by Ethan Shaw
Staff Writer
Abruptly awoken by the cheerful voice of the bus driver on the intercom, ODU students and faculty wiped the sleep from their eyes at the sight of the sun rising over the New York City skyline. We arrived bright and early at 6:30 Saturday morning, March 26. A seven-hour drive on two Sprinter Buses, the fatigue of the epic drive was quickly replaced with awe and excitement as teachers and students set their feet down on the concrete jungle of midtown Manhattan. The day trip was organized and sponsored by the ODU art department and gave students the opportunity to observe the unique architecture of the city and visit the world famous museums that makes New York City America’s epicenter for artistic culture.
Students representing a diverse collection of majors including graphic design, art history, photography, art education and me, the lone journalism major, were quickly moved to assigned groups headed by ODU professors. With three groups total, everyone began the day with a hearty breakfast at the Tick Tock Diner located at 481 8th Avenue intersecting at 34th Street. The groups went their separate ways to pursue their individual itineraries, which involved visiting various museums and famous landmarks of the city. Within each group, students were given the opportunity to branch out and explore their individual interests with the only rule being to meet back for the bus departure at 157 West 33rd Street. by 3:30 p.m.
Students in the group headed by Professor Elliot C. Jones left the diner and got to ride the famous New York City subway system from Penn Station to 50th Street by the landmark Rockefeller Plaza. Trying to catch the NBC Today Show, the group quickly broke out in a half sprint down 50th Street to the world-renowned Rockefeller Center. Unfortunately, students missed the show by a mere five minutes, but the small trot left a memorable experience that bonded the group for the rest of the day. With cameras in hand, students visited the NBC Experience Store that held a variety of merchandise; “The Office” character bobble heads and hospital scrubs stitched with the fictional Princeton Plainsboro Teaching Hospital lettering from the hit series “House”. Small cliques of threes and fours went their own way, visiting the famous ice rink in Rockefeller Center (and yes, they still have ice!), Central Park and a host of small shops and gift stores.
Eventually Jones’s group met back up at the Museum of Modern Art, popularly referred to as the MoMA, which opened at 10:30 a.m.. It was here that the bulk of the time was taken for many. The MoMA is considered the leading museum of modern art in the world. With six floors labeled Architecture and Design, Drawings, Film and Media, Painting and Sculpture, Photography and Prints and Illustrated Books; students were able to see the works of the most talented and world renowned artists from around the globe. Such artists included Vincent Van Gogh, Andy Warhol, Henry Mattisse, Edward Ruscha, Roy Lichtenstein and Barnett Newman.
After the museum, exploring and experiencing the city life of Time Square took up the remaining time of the trip. Within the other two groups led by Professors Robert Wojtowicz and Cheryl White, students had the opportunity to visit the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the American Folk Art Museum, Highline Park, Kim Beck’s Highline Installation and the Chelsea Art Galleries. Being an associate professor of art for ODU for the past 18 years, Jones said, “We believe trips like these are very important for our students, as it gives them exposure to art in a way they wouldn’t experience merely from a textbook. It broadens their horizons and should inspire them to greater heights as artists.” Jones later explained how the art department has made trips to Washington D.C. and Richmond in the past, and this endeavor to New York was the first of its kind. Because of its success, it’s easy to see why the art department hopes to make it an annual event.
Art Department Chairwoman, Dianne deBeixedon said, “We believe this is a great experience for the students, and dividing into groups like we did was necessary so everyone could see what they really wanted to see.” After ten hours of walking, students were relieved to finally rest their feet and warm up on the busses, a welcomed reprieve from the 30 degree weather. The seven-hour trip back felt almost non-existent. Most students passed out from a physical cocktail of exhaustion, the feel of the steady flow of heat from the vents and the hypnotic hum of the bus engine.
All in all, the trip was a huge success, adding even more to the ODU college experience. Junior Jaimie Phillips said, “I’ve never been to New York before so this was all very new for me.” Other students had similar sentiments and were excited to be able to tell their friends and family members about their escapades in the Big Apple.
Photo by: Christian Platon
