San Francisco, California · Arts and Sciences
San Francisco, California · Arts and Sciences
dave.mckew@gmail.com
Twitter: twitter.com/backawayslowly
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dave.
Tell us about what you're doing with your life.

What was your favorite class at Cornell, or the one you found the most useful?
Psyschology of Visual Communications with James Maas and 16mm Filmmaking with Marilyn Rivchin. Maas' seminar was basically a photography class about designing effective pictures. Rivchin's class was whatever you made of it—I used it to learn storytelling. Both classes taught me a lot about patience and connecting to an audience.
What extracurricular activity or hobby from your time at Cornell was the most meaningful?
No question that it was my three years as a charter member of the Cornell SKITS-O-PHRENICS, the now 22-year-old sketch comedy troupe! It was during this time that I found my passion and realized that I was, first and foremost, a story-teller. I learned a lot about teamwork, self-expression, group dynamics, compromise, and censorship... plus the really important stuff like how to eat a stick of butter on stage and where to get the best cheap plus-size dresses in Ithaca.
What random or surprising encounters with Cornell or Cornellians have you experienced since you left?
My Cornell nickname was "Madonna Dave." Twice in the last decade, I've bumped into old classmates from freshman year who happened to ask me what I was up to WHILE I WAS HEADING TO A MADONNA CONCERT (via train/plane) and I had to sheepishly admit it. "Some things never change," they said! I swear, it's not the only thing I do, but I have seen 17 Madonna concerts. Another small world story: I did a show in SF a few months ago with a woman who, like me, lived in 227 Risley - many years after I did!