My Weekend...There's Always a Disney Connection

I spent this past weekend at my alma mater, Asbury University, for my 20th (gulp!) reunion. In addition, there was a reunion of all the choral groups featuring two directors that were very special to me in my college career. The reunion weekend was great fun, and aside from visiting and singing with old friends, the highlight was touring Asbury's new Andrew S. Miller Center for Communication Arts. The facility is amazing! Here's a little info:

The Andrew S. Miller Center for Communication Arts, designed by Sherman Carter Barnhart architects, has a convergence newsroom for The Collegian, WACW, WASB-TV and online news, a 120-seat movie and media theater, two multimedia production labs, audio and video editing suites, a professional level recording studio, a 6000 square-foot soundstage modeled after 20th Century Fox’s Hollywood studios, a 5000 square-foot black box theater, an interior and exterior backstage for filming, dressing rooms, a green room, prop storage, a set construction shop, and a garage area for the production trailer.

In additional to all that cool "communicationy" stuff, the center is a veritable treasure trove of movie and TV memorabilia. From a camera used on the set of I Love Lucy! to a broom used in filming Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban to the very storefronts used in filming Citizen Kane, every turn offers new delights for the eyes. And, as promised, there is always a Disney connection!

One of Asbury's more famous students was Dean Jones, known primarily for his role in the various Herbie movies. Although Mr. Jones did not graduate from Asbury, he considers it his alma mater (and has received an honorary degree). He was on hand for the ribbon cutting of the new building in 2011--he even spoke in a chapel service! There is an entire case in the new Communications Center featuring memorabilia from Mr. Jones' personal collection. And guess what's in the case!

Yes, that is his Disney Legend award. (Sorry for the terrible glare...the lights in the building were reflecting in the glass.) How awesome is that! I got a little verklempt when I saw it! Oh, and there was some cool Herbie stuff too. And a personal letter to Dean from Ronald Reagan.

I've always been proud to be an Asburian...now I'm just a little bit prouder. If you or someone you know wants to major in communications, Asbury is definitely the place to be. Not only is the new facility stellar, their program can rival any large university out there, but with a personal, caring touch you won't find at a big university.