Dr. Leon Lederman, Stephen Moore ’89, Jill Mitchell \u2789, Rebecca Arnal \u2789, and Dr. Stephanie Pace Marshall

Dr. Leon Lederman, Stephen Moore ’89, Jill Mitchell \u2789, Rebecca Arnal ’89, and Dr. Stephanie Pace Marshall discuss the early years of IMSA and the charter class experience. The alumni start by discussing how they first heard about IMSA and applied. Dr. Pace Marshall asks what they thought IMSA promised them. Dr. Lederman asks them what stands out in their memory, and all three alumni emphasize the excellent humanities classes and teachers and the way those influenced their later careers. They also discuss the feeling of bonding that came from living in the school building before the dorms were ready, and the sense that they were part of creating the school as the charter class. Moore reflects on what made the pedagogical approach at IMSA unique, and Dr. Lederman and Dr. Pace Marshall discuss how they chose faculty to help create that environment. Dr. Pace Marshall asks how IMSA influenced their lives and careers, looking back. Moore speaks to its influence on him as a parent now, and on his work as a playwright. Mitchell relates how an IMSA English teacher, Dr. Clark, influenced her decision to study art history and how that has shaped her career in advertising. They discuss the challenges of getting funding from the state, and the threat that IMSA would close halfway through its second year. The charter class went on buses to Springfield to talk to legislators to help get funding for the school to stay open. Recorded at the 2009 Alumni Reunion by IMSA Media Services. Duration: 0:24:10 Photos available below.https://digitalcommons.imsa.edu/oral_histories/1004/thumbnail.jp