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Stephen Phillip Keeling
Theater Major
English Minor

Hometown:  Frankfurt, Germany

Background
As a self-professed Army brat, Phil has had his choice of places to call home.  His grandparents are in Mobile, Alabama, which he considers his hometown, although he was born in Germany.  His parents are from Georgia, but his family has moved to their current town of Fayetteville, North Carolina, three times.  Beginning with his sophomore year of high school, he's spent the most consecutive time in Pennsylvania.  Despite the inconsistency of his address, Phil has wanted to major in theater since an early age.

Why IUP
A mutual friend recommended IUP to Phil and his girlfriend, Erin, because of the strength of IUP's
arts programs.  Phil and Erin were looking for a school to meet her interests in art and fashion design and his in theater.  Touring the campus in the Fall reminded Phil of Germany, which he loved because of the crisp weather and colorful foliage he'd missed
living in the south.

"The Oak Grove was the kicker.... Walk through there and you forget about everything," Phil said.

School Stuff
Phil described the Theater Department's list of past shows as "exciting as hell," especially compared to the standard musicals and Shakespearean productions of
high school.  Phil continues to enjoy the opportunities that exist within the department and
wishes IUP offered a master's program in playwriting, so that he could continue his education here.  Still, Phil feels he is prepared to go on to graduate school armed with the skills he's learned here.

"We're getting a good reputation," Phil said referring to the department's talented faculty and growing size.

Things You Do
A highlight of Phil's time at IUP so far was going to Maryland to compete in a preliminary round of the American College Theater Festival's annual national competition.  There the group from IUP competed against other universities' theater departments and theater schools.  IUP stood out because it was the only school in the competition whose annual tuition
was under $20,000, he said.

Around Here
The majority of Phil's time is spent in the Theater Department, which he doesn't mind.  "There's a lot of love in that department," Phil said.  The students and professors have friendly working relationships and spend a lot of time together.  Even when he's not directly involved in a production, there are many opportunities for entertainment, thanks to the numerous clubs that sponsor activities on campus.  "The arts are constantly performing something," Phil said.