University of Minnesota President Eric Kaler stars in silent film to introduce himself to the Class of 2016 during convocation
He's a chemical engineer, but this president can act too
Contacts: Patty Mattern, University News Service, mattern@umn.edu, (612) 624-5551
MINNEAPOLIS / ST. PAUL (08/30/2012) —University of Minnesota first-year students were introduced to President Eric Kaler through the silent film The First Year, “a romance of discovery.” The film premiered during convocation this morning.
The film stars President Kaler; his graduate school roommate Goldy Gopher; his wife, Karen; the golden retriever Jovie (the pet of two U of M students); professor Kevin Dorfman; and U of M students. The musical score is by graduate student Tiffany Skidmore who assembled a team of musicians, many of them U of M students. Those students recorded music to the picture using a dada-style -- they even named their group the 'Insane Gopher Dada Orchestra.'
The comedy short (153 seconds) welcomes the estimated 5,500 students who make up the U of M Class of 2016, but everyone will enjoy viewing it.