OT: GRRM donates $5M to NU

[CatManTrue]

I was thinking of cutting back on my NU donation this year, but if GRRM didn’t… 🧐

George R.R. Martin ’70, ’71 MS, ’21 H, author of the acclaimed “A Song of Ice and Fire” novels and co-executive producer of the Emmy award-winning “Game of Thrones” series, is sharing his love of storytelling through two gifts totaling $5 million to Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism, Media, Integrated Marketing Communications.

A $3 million gift will establish the George R.R. Martin Summer Intensive Writing Workshop, which will provide instruction for journalism professionals seeking to launch careers in creative writing. Launching in 2024, the workshop will enroll six to eight writers and authors each summer and afford budding fiction writers, screenwriters and playwrights the time, space and guidance to develop their projects.

A $2 million gift will establish an endowed professorship, the George R.R. Martin Chair in Storytelling. The professor who is named to this position will lead the George R.R. Martin Summer Intensive Writing Workshop, as well as teach courses across a breadth of genres, from narrative nonfiction to creative writing, to both undergraduate and graduate students.

Gifts from ‘Game of Thrones’ novelist to develop future storytellers

George R.R. Martin, author of the acclaimed “A Song of Ice and Fire” novels and co-executive producer of the Emmy award-winning “Game of Thrones” series, is sharing his love of storytelling through two gifts totaling $5 million to Northwestern.

news.northwestern.edu

 

[Titanium999]

Cool! Love that show!

 

[EvanstonCat]

Is he an alum?

What's the connection?

 

[stpaulcat]

I wonder if gladiator fights will now replace football in the new coloseum?

 

[stpaulcat]

Is he an alum?

What's the connection?

Yes, and he wrote "A Song of Fire and Ice", which was the basis for "Game of Thrones," the most popular series ever on HBO.

 

[EvanstonCat]

Yes, and he wrote "A Song of Fire and Ice", which was the basis for "Game of Thrones," the most popular series ever on HBO.

I know that he is the author behind GoT. I was asking if he was an alum.

I didn't know that he was.

 

[BosCat]

I know that he is the author behind GoT. I was asking if he was an alum.

I didn't know that he was.

Game of Veep

 

[stpaulcat]

Game of Veep

Impressive--Creator of the most popular HBO series ever and star of one of the most popular TVsitcoms ever. Never thought of NU as a major force in creating our popular culture, but I guess so.

 

[zeek55]

Feels like they aren't doing a good enough job of pointing out that he's a prominent alum if a bunch of us (including me) are just learning that he is one.

You would think they'd want everyone to know that one of the 2 or 3 biggest authors of this era came from NU/Medill.

 

[stpaulcat]

Feels like they aren't doing a good enough job of pointing out that he's a prominent alum if a bunch of us (including me) are just learning that he is one.

You would think they'd want everyone to know that one of the 2 or 3 biggest authors of this era came from NU/Medill.

Problem is, there are so many famous TV and film alums, that it is probably not a good idea to single out any one of them for special treatment, in media, although I've often seen recent ones profiled in the NU Magazine. At a football game several years ago, GRRM was honored at halftime, and at a tournament BB game, Louis-Dreyfus was repeatedly pictured on camera.

 

[NU Houston]

Feels like they aren't doing a good enough job of pointing out that he's a prominent alum if a bunch of us (including me) are just learning that he is one.

You would think they'd want everyone to know that one of the 2 or 3 biggest authors of this era came from NU/Medill.

There was an article about him (perhaps the cover story?) in the alumni magazine a few years ago. The linked news release in this thread clearly identifies him as an alum. What else should the university be doing here?

He was on the Colbert show last week, and I watched it mainly to see if they'd start talking about Northwestern. Nothing. I was so disappointed. 🥲

 

[stpaulcat]

There was an article about him (perhaps the cover story?) in the alumni magazine a few years ago. The linked news release in this thread clearly identifies him as an alum. What else should the university be doing here?

He was on the Colbert show last week, and I watched it mainly to see if they'd start talking about Northwestern. Nothing. I was so disappointed. 🥲

Maybe they're pissed off about NU football. I know Colbert is a fan, and obvously Martin has been at games (the photo).

 

[NUCat320]

There was a cover on MEDILL magazine, circa 2014. GRRM doesn’t seem like much of a Homecoming Grand Marshall or Show Up at Bowl Games dude. He’s got empty sheets of paper to stare at for hours.

In a blowout BTT hoops loss a decade or so ago, Steve Lavin was super excited about Saul Bellow being on the famous alumni media guide list.

(He died in April 2005 — not sure if dead alums get listed. Probably not. It would be beautiful if Bellow got his first ESPN mentions in March 2005 and then died happy in April.)

(He pronounced it incorrectly, Ba-LOW, instead of BELL-o.)

 

[fcmchi]

Martin was an honorary co-captain for the coin flip a few years ago. It was odd seeing this rotund, bearded guy wearing a fisherman’s cap approaching mid-field arm in arm with the players. When his name was announced a big roar went up in the crowd.

 

[zeek55]

Problem is, there are so many famous TV and film alums, that it is probably not a good idea to single out any one of them for special treatment, in media, although I've often seen recent ones profiled in the NU Magazine. At a football game several years ago, GRRM was honored at halftime, and at a tournament BB game, Louis-Dreyfus was repeatedly pictured on camera.

There was an article about him (perhaps the cover story?) in the alumni magazine a few years ago. The linked news release in this thread clearly identifies him as an alum. What else should the university be doing here?

He was on the Colbert show last week, and I watched it mainly to see if they'd start talking about Northwestern. Nothing. I was so disappointed. 🥲

Yeah, I'm not saying he should be singled out or anything; I suppose it's just the nature of Colbert and Louis Dreyfus as actors in very prominent TV shows that they're much more "famous" or well-known and their Northwestern ties are probably far better known than say GRRM.

 

[ohiovalleycat]

$5 million...I think I'm up for a career change.

 

[CatManTrue]

Is he an alum?

What's the connection?

Yes he is an alum.

Fun trivia: he shared in our NU alum magazine a few years ago that The Wall from ASOIAF was based on his experience as an undergrad in Evanston, seeing all those walls of ice that were created by plows around campus when he was an undergrad. I think we can all relate.

 

[stpaulcat]

Yes he is an alum.

Fun trivia: he shared in our NU alum magazine a few years ago that The Wall from ASOIAF was based on his experience as an undergrad in Evanston, seeing all those walls of ice that were created by plows around campus when he was an undergrad. I think we can all relate.

Not anymore.

 

[CatManTrue]

Martin was an honorary co-captain for the coin flip a few years ago. It was odd awesome seeing this rotund, bearded guy wearing a fisherman’s cap approaching mid-field arm in arm with the players. When his name was announced a big roar went up in the crowd.

FIFY.

Do you all think Rutgers’ alumni complained when Gandolfini was their honorary captain anytime he wanted? Heck no.

 

[CatManTrue]

Feels like they aren't doing a good enough job of pointing out that he's a prominent alum if a bunch of us (including me) are just learning that he is one.

You would think they'd want everyone to know that one of the 2 or 3 biggest authors of this era came from NU/Medill.

GRRM seems like an understated fellow. In interviews, his focus is predominantly on his work - which is frankly all his fans want to hear about.

But he just sent a pretty big message with his checkbook. I didn’t see that one coming. His Evanston experience must have meant a lot to him.

 

[CatManTrue]

Not anymore.

Are you saying that he’s no longer an alum? Or that there are no more walls of ice in Evanston?

 

[CoralSpringsCat]

I was thinking of cutting back on my NU donation this year, but if GRRM didn’t… 🧐

George R.R. Martin ’70, ’71 MS, ’21 H, author of the acclaimed “A Song of Ice and Fire” novels and co-executive producer of the Emmy award-winning “Game of Thrones” series, is sharing his love of storytelling through two gifts totaling $5 million to Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism, Media, Integrated Marketing Communications.

A $3 million gift will establish the George R.R. Martin Summer Intensive Writing Workshop, which will provide instruction for journalism professionals seeking to launch careers in creative writing. Launching in 2024, the workshop will enroll six to eight writers and authors each summer and afford budding fiction writers, screenwriters and playwrights the time, space and guidance to develop their projects.

A $2 million gift will establish an endowed professorship, the George R.R. Martin Chair in Storytelling. The professor who is named to this position will lead the George R.R. Martin Summer Intensive Writing Workshop, as well as teach courses across a breadth of genres, from narrative nonfiction to creative writing, to both undergraduate and graduate students.

Gifts from ‘Game of Thrones’ novelist to develop future storytellers

George R.R. Martin, author of the acclaimed “A Song of Ice and Fire” novels and co-executive producer of the Emmy award-winning “Game of Thrones” series, is sharing his love of storytelling through two gifts totaling $5 million to Northwestern.

news.northwestern.edu

Northwesteros.

 

[stpaulcat]

Are you saying that he’s no longer an alum? Or that there are no more walls of ice in Evanston?

The latter. I'm saying climate change has once and for all removed walls of ice from Evanston. Perhaps the next GoT which originates from an experience in Evanston will be a tropical fantasy.

 

[BosCat]

The latter. I'm saying climate change has once and for all removed walls of ice from Evanston. Perhaps the next GoT which originates from an experience in Evanston will be a tropical fantasy.

Winter isn't coming??