MUNCIE, Ind.---A scriptwriter who tells a comedic thriller story is honored with a campus-wide award.
“White Elephant” is recognized as the Ball State University Foundation Outstanding Creative Project for 2023-2024 achievement. Max van Dongen, the student behind the project and a recent graduate of the master's media program, was selected as the Ball State University Foundation Outstanding Creative Project for 2023 to 2024.
“I came up with the idea during my first year of graduate school in the winter time; I had an idea about what the original story was; there were more gifts than guests at a Christmas party playing White Elephant,” said van Dongen.
van Dongen's idea behind the project was to write a horror-comedy story with a deeper story-telling purpose.
“I wanted it to essentially equate to White Elephant, which is about getting rid of a gift or something that’s a burden to you. It’s kind of equating to maybe a memory from the past that haunts you that you carry with you, that affects your decision-making,” said van Dongen.
According to the criteria for the award, the originality of the creative project’s idea is the premise behind the work selected for the campus-wide award. van Dongen’s work, advised by Betsy Pike, Benjamin Strack and Rani Deigh Crowe who served as his chair members, was nominated to the foundation’s intra-institution faculty scholars to designate a creative piece throughout the graduate departments.
“I am just over the moon,” van Dongen said with emotion. “It’s so great that my chair committee and I have a product to be proud of. This wouldn’t be possible without them.”
van Dongen will be honored for his achievement at the Annual Graduate School Recognition Ceremony in the Student Center on campus. The event will be held on Thursday, Apr. 11, from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m..
Contact Sawyer Osmun with comments at sawyer.osmun@bsu.edu
