We Foster Joy In Learning in Both the Arts and Sciences

After Harley, Ellen Frankenstein ’80 went on to receive her bachelor’s degree at Vassar, she then continued her education at the University of Southern California where she earned her master’s degree in visual anthropology. Ellen’s fieldwork with the developmentally disabled, migrant farm workers, and the elderly inspired her to investigate the connections between social justice and the media. She is now a filmmaker, photographer, and educator, organizing both community art and school-based media projects. Based in Alaska, Ellen has directed award-winning documentaries exploring the meaning of community and how we understand our world. She delves into social issues from suicide to food systems. One of her latest films, Eating Alaska, is about “connecting where you live and eating locally.” Ellen credits the close knit Harley environment for inspiring her love of learning.