Favorite memory of WMU: I have two of them. First, in the summer of 1973, I met the Department of Theatre's secretary. She was someone I believed to be a fair number of years older than I was given her sophistication, thoughtfulness and well-reasoned sense of the world. I was fascinated by her. We became friends, part of a group of theatre people who hung out together all of the time, and, seven years later (after I had grown in maturity though, I fear, never quite matching hers!), we were married. Now, 35 years later, Cheryl Pinto and I are still together. My other strongest memory is of the camaraderie and ensemble spirit of the students and faculty in the Department of Theatre when rallying around the development of a production. It was through these experiences that I developed a passion for the art form and I learned the value of teamwork, discipline and respect for others. (And the all-nighters we pulled in the scene shop to finish painting the sets or hanging the lights taught me to appreciate coffee!)
How do you feel to be honored with a Distinguished Alumni Award? Humbled, honored and proud. I have never thought of myself as doing anything particularly 'distinguished.' I have lived a life based on what I learned while at Western: explore ideas and opportunities, keep your head down and mind focused on the work, help others achieve their goals and try to make a difference in the world. If that's 'distinguished' then I believe that I represent thousands of other Western alumni who do what I've done, though likely not in positions quite as visible as mine.
Advice to current students/recent graduates: I knew from my early high school years that I wanted a career in the theatre, the performing arts. As Hemingway said, "it is good to have an end to journey toward, but it is the journey that matters, in the end." I kept moving in the direction of the goal I had set, but I was willing to explore tangential opportunities. As I look back on my own journey and the 'side trips' I took as I moved forward, I see the path that led me here and I have found great joy and remarkable satisfaction in all that I have done. Some steps were painful, and others were horrible mistakes, but all were valuable. My advice? Have the goal. Keep moving toward it, but don't ignore the interesting variations that will come your way. Don't be distracted by every 'sparkly' thing you see, of course. You'll need evaluate them carefully, but never dismiss an alternative or option too quickly.
When was the last time you were on campus? I came to campus for the memorial service for Professor Greg Roehrick. Greg and I become close friends when he joined the WMU faculty in the last 70s at which time I was on staff in the Department of Theatre handled marketing, promotion and front-of-house. Being reminded of all that Greg did for Western for nearly four decades added to personal loss that all of us felt. The fact that Greg recommended my nomination for this honor just days before fell ill and died makes the visit in October all the more meaningful and bittersweet.
Martin joined the faculty at Carnegie Mellon in 1992. In his current position, he leads the college, which consists of five schools (Architecture, Art, Design, Drama and Music), eight degree programs, six research centers, 160 faculty and 1,300 students. Martin was also responsible for founding the Center for Art Management and Technology at the University. Highlighting his long list of accomplishments are a visiting professorship at Bologna University in Italy and at the University of Montreal in Quebec, and as a guest lecturer at the University of Barcelona.
Martin has visited WMU’s campus on many occasions as a guest artist, providing workshops, seminars, and guest lectures for current students. The author of numerous reports, magazine and journal articles on arts management, Martin spent his early career in not-for-profit professional and educational theatre. He also holds a Masters of Fine Arts in Performing Arts Management at City University of New York.
To learn more about the Distinguished Alumni Award, click here.