Last Fall term, the Hopkins Center piloted a program to allow Dartmouth students who perform in choral, instrumental and dance ensembles to provide professors and staff members with complimentary tickets to their performances at the Hop. This spring, the program is now offering two free tickets and access to main-stage theater groups.
In its third term, the program has expanded in various ways, in part due to the help of the Student Assembly. The Assembly has subsidized the cost of a second ticket for every invitation so that professors and staff members who are invited may bring a guest of their choice. A second ticket is expected to broaden application and increase the desirability of the program. Students are allotted one pair of tickets per term and can arrange invitations easily through BlitzMail.
The program was originally conceived after members of the various groups expressed interest in inviting their professors to shows. The program was soon started by the Hop administration in conjunction with Dean of the Faculty Carol Folt, who agreed that student performances at the Hop should be shared by all members of the campus community.
"It's great to be able to open our theaters to larger audiences to show off the hard work and talents of our impressive student performers," said Hop Director Jeffrey James.
The new Hop program follows the lead of previous policies employed by the College such as "Take a Professor to Lunch," which was founded in 2000 by the Student Activities Office, in collaboration with the Hanover Inn, to encourage interaction between professors and students with the use of free food. The lunch program has gained popularity since its introduction.
Proponents of the new ticket policy hope that free tickets will encourage the same interaction and dialogue between professors and students outside of the classroom.
"I am delighted that the Hop will be able to provide a new avenue to broaden relationships between students and the faculty or staff they otherwise may only connect to in the classroom or workplace," James said.
Dartmouth student ensemble performances begin on April 12 at 7 p.m., with The Dartmouth Dance Ensemble's "The Table: A Modern Dance Concert."