviews for a publication called the Northland Reader in Duluth.

Matt Hambidge

The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire

• School colors: Blue and gold
• Nickname: The Blugolds

Was your major related to film, and if so, what was it?

It was not. I was enrolled in the College of Business, and graduated with a degree in Business Management.

If your major wasn’t related to film, did you take film classes?

I did not take any film related classes

During your time in college, did you do any work related to film, such as reviews for a student publication or make short films?

I didn’t. While I watched as many movies as I could during college, I didn’t take an active interest in reviewing films until several years after graduating.

Danny Haslach

St. Cloud State University, St. Cloud, Minn.

• School Colors: Red, black and white.
• Nickname: The Huskies.

Was your major related to film, and if so, what was it?

Film studies and film production

During your time in college, did you do any work related to film, such as reviews for a student publication or make short films?

Yes, I was involved in many short films on varying scales

Eric Houston

The University of Notre Dame, South Bend, Ind.

• School colors: Blue and gold
• Nickname: The Fighting Irish

Was your major related to film, and if so, what was it?

Yes, I was a Film, Television and Theater major.

During your time in college, did you do any work related to film, such as reviews for a student publication or make short films?

I made several short films as part of my classwork and interned at a small video production company called Pentavision.

Melinda Lavine

The University of North Dakota, Grand Forks

• School colors: Green, white and black.
• Nickname: The Fighting Hawks.

Was your major related to film, and if so what was it?

No, I majored in English and Communication. I did have pipe dreams of going to film school in Bozeman, Montana, but I’m better suited for watching, writing and talking about movies than making them.

If your major wasn’t related to film, did you take film classes?

Oh yeah. I can never forget Michael Anderegg’s classes on film (and Shakespeare). He really opened my eyes to the craft of filmmaking and how to draw more from it than what’s on the surface. I also took a bunch of theater and acting classes, and wrote and directed a play for one of them.

During your time in college, did you do any work related to film, such as write reviews for a student publication or make short films?

Nope, but does working at a video store count? 😀

Matthew Liedke

Minnesota North College-Rainy River, International Falls, Minn.

• School colors: Red, white and black.
• Nickname: The Voyageurs.

Minnesota State University, Moorhead

• School colors: Red, white, black and grey.
• Nickname: The Dragons.

Was your major related to film, and if so, what was it?

No, I majored in mass communications with a journalism emphasis. As part of that major, though, I did have a few classes related to broadcast news which gave me a larger appreciation for camerawork and editing.

If your major wasn’t related to film, did you take film classes?

I did! I took a class called The American Cinema at MNC-RR and had several more at MSUM. Some of the courses I took at Minnesota State included Film History, Film Appreciation and International Cinema. Learning about film history was especially fascinating.

During your time in college, did you do any work related to film, such as write reviews for a student publication or make short films?

Yes, I wrote reviews for the student paper The Advocate, as well as the online publication, Doing it Downtown. The latter focused on films shown at the historic Fargo Theatre in downtown Fargo. I also began my film reviewing journey in college while attending MNC-RR with the launch of my website.

Ruth Maramis

St. Cloud State University, St. Cloud, Minn.

• School Colors: Red, black and white.
• Nickname: The Huskies.

Was your major related to film?

No, it was a mass communication (advertising) major and a graphic design minor.

If your major wasn’t related to film, did you take film classes?

No, but i wish I did. I did take a couple of broadcast journalism classes.

During your time in college, did you do any work related to film, such as write reviews for a student publication or make short films?

No, my film activities started post college.

Mark McPherson

The Art Institutes International-Minnesota, Minneapolis

• School colors: Black and red
• Nickname: Ai Minnesota

Was your major related to film, and if so, what was it?

Yes, I studied Media Arts and Animation.

During your time in college, did you do any work related to film, such as write reviews for a student publication or make short films?

I made some short films for class projects, mostly with 2D and 3D animation. I’d also write reviews for various online publications, as well as a local anime club.

Nicholas Palodichuk

The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities

• School colors: Maroon and gold.
• Nickname: The Golden Gophers.

What did you study in college?

I majored in fine arts.

Frank Stanko

The University of Dayton, Dayton, Ohio

• School colors: Red and blue.
• Nickname: The Flyers

Was your major related to film, and if so, what was it?

My major was communications, specifically journalism. I have a minor in sociology.

If your major wasn’t related to film, did you take film classes?

No, but I was active in campus theater and I took one class on the history of musicals, so there was some discussion of movies.

During your time in college, did you do any work related to film, such as write reviews for a student publication or make short films?

Yes, I wrote movie reviews for Flyer News, the school paper. My first review was of “American Gangster” and off the top of my head, others included “Scott Pilgrim vs. the World” and “The Social Network.”

Tyler Strandberg

Gustavus Adolphus College, St. Peter, Minn.

• School colors: Black and gold
• Nickname: The Golden Gusties

Was your major related to film, and if so, what was it?

I was a Theatre major in college, so I suppose my degree is film-adjacent? I was also an English minor, which I feel helped me with my writing process.

If your major wasn’t related to film, did you take film classes?

I took a Shakespeare class where we discussed about 5 different Shakespeare plays, and as part of it we watched a film adaptation of each one. That’s where I was first introduced to Shakespeare in Love (1998), but we also watched Kenneth Branaugh’s Hamlet (1996) in that class as well.

I took another history class with a professor who similarly loved film, and at the end of each unit we watched a movie that related to the topic and had to write an essay on it. I saw some of my favorite films in that class, such as Princess Mononoke (1997) and Hero (2002), as well some classics such as Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000), and Ran (1985)

During your time in college, did you do any work related to film, such as write reviews for a student publication or make short films?

I became increasingly passionate about expanding my knowledge of films during my early college years. However, around the halfway point, I found myself somewhat overwhelmed by the sheer number of films I had watched.

It became challenging to remember which ones I had seen, my thoughts on them, or how I ranked them relative to each other. To maintain better organization, I started my own film blog where I systematically rate and rank every film I watch. This way, I create a visual database of the films I’ve viewed along with my ratings. If only I had discovered Letterboxd back then!