David Bussell
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About
I am currently a Sophomore at Bard College at Simon's Rock, majoring in Visual and Critical Studies, with a planned minor in the Studio Arts and Philosophy. My goals as an artist, filmmaker and philosopher involve bringing individuals together, particularly under the mission of protecting natural forces, or the collective unconscious. I will be embarking on a documentary project with one of my Social Sciences Professors, Chris Coggins, on 'Fengshuilin Forests along the Yangtze River', in the Summer of 2014. While working primarily in audio and visual documentation in this project as the co-director; I will also be incorporating critical theory in my attempts to represent qi flow through landscape portraiture and perspective.
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Education
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Associate of the Arts Visual and Critical StudiesBard College at Simon's Rock2012 - 2014Deans List (Spring Semester 2013)
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N/A (left early for BCSR)* Core CurriculumSouth Lakes High School2010 - 2012* With the recommendations of my teachers and high school guidance counselor, I applied as a junior in high school to begin college level studies at Bard College at Simon's Rock. During my sophomore year of high school, I began an intensive study on my own of philosophical and social theorists, including in depth readings of Marx, Thoreau and Freud - a study which was encouraged by my IB Theory of Knowledge course at the end of Junior year. As I finished that third year, I realized I was ready to advance into higher education, and left South Lakes before the completion of my IB Diploma.
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N/A (Transfer)* Core CurriculumWestfield High School2009 - 2010Transferred to SLHS in the Winter of 2010
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Experience
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Camp CounselorHonesdale, PAJun 2013 - Aug 2013 (2 months)In this position, I taught Guitar, Skateboarding, and coached various sports teams at an international camp - which had children from China, South America, and Russia (to name a few nationalities). I had to break language barriers with many of these children, and communicate with them through other means; most notably with a child from France, with whom I was able to communicate with sparingly in French - but engaged in meditation and yoga with me before our skateboarding lessons. I lived and worked on campus in cabin housing with no heating/AC for three months; this was possibly the hardest work environment I have ever partaken in. Caring for the campers in my bunk 24/7 completely changed my life; formed a bond between us like no other, regardless of our ability to fluently converse with one another.
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Camp Counselor and EcologistSmithsonian Conservation and Biology InstituteFront Royal, VAJun 2012 - Sep 2012 (3 months)Based in the Shenandoah Mountains, I was responsible for leading trail hikes through the Appalachian for campers ages 7-16. Assisted in plant and species identification, as well as discussions of animal husbandry talks given to the children by Smithsonian faculty. * Responsible for the well-being of campers; their ability to individually engage with the environment around them - including methods of sustainability in their homes.
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Archivist and Assistant CuratorSmithsonian Museum of American HistoryWashington, United StatesMay 2011 - Sep 2011 (4 months)Worked with Dr. Jane Rogers in the Sports and Entertainment department of curation. Responsible for identification of artifacts, specifically related to the cultural relevance of Baseball as not only a sport, but as a method of cultural connection; one that (post integration of the MLB in 1947), developed a global following. With the knowledge I obtained from this internship, I went on to write a final paper in my Taoism class (led by Chris Coggins) - entitled, 'Beyond the Ball: Baseball Meets The Tao'. This essay enumerated the resemblance between rooting techniques and the 13 Postures taught in Taiji (and the spiritual poetry of the Tao Te Ching) - to the mechanics of pitching in baseball.
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Awards
Collegiate Awards
Arts
Runner-up recipient of Bard College’s Civic Engagement Award (2012) for my work on ‘Strange Fruit: A 20th Century Revolution’ (music video project documenting the American Civil Rights Movements)
Published in Caliban Magazine Issue #10, for graphic design work on ‘Space Eyes’ (12/2012)
Published in Live Poets Society for ‘The Captain’s Last Lament’ (12/2012)
Member of The Bard College at Simon’s Rock Newspaper, the Llama Ledger; staff political cartoonist (2012)
Participant in Wordx Word (Pittsfield, MA) Teen Poetry Slam (10/2013
Member of the BCSR Creative Writing/Poetry Club (2012-)
Founder of Bard Poets Society - an online group of poets based on campus, who trade and self publish various works (2012-)
Offered the position of Teen Poet by Wordx Word, a project discussing the identity of today’s teens - entitled, ‘The Story of Life’. Will be responsible for leading a three day workshop for local youths.
Activism and Campus Accolades
Camp counselor at Camp Aristotle – The Auburn School (2011)
Best Buddies peer buddy – Best Buddies SLHS (2011)
Housatonic River Walk Cleanup Crew - Housatonic River Initiative (2012)
Member of BCSR Volunteer Program - (2012-)
Member of the Bard College at Simon's Rock Basketball Team - (2012-)
Accepted to Bard College at Simon's Rock as a junior at South Lakes (2012)
Was on track for the prestigious International Baccalaureate Diploma before acceptance and attendance at Bard College
National Honor Society Member – (2011)
Deans List Recipient: Semester Two of the 2012-2013 Academic Year (2013)
Student work study on campus: Chartwells Dining Hall employee (2013-2013); Kilpatrick Athletic Center employee (2013-)
Member of the MoveOn.org Activist Group (Northern VA/DC section), participant in Rally on Gun Control (12/2012) -
Affiliations
Bard College at Simon's Rock
Smithsonian -
Skills
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Elsewhere on the Web
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On Coroflot@djbussell, member since 2014
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Following 7
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Followers 3
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