Whittier College alum celebrates behind-scenes role in Oscar-nominated ‘American Fiction’
This Whittier College alum discovered that setting and achieving new career goals is something you can do at any age.
The 33-year-old Emily Baeza served as the second assistant director on the Oscar-nominated movie “American Fiction,” which is up for five awards on Sunday, March 10 at the 96th Academy Awards, including best picture.
One of Baeza’s high school instructors at Montebello High School urged her to go to the four-year liberal arts college Whittier College. Its small class sizes and engaging programming looked ideal for her.
She became a member of the Whittier Scholars Program, which lets learners create custom degrees. She customized her coursework to include a wide range of subjects, including environmental science, creative writing, and journalism. Her primary concern iswhich lets students create custom degrees. She customized her coursework to include a wide range of subjects, including environmental science, creative writing, and journalism. Her primary area of research became the media and its relationships with communities.
“My time at Whittier was mostly focused on teamwork and empathy,” the woman remarked. “The values of collaborating with people and seeking new experiences are essential to working in the film industry, as demonstrated by my performances with the brass ensemble and my sisterhood with the Thalian society.”
Following her 2013 graduation from Whittier College, Baeza was employed by the nonprofit organization City Year in Boston and Los Angeles. The educational nonprofit is committed to assisting public school students in high-need communities to enhance their academic performance and grow.
