Salaam Mira!

Yesterday was the Elkin R. Isaac Research Symposium at Albion College. Students from all across the school share their research in presentations or poster displays for the rest of campus. I sat in on several very interesting presentations including that of my girlfriend Molly, her roommate Kelly and my roommate Corey. The highlight of the day, however, was to come ater that evening.

Mira Nair, director of films such as "Salaam Bombay", "Monsoon Wedding", "Vanity Fair" and "The Namesake" was chosen to be the keynote speaker this year.

At 7 PM I joined the rest of the interested crowds in Goodrich Chapel to hear Mrs. Nair speak. She was welcomed by the college president and introduced via a short film chronicling her work over the past few decades. She then spoke to the audience about her career and how she developed through her career and from a documentary filmmaker to working with Hollywood fictional films. She was then honored with a Doctorate of Humane Letters from Albion College.

After the lecture, there was a reception held at the Bobbit Visual Arts Center where I, and the rest of the audience, was able to meet Mrs. Nair. She was very charming in person and kept great conversation. I told her of my plans for this fall and her eyes widened when I mentioned SCAD. She said she also has an honorary doctorate from there, as the was the commencement speaker a few years ago. What a small world!