Dyson College of Arts and Sciences

D Y S O N Y E A R I N R E V I E W • 2 0 1 9 – 2 0 2 0 18 Meet the Fellows Cheyenne Anderson '21 "In fourth grade, I had a teacher who had us write short stories, and she told my parents that mine was one of the best she had read from a kid my age," Anderson said. "I took the compliment and ran from there!" Today, she's an acting major, International Performance Ensemble program, who is actively involved at Pace. During the 2019–20 academic year, she served as president of Stand Up! Productions, a student theater organization, and represented the Pace School of Performing Arts in the Student Government Association. As a storyteller, she's produced poems, plays, and other work grounded in authenticity. "I believe in the necessity of telling lots of different kinds of stories with unflinching honesty," Anderson said. The truth about her own story is that it hasn't always been an easy one. Originally from Kentucky, Anderson struggles with chronic health conditions, and her path to Pace took her through boarding school, a gap year, and community college. Now, she's using her own experience as inspiration to forge a career as a multifaceted theatrical artist and producer. Express Yourself W ith the inception of the Pace Storytelling for Equity and Inclusion Fellowship, partly funded by a grant from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, Dyson College has a new opportunity to play an important role in fostering diversity and equal representation. Launched in fall 2019, the fellowship program was created as a springboard to amplify diverse voices. Open to sophomores and juniors, it provides training and mentorship through monthly workshops, seminars, and events geared toward developing creative excellence and mastery of the writing craft, as well as assistance with graduate school applications and career and job search guidance. Fellows also receive a stipend and a paid summer internship to equip them with the knowledge and experience to enable success. "This program gives an opportunity for students whose voices might not otherwise be heard to write," program coordinator Lucia Burns said. " The inaugural cohort of nine participants began in spring 2020 after a comprehensive application and interview process. They attended several panel discussions with industry professionals including screenwriter/director/producer Sue Kramer, and young adult author and founder of We Need Diverse Books Dhonielle Clayton. During summer 2020, the students interned at arts, media, and technology organizations including New York Stage and Film, Valiant Entertainment, and Art Garage. "Our goal is to help diversify writers' rooms across the spectrum of arts organizations by developing a growing cadre of excellent writers from currently under-represented groups to tell their stories," Burns said. A new fellowship is providing opportunities for diverse creatives. "I believe in the necessity of telling lots of different kinds of stories with unflinching honesty." —Cheyenne Anderson

• Cover