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Student Profile: Lauren Cioffi

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Georgetown student Lauren Cioffi took a year off from college to gain first-hand experience with filmmaking. (Photo: courtesy Lauren Cioffi)

By Gabrielle Matthews

Georgetown junior Lauren Cioffi has taken two classes, so far, with Professor Wurtzler, and notes his passion for his subject is one of the reasons she is pleased to be studying with him. She is currently taking his “Avant-Garde Film” class in this spring semester.

“I enjoy how Professor Wurtzler is so passionate about his subjects that he has to work to find the most rare or authentic versions of the films he is showing in order to give the students a true experience of the film,” she said. “He also takes the time to incorporate filmmakers from around the globe of different genders and races to provide multiple perspectives. In ‘Avant Gard Film’ we watch more than 100 films in a semester.”

It is not only his keen interest in his subject, but also his teaching style this Santa Monica, California native finds so helpful in his classes.

“I really like the way Professsor Wurtzler engages all of his students in class discussion by encouraging them to think about film in new and different ways,” she noted. “No comment will be too out there or too complex to share in class so students feel they have the freedom to really explore the films and engage with other student’s comments.”

When Lauren decided this year to study film as a major--she was unsure that Georgetown was indeed the right place for her. Wurtzler, however, convinced her otherwise.

“When I realized this year I wanted to definitely study film as a major, I thought I would have to leave Georgetown because it is not a focus of Georgetown’s curriculum,” she explained. “However, taking Professor Wurtzler’s class and experiencing his passion for film has helped me to realize that I can study and actively engage with film here and with Professor Wurtzler’s help, I can carve out a path for myself here at Georgetown.”

Lauren is indeed carving a path for herself by working with film on extracurricular projects. She took a year off from Georgetown last year to work on independent productions across the U.S., and is now working on campus on video design for theater productions, as well as working on documentary film shoots in DC.

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