Student Snapshot: Ernest Entsie ’21 

Ernest Entsie

Born in Ghana, Ernest Entsie ’21 came to Dickinson by way of Los Angeles. As a double major in studio art and political science, he is passionate about learning about diverse experiences and perspectives and creating art that reflects on identities and marginalized groups. He’s also an a cappella singer, peer mentor and resident advisor (RA) who has studied and interned in Italy, attended career-development and networking opportunities in New York and traveled to Rwanda to study the Rwandan genocide.

Hometown:

Originally Agona Swedru, Ghana, but I now reside in Los Angeles, California.

Majors:

Studio art and political science.

Clubs and organizations:  

DTones a cappella, RA, ACE Peer Mentor Program and Office of LGBTQ Services.

Honors/scholarships/awards:

Posse Foundation Scholarship.

Favorite book:

Camera Lucida by Roland Barthes.

Favorite movie:

The Photograph.

Best thing about my Dickinson experience:

Making lifelong friendships with my fellow Dickinson peers. I have met incredible people who relate to my experiences and vice versa. I love the opportunities that Dickinson has provided me with, including having the opportunity to travel to Rwanda on a Mosaic trip and studying abroad in Italy as well as participating in career development opportunities in New York.

If I could have dinner with anyone, living or dead, it would be …

… Chadwick Boseman, just to express my gratitude for his devotion to his work in the entertainment industry.

Best thing about my majors:

How much I have learned. Studio arts and arts in general was not something accessible to me when I was growing up. I became interested in it during my last year in high school, and during my time at Dickinson so far, I have learned so much about arts and photography. And the art professors are incredible and really care about their students and the craft. You can tell they are passionate about the subject.

As for my political science major, the best thing about it is how it has taught me to be an introspective thinker. I love engaging in dialogue on topics that regularly affect our lives, especially with people from diverse backgrounds. And through many dialogues in so many of my political science courses at Dickinson, what I have learned about other people’s experiences has shaped my experience. And the political science professors I’ve taken classes with are incredible.

Favorite place on campus:

Weiss second floor study room.

Favorite class:

Documentary Photography and The Picture Story

Favorite professor:

Assistant Professor of Political Science Kathryn Heard. I took Political Philosophy with her as one of my political science major requirements and instantly fell in love with the class. I took her Gender and Justice course the following semester, which I also loved. Her teaching methodology is highly impressive. She takes her time to make sure everyone in the class understands every topic and idea she introduces. And the way she is able to connect various topics and ideas together and relate them back to current events is remarkable. I always leave class mind-blown with new concepts and ideas that I am eager to share.

Little-known hobby/talent:  

I love to play and sing along to R&B, soul or dance music every single day when I wake up, especially soul music at the moment. My favorite soul band currently is Black Pumas. I also love cooking Ghanaian cuisines like Jollof whenever I have the chance.

About my internship:

Before the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020, I had the amazing opportunity to intern with an Italian photographer, Simona Filippini, whom I am still in contact with today. This happened when I was studying abroad with Temple University. I took on this internship because I wanted to get a sense of what it’s like to be a professional photographer with works in a museum, who teaches on the side. She also is an artist interested in topics around identities, like me.

During my time in her studio space, I applied some of the skills I have learned and perfected from some of the numerous photography courses I have taken at Dickinson. I was tasked with updating and designing her website and curating some of her current works. I came along with her to her photography class as a teaching assistant, helping to teach photography to the students and providing them with feedback on their work. And while all of this was happening, I was using the interactions we had together to practice my Italian as she did the same with English.

As I kid, I wanted to be …

… a musician, because of how much I love music and was exposed to it by my parents. But now I do not see being a musician in my future. I will always appreciate the art form, though.

On studying abroad:

I studied abroad with Temple University in Rome, Italy, during the spring of 2020. I had the amazing opportunity to go to a Burna Boy concert and meet many Afro-Italian concert attendees.

Post-Dickinson plans:

I am hoping to dive into the creative/media industry and do some editorial work for magazines around Black experiences, identities, sexualities and the representation of marginalized individuals. I would love to ultimately be in the art world, where I can inspire other artists of color to pursue careers in the creative industry while also highlighting many underrepresented groups as much as I can. It would also be a dream come true to be a creative director, helping to bring creative projects into fruition.

Proudest accomplishment so far:

Establishing my website, where my portfolio is posted.

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Published December 9, 2020