The University of Utah has selected one of its most accomplished graduates, whose innovations in animated story telling have left a deep impression on American culture, to address its May 4 commencement.
President and cofounder of Pixar Animation Studio, Ed Catmull is the computer graphics genius behind movies like "Toy Story," "Monsters, Inc." and "Cars."
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"It will be an honor to hear from such a notable innovator," senior class president Jamie Mathieu said in a U. release. "Ed Catmull is not only one of our most popular alumni, his story also inspires us to do great things with our lives and to keep pursuing our dreams."
Utah Valley University trustees, meanwhile, have invited an education innovator to address the Orem school’s April 26 commencement. Erin Gruwell doesn’t make movies like Catmull, but Hilary Swank portrayed her in the 2007 film Freedom Writers.
The movie is based on Gruwell 1999 memoir The Freedom Writers Diary: How a Teacher and 150 Teens Used Writing to Change Themselves and the World Around Them. This inspiring story recounts her experiences as a young teacher at Woodrow Wilson High School in Long Beach, Calif., where she assigned her students to record diaries.
Gruwell later became a distinguished teacher in residence at California State University, Long Beach and launched the Freedom Writers Foundation. The foundation normally commands a large fee for her appearances, but Gruwell, who had to cancel another engagement, agreed to speak at UVU for a $5,000 travel allowance, according to minutes from a recent UVU trustees meeting.
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