Anna Watson  

Media Writing 1 

Dr. Joe Dennis  

23 February 2019 

Profile 1: Dr. Kathy Blandin 

Email: kblandin@piedmont.edu 

Phone: 678-575-3982 (cell) 

Many people search happiness and contentment in their careers, and Dr. Kathy Blandin found it at Piedmont College.  

 Blandin worked at Sautee Nacoochee, an arts center near Helen, Georgia, in 2007 when she was contacted by the former chair of the theater department at Piedmont College to teach children’s theater. She took the job as an adjunct teacher, commuting back and forth from Sautee Nacoochee to Piedmont College, daily. After four years, Blandin realized she enjoyed teaching at Piedmont more than working at Sautee Nacoochee. She transferred full-time to the college after someone stepped down.  

“Every day is a little bit different,” Blandin said, describing her job as something that’s “meant to be.”  

Directing, teaching and occasionally acting, Blandin enjoys letting her creative juices flow. In the first year of the Make Mom Proud fundraiser – a fundraiser started by a student who lost his mother to cancer and wanted to raise money for a local organization – Blandin performed the role of the mother in the student-written play. She also used the leftover show posters from her first summer season here to create her own wallpaper in her office. 

Since teaching theater for more than seven years at Piedmont, Blandin has had a direct impact on the students and coworkers she works with.  

“I am always inspired by her ability to not only teach the subject, but the students themselves,” said Dr. William Gabelhausen, chair of the theater department, “Dr. Blandin is detail oriented and focused on student success.”  

Blandin encourages students to define their own success. One of her goals is to help open up her students’ worlds. She does this by making her classes enjoyable and engaging for all.  

“I was never really interested in theater, but she definitely found a way to make it fun for every student,” said sophomore Macy Higgins, who was in her intro to theater class. “She has a great personality that flows well with her teaching techniques.” 

As Blandin wants her students to have their own measuring stick for success, she has her own as well, being the “happiest ever and really content.”