Languages & Literature | Life after MC

Alumni Highlight

Amy Cron Chan

Name: Amy Cron Chan (Class of 2001)
Major at MC: English Literature
Minor at MC: History
Current employer: Free-lance, hired on a project-by-project basis
Current title: TV Producer

What have you recently achieved in your career or life that you’re especially proud of?
Producing my first show was an incredibly rewarding experience — I'd have to say that I am most proud of my ability to set a goal and go after it.  I would not say that I am a risk taker by nature, but thankfully, God has given me an ambitious nature that will not allow me to settle … for anything.  One of the biggest risks I've ever had to take was packing up my belongings and moving to Los Angeles with no contacts, no idea how to get into the entertainment industry, and really no idea how I was going to live. All I knew was that I had a dream: to be a producer.

Your Senior Study had a lot to do with your decision to move to California.  Explain.
My senior thesis compared and contrasted two film versions of Romeo and Juliet with Shakespeare's text. It was quite an undertaking since, with the help of my senior thesis advisor Dr. [Sam] Overstreet, I had to teach myself film theory. It was during this extraordinary year of work on my thesis that I began to look at film as more than just a personal passion and really consider it as a possible career option. Upon arriving in Hollywood, I had a chance encounter with Baz Lurhmann, director of Romeo+Juliet (1996). I was able to show him my senior thesis, which he happily signed. For me, it was confirmation that I truly had been called to Hollywood and this industry.

Other than your Senior Study, in what ways did your Maryville College experience prepare you for your current vocation? 
Every time I start work on a new television show, I have to adapt to a new work environment, new coworkers and new office protocols. As a producer, 90 percent of my job is solving problems, and there's no manual for that. MC's greatest achievement is providing students with the ability to look at situations intelligently, to be effective problem solvers and to adapt to surroundings. The First-Year and Senior Seminars require students to look at their lives, their communities, and the world in new ways. J-Term classes provide a wide variety of experiences for students to step outside their normal array of classes and explore something new. And Mountain Challenge provides a fun outdoor approach to teamwork and problem-solving. The ability to stretch, grow, explore and take risks in the safe confines of the school builds the confidence that is needed to tackle challenges after college.

Things you love the most about what you do now:
Whether on location or at a sound stage, there is nothing more exhilarating than the "shoot." It is the moment when all of your weeks or months of planning come together and the vision is finally realized. True, you still have to go back and edit everything together, but for however many days that you are on set shooting, there is a frenetic energy that comes from having lots of people in various disciplines (producers, director, actors, cameramen, audio, electrics, hair and make-up, art department, etc.) all come together for one common goal.

Favorite course at MC:
One that sticks out in my mind is the science fiction/fantasy class taught by Dr. Schneibel. It was a wonderful awakening to a new genre of literature that I continue to explore today. Understanding the elements of good science fiction and fantasy is a great asset in a career that thrives on alternate realities.

One thing you’ll never forget about MC:
Relationships with friends and faculty sustained and supported me throughout college and even today. But if I had to choose one thing that I'll never forget about MC, it can be summed up in a word: flamingo. One of my former roommates recently posted photos of some of our campus shenanigans on Facebook, reminding me of what fun we had together. Our flamingo escapades provided us with an outlet for creativity, community and even a little harmless devious behavior. But I'm afraid if you want to know the real story, you'll have to ask Dr. Overstreet.

Recent Graduate/Career Data

NAME MC DEGREE FIELD INSTITUTION/LOCATION
Graves,
Heather		 Writing/
Communication		 Law School UTK
Morgan,
Drew		 Writing/
Communication		 Law School Boston College
Cook,
Jamey		 Spanish Ph.D. Spanish UNC, Chapel Hill
Groth,
Ashley		 English M.S. Public Administration Indiana University
King,
Scott		 Writing/
Communication		 M.S. Environmental Studies, J.D. Law Vermont Law School
Blackburn,
Brandon		 English M.A. English University of Albany, NY
Clark,
Meghan		 English M.S. Environmental Studies, J.D. Law Vermont Law School
Evans,
Rebecca		 Spanish Law School Hamline School of Law,
St Paul, MN
Moore,
Sara		 Writing/
Communication		 Journalism New York University, NYC
Barker,
Brandon		 English M.A. English MTSU
Cogburn,
Arynda		 English M.S. Information Science UTK
First,
Nathan		 English M.Div. Regent’s College,
Vancouver, BC
Martinez,
Erin		 English M.S. Socio-linguistics Colorado University
Newhouse,
Ryan		 English M.S. Environmental Studies University of Montana
Williams,
Leigh		 Writing/
Communication		 M.S. Social Work-Gerontology UTK
Cron,
Amy		 English Producer, Documentary Films Planet Grande,
Los Angeles, CA
Dibble,
Teresa		 English Editor, Medical Magazine Johnson City Press
Mann,
Jennifer		 English M.A. Anthropology/
Historical Linguistics		 Idaho State University
Watson,
Ashley		 English M.F.A. Poetry Goddard University,
Vermont
West,
Summar		 English M.A. Social Sciences University of Chicago
Flatt,
Chad		 English Ph.D. English University of Alabama
Gooden,
Lenore		 English M.Ed English UTK
Hoover,
Andrew J.		 English M.A. Medieval/
Byzantine Studies		 Catholic University of America
Washington, DC
Jewell,
Matthew		 English/
Philosophy		 M.F.A. Writing Chicago Museum of Art
McCarter,
Amanda		 English M.S. Public Relations UTK
Strunk,
Julie		 English/
Psychology		 M.S. Forensic Psychology University of West Virginia
Webb,
Allison		 English Law School UTK
Whipkey,
Charlotte		 Writing/
Communication		 M.S. Social Work/
Public Administration		 West Virginia University
Brashears,
Jennifer		 Spanish M.A. Spanish MTSU
Christians,
Sarah		 English/
History		 M.A. American Studies Purdue University
Hayes,
Daniel		 English M.A. Creative Writing Sarah Lawrence College, NY
Wagner,
Sarah		 Writing/
Communication		 M.S. Administration/
Planning		 UTK
Goocey,
Joshua		 English M.A. Religious Studies, M.A. Theology Wake Forest University
Leslie,
Patrick		 English M.S. Computer Science University of Maryland
Miller,
Marissa		 Writing/
Communication		 M.S. Historic Preservation Georgia State University
Scheunemann,
Kim		 English M.A. Communications UTK
Stevenson,
Sarah		 Writing/
Communication		 M.A. Communications University of Kentucky
Webb,
Matthew		 English Law School UTK