“What the Eyes See and the Mind Perceives, the Heart Soon Follows” In my advertising copywriting class I try to teach my students to be concise but complete. That’s what I will attempt to do in this correspondence. You are receiving this email for any number of reasons. Some reasons being we want to get you involved, keep you informed, seek your guidance, and solicit your support. Last week I was invited to meet with Robb and Wendy Quinn of the Underwood Foundation through a few degrees of email correspondence which began with alum Dan Patrinos and included: Dr. Lynn Turner the Diederich College of Communication Interim Dean, Helen Boomsma the Provost Liaison to Advancement, and Joyce Wolburg the Chair of the Advertising and Public Relations Department. Robb is the Director and Vice President of the Underwood Foundation. The president and founder of the Underwood Foundation is Thom Feroah, PhD, who is a member of the Milwaukee-based Center for International Health, and a professor at the Medical College of Wisconsin. Robb Quinn also serves as President of the Milwaukee Chapter of the Coalition of Photographic Arts (COPA). Dan Patrinos also serves as a very active COPA board member. The Underwood Foundation seeks “to advance and support humanitarian principles and practices both locally and worldwide through all forms of art with a special interest in fine art and photo essay photography. Fine art photography can bridge cultural gaps and diminish perceived differences between individuals and nature. Photography can also effectively document and communicate the work of our health care, education, and humanitarian partners. As a result photography can serve to promote, advance, and sustain humanitarian projects over time.” The Underwood Foundation seeks to accomplish goals through the following means: 1. Developing photo-documentary and photo-essay projects within health care and other humanitarian projects. 2. Supporting the development of humanitarian principles of artists and their work. 3. Developing a collection fine art photography for loan that reflects the guiding principles of the Underwood Foundation. 4. Actively disseminating and exhibiting works of art by recognized and supported artists of the Foundation and from the Foundation’s collection.
5. Supporting photography and humanitarian programs locally in Wisconsin as well as throughout the world. [This information about the Underwood Foundation was taken from the organization’s web site http://www. theunderwoodfoundation.org/.] On a personal note, never was I so excited about attending a Monday morning meeting. Initially we met because Wendy Quinn and the Underwood Foundation are looking for help on marketing dolls made in Peru. The dolls are based on a photograph of a Tibetan child and made by women in Peru based on a design by a Milwaukee fiber artist. The proceeds from the sale of the dolls go to women and children in Peru and Tibet. The main issue is how to get dolls into stores and sell them. We did discuss the doll project and so much more. It was clear to all of us that building a dynamic, ongoing relationship between the Underwood Foundation, COPA, Marquette University, and the Diederich College Communication would be mutually beneficial and particularly exciting for our students. When you review some of the ideas that came out of our brainstorming I think you will discover why you have been included in this correspondence. Ideas we discussed include: 1. In my Fall 2009 Craft of Digital Storytelling graduate class we will develop a “microsite” for marketing the Peruvian/Tibetan dolls. This will be a dynamic site including a social media marketing mix. 2. The Underwood Foundation becoming a future client for the ADPR capstone campaigns course. The primary goal of the strategic campaign would be to develop the Underwood Foundation brand. 3. Developing a special course that would bring professional photographers on campus from the Underwood Foundation and COPA to share their work and experience with students, as well as instruct them technically in the creation of photographic images to advance and support humanitarian principles and practices. The course would be based on the Diederich Visiting Scholar/Professional model used to develop the Sports Communication course taught by Dr. Jim Pokrywczynski. 4. Exploring the possibility of photographers from the Underwood Foundation, who have traveled extensively throughout the world accumulating a wealth of knowledge you can’t get in a textbook, to instruct and assist students involved in the Cagli Summer Communications Program and the St. Xavier’s India College Backpack Journalism Workshop. 5. Exploring the possibility of exhibiting works of art by recognized and supported artists of the Foundation and from the Foundation’s collection at the Haggerty Museum of Art. 6. Working in partnership with the faculty and students of the Helfaer Theatre in any number of ways. 7. Developing student internship opportunities with the Underwood Foundation and COPA. 8. Exploring the possibility of Underwood Foundation and COPA photographers working with the Urban Journalism Workshop. 9. Providing educational support and training in digital storytelling and social media publishing and promotion to Underwood Foundation and COPA photographers. 10. To gain the support, interest, and involvement of Dr. Robert Griffin because of his interest and scholarship in environmental, energy and health related issues, as well as photography.
11. Cohosting and cosponsoring on and off campus photography workshops, portfolio reviews, and networking opportunities for interested students throughout not only the College, but University. There is more we discussed that I am probably forgetting to include. After meeting with Dan, Robb, and Wendy and realizing the mission of the Underwood Foundation it was so clear how much we can share to promote the visual arts in the Milwaukee and Marquette community. Now that I have provided some background on our initial meeting, I would like to arrange a meeting and invite you to participate in moving forward in discussing and developing a mutually beneficial relationship. Please let us know if you are interested in joining us.