What is your name & what are you studying?
My name is Roxy Cowan (@roxyycowan) and I am a rising junior Creative Producing major and Women and Gender Studies Minor. I’m also a content creator for the Dodge social media pages, specializing in the Tik Tok account and the Student Spotlights, and I have a Chapman Radio show called Tik Talk (@tik.talk.pod) where we highlight artists that have gone viral on Tik Tok, and deep dive into their discography. I work at Tiddlywinks Toys and Games (@tiddlywinksoc) in the Circle, and I run the Tik Tok for them as well! 

What inspired you to pursue a career in film?
I love how creative and involved all of filmmaking is. It’s impossible to make a film by yourself and it’s so important to understand how to collaborate well with others. The pandemic really solidified my interest in entertainment because it was what everyone had to turn to with nothing else to do. Even when I was interested in other fields like engineering, it was always in an entertainment context, so I knew that that was something I was genuinely interested in and wanted to pursue. 

What made you choose Dodge?
I tell this story a lot, so anyone who knows me has probably heard it, but I went to a screening of the senior theses and saw just how loving, collaborative, and supportive the community of Dodge was. I remember how badly I wanted to apply to Dodge after that, and now I always tell people to try to see the school they are applying to when no one is trying to pitch it to them. It’s a great way to see the potential of the school they are applying to and how the atmosphere is when there’s no pretense of prospective students. 

What’s a favorite on set experience of yours?
I was working on a thesis during my freshman year and we had a beautiful location out in a park. We had our catering and were enjoying the nature we were surrounded by. Suddenly, someone started playing music and everyone started dancing to Queen music and Elton John. Even if people didn’t know each other, they were still enjoying the time spent with fellow Dodge kids. It was a great example of how Dodge students are able to work hard, play hard, and want to make sure that making films isn’t stressful. 

What do you want to do in the future?
For as long as I can remember, I’ve been obsessed with learning about theme parks and have recently delved into learning about theme park development and history. My love of film very much intertwines with this interest, and so many of the skills we learn in class are cross-applicable, especially when it comes to themed entertainment. I would love to be a Creative Director at Walt Disney Imagineering, or be a Story Developer for rides and lands at theme parks around the world. I think theme parks are such a unique and effective form of storytelling, and there are few things that give me this insatiable need to learn more than theme parks. 

What is your favorite class at Dodge and why?
I would say my two favorite classes would be Film History and Film Aesthetics. It’s a class that can be incredibly effective if you take it seriously, and the opportunity to watch multiple movies a week for free in the beautiful Folino is something everyone should take advantage of while they can. 

If you could give any one piece of advice to your freshman self, what would it be?
Relax!! Enjoy everything! It’s all going to be okay 🙂