The Washington College student singing group WACapella stars in a new music video launched today and aimed at prospective students across the country and the world, encouraging them to, as the title states, “Come Join the Family.”
The video is based on the song “Rather Be” by Clean Bandit, but in a new arrangement with all new lyrics written by WACapella members. Shot by Atlanta-based videographer Chris Niswonger in a “point-of-view” style, it offers the experience of a new student as he tours campus, meets students, and gets a taste of downtown Chestertown and the waterfront. The viewer never sees the main character, only his feet and hands, as he interacts with a cast of characters that includes the WACappella singers, psychology professor George Spilich, the Sho’men dance troupe, the women’s soccer team and the Victory Bell. The overall feel is upbeat, fun and energetic. We even see the student’s psych grade go from a D to an A+++.
Admissions counselor and staffer Stephan Jordan ’12, who worked with his colleague Obella Obbo ’14 on the planning and logistics for the video, says the mood is intentionally different from WACapella’s 2013 music video, “Glad You Chose Us,” which featured a more aggressive style set to rap star Macklemore’s popular “Can’t Hold Us.” That video, also filmed by Niswonger, garnered more than 30,000 hits on YouTube.
“This year, we wanted to pull at some heartstrings,” says Jordan of the new video. “We wanted the prospective students and their families to feel the homey, community feelings that you get when you are here in person.” The video was shot in October over Fall Break, with most of the WACapella members participating: Laura Berenyi, Todd Cooley, Olivia Donaldson, Kathryn Gordon, Megan Harrison, Ryan Holtschneider, Sean Kraus, Alexandra Levy, Bennett Lloyd, Connor Lugo-Harris, Josh Morgan, Riley O’Brien, Emily O’Donnell, Alex Riedel, Alex Roberts, Haleigh Schaefer, Nicholas Staub, Ryan Stevens, Jade Walter, and Emma Way.
“Come Join the Family” will be promoted on social media and emailed to college-bound high school students across the U.S. and abroad. “Video is such a great way to share the overall feel and personality of Washington College and Chestertown, and that genuine sense of family we have here,” says Satyajit Dattagupta, the Vice President for Enrollment Management. “When you add the talent and energy of WACappella, you are bound to have a hit. I think this music video will resonate with prospective students and their families, and I hope it will encourage them to make the trip, themselves. I want them to come be the guy in the video. And then, of course, I want them to decide to come and join this Washington College family.”
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