Creating Circus
Frydman described Circus as "hugely fun" to create. The many aspects of production, including financing, advertising and campus networking, led to further involvement in various areas of the College. Frydman found that her project, stemming from her own vision, became "the opposite of intense personal engagement." Most of her tasks included talking to people about their writing, creating relationships and making best friends.
The witty, funny and wise staff of Circus was "a constant source of inspiration and growth" for Frydman. She found that the publication achieved "cohesion and a sense of purpose" that was reflected in the final product.
Those involved with Circus have similar admiration for Frydman. Andrew Goldberg '03 admires Frydman's "passion for creating a new and different, professional-quality literary magazine."
"Marcella's leadership in guiding the group to a successful first issue was astounding," said Goldberg.
Ciona Van Dijk '03 agreed. Of the first meeting for Circus she said, "I was immediately hooked-Marcella's enthusiasm for the project was catching." Van Dijk was particularly impressed with Frydman's ability to infuse her own energy and vision into the project in a lasting way. Van Dijk explains that Frydman's energy has "inspired a new generation of editors" and that Circus "still embodies Marcella's original vision."
Writing a biography
Frydman is no longer directly involved with Circus, as sophomore Eva Gladek stepped in this year while Frydman focused on a new project-her English thesis. She decided to interview her grandmother, who lived "an extremely complicated life," mostly in Poland, including time in a concentration camp during World War II. No one in Frydman's family knew the story and Frydman found her grandmother to be "a completely awe-inspiring narrator." The interview was in Polish, and for her thesis, Frydman translated and wrote about her grandmother's words.
Frydman's idea for the project came partly from a special topics class, "Writing Biography" with Senior Lecture Helen Von Schmidt. The thesis was part memoir, part biography. Frydman said that she was especially intrigued by how ideas in the classroom affected real relationships with people. Frydman loves "the intersection between world experience and [the] academy." Von Schmidt, her thesis advisor, was "wonderful because she understood the human dimension of the project, moving away from books."
Professor of English Andrew Parker was also a source of inspiration for Frydman, who talked to Parker before she started writing. He helped Frydman come up with "a way of thinking about how to talk about her grandmother's life." And though Parker was not directly involved with the thesis production, he said that he was "delighted with what she accomplished."
Frydman also found guidance and support from her friends, including Ali Sacks '03. Sacks, who was also working on a thesis, loved the collaborative effort and how "topics spill over from one area to another." She praises Frydman's thesis as "a real risk, both personally and intellectually." Through the project, she noticed Frydman "grow so much" as she created "something truly beyond her vision."
Words of inspiration
Frydman decided to stay at the College for all four years, going abroad only for one summer to Poland, where she worked for a weekly English publication.
Frydman does not have set plans for the future, but hopes to work with people who are writing in some way that is "inspiring and engaging." She loves "people who are engaged with writing" and hopes to find a new and exciting "community of ideas" outside of the College.