The Office of Veterans Affairs and Military Programs at UConn is pleased to announce Ed Weingart as UConn’s Veteran of the Month for September 2016.
Ed served in the CT Army National Guard from 2000 to 2009. In January 2003, Ed joined the 143rd MP Company, and deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom to Kuwait and Baghdad, Iraq. After one year they returned home to CT as the most highly decorated National Guard Unit in US history. Upon Ed’s return, he transferred to the 102d Army Band as a drummer, guitar player, MC, and sound engineer. Ed also volunteered to rejoin the 143rd MP Company on their humanitarian relief mission to New Orleans following Hurricane Katrina. His awards include the Humanitarian Service Medal, Combat Action Badge, and Army Commendation Medal for valor.
Ed describes his transition from the military as “far from seamless.” At 21, after returning from overseas, Ed bought a house and started college at UConn. During his first semester he suffered from PTSD and really struggled academically. However, once he transferred to the Department of Dramatic Arts, he found his career path and a job he loved, which really helped with the transition. Additionally, Ed kept in close contact with many of the soldiers he served with, which really helped Ed, since they share such a strong bond from their combat experience together. Similar to the military, Ed says working together in the theater, everyone really has to lean on each other to survive. While the stakes may be lower than in a combat zone, Ed has found that working with his colleagues in the theater industry to create a show can also forge long-lasting bonds with people. The leadership training and experience Ed gained from the military uniquely prepared him for his career as Technical Director since he has to manage people and lead a team to build the sets for shows.
Ed is Assistant Professor of Technical Direction, the Executive Technical Director of The Connecticut Repertory Theater, and the head of the Technical Direction Masters in Fine Arts Program at UConn. Essentially, Ed’s job, and what he teaches, is the planning, engineering, and execution that happens backstage in order to turn the vision for a show in to a reality on stage. Ed says what he enjoys most about his job, “is working with bright and creative young people and watching as they develop their artistic and technical talents over the course of their time at the University . . . . Even more rewarding is hearing back from my former students once they have gone out in to the world to work as they become successful in their own right.” Ed says he, “also enjoys watching an audience gasp and try to figure out how we were able to make a person fly across the stage.”
If you would like to nominate a student, faculty, or staff member for “Veteran of the Month,” please contact Nikki Cole at Nikki.cole@uconn.edu with the name of the person and the reasons for your nomination.
For more information, contact: Veterans Affairs & Military Programs at 860-486-3802