Since 1981, Roxanne and Tom Amico have been vital members of the Cedar Crest community — Roxanne as a faculty member and theatre artist and Tom as a professional event photographer with his business, Amico Studios. Roxanne has held the position of department chair nearly continuously since 1985 and has also served as the dean of faculty, dean of academic services and acting provost. Over four decades, Tom has had the opportunity to photograph many familiar faces at the College, including Maya Angelou, Betty Friedan, Billie Jean King, Walter Cronkite, George H.W. Bush, Michelle Obama and Jill Biden.
Poet and Civil Rights Activist Maya Angelou (1980s)
What originally brought you to Cedar Crest?
Roxanne: I was interested in teaching at a small liberal arts college where I could have a big impact on students and programming. I was also concerned about relocating to a large enough area where my husband could work as a photographer. There were many jobs available in the 1980s in small towns across the country, but I thought, “How many photographers can one small town support?” The Lehigh Valley, situated perfectly between NYC and Philadelphia, seemed like an ideal location. And it is!
Roxanne (1989)
What are some of your favorite memories from your time here?
Tom: My favorite memory is Roxanne’s promotion ceremony to full professor. I also always enjoy the President’s Christmas party, which gives us an opportunity to talk to other faculty and their spouses.
Roxanne (3rd from left) at the theatre lightboard (1980s)
Roxanne: My favorite memories are painting full stage backdrops or faux wood floors with great scenic art students, creative senior projects, traveling abroad with my faculty colleagues, designing for shows directed by Linda Baas and Roy Hine and for years seeing busloads of children arriving at Tompkins Center for the February children’s show.
Do you have a favorite photo that you’ve taken for Cedar Crest?
Tom: I really enjoyed talking to and photographing Billie Jean King and Michelle Obama, but my favorite photo assignment was for the Betty Friedan lecture. She was a fascinating woman. One of my favorite Cedar Crest memories is walking out of the reception in Tompkins Center with Susan Cox and Betty Friedan. Betty had answered everyone’s follow-up questions until everyone left, and only the three of us remained.
Feminist Betty Friedan (1982)
What is your favorite performance that you have worked on?
Roxanne: That is a really hard question. Mostly, my final designs affect how I feel about a show. My favorite designs are for the productions: Nine (directed by Roy Hine), Pippi Longstocking (directed by Roy Hine), Godspell (directed by Clair Freeman), Nunsense (directed by Linda Baas), Moby Dick (directed by Clair Freeman), Big Love (directed by Tim Brown), Proof (directed by Tim Brown) and Once on This Island (directed by JoAnn Basist).
What is your favorite Cedar Crest event that you like to attend for photography?
Tom: Ring Ceremony. This is a very special day for a Cedar Crest student, and many alums come back and help the current students enjoy their initiation into the Cedar Crest community.
Ring Ceremony (2022)
What is your favorite part about being a professor?
Roxanne: My favorite part about being a professor is being able to stay in college for 40 years! That sounds weird, but I love school, and the reason to stay in school is to keep learning. I am excited to share new material with my students each year and attempt to get them as excited as I am about new and old ideas. My courses are never the same from year to year. I love knowing so many alumnae, staying in touch with them and reminiscing about their years at Cedar Crest.
Roxanne as Acting Provost (2006)
What are you most looking forward to in the coming years?
Roxanne: I am thrilled to be currently working with theatre alumna JoAnn Basist ’77. We only began working together a few years ago when she began teaching public speaking at Cedar Crest. Now, we work together on theatre productions every year, including Clue premiering this fall. I enjoy collaborating with JoAnn and am excited to work with her to create a great production design.