May 28, 2026

It’s a day a few times each term when classes are canceled so Plan Committee—three faculty members with expertise relevant to the specific student’s interest—meet to review each student’s Plan, their individualized map of study. Students present how they are reaching Bennington’s capacities—inquire, research, create, engage, and communicate—along with their Plan essay, a yearly check-in on what they have learned and how their studies are contributing to the development of their work. The day combines the personalities and interests of each student, focused faculty attention, accountability, and authentic person-specific growth. 

On May 5, faculty members in Drama Jenny Rohn and Abe Koogler and faculty member in environmental politics John Hultgren gathered in Commons 318 to see how Drama student Valentine Wulf ’27’s trajectory has changed since the last time they met. 

Wulf is multitalented. As a first-year student, she had many interconnected interests:  playwriting, design, midcentury American history, vaudeville, sword swallowing, and puppetry. She excels at everything. She arrived in costume because her Plan meeting was on the way to her next engagement, a photoshoot for a friend’s costume design project. 

Through classes in Drama, along with those in the Society, Culture, and Thought (SCT) discipline group, Wulf informed and tested her ideas until she defined her inquiry. Her work strives to answer the question, “Can we use satire and farce to explore serious themes on a deeper level than approaching them with sincerity might allow us to?” 

By the time students have reached their senior year, they are prepared to complete a major project or piece known as their Advanced Work. Wulf’s Advanced Work will be to write an original play.

“The play is about two families celebrating the fourth of July together in 1982. Both their sons fought in Vietnam. One son died. The other killed himself,” Wulf explained. Despite the heavy topics involved, the play is a comedy. 

During the Plan Meeting, the faculty members shared praise for Wulf’s Plan essay, their thoughts on the development of the play, and the possible directions for future study. They asked what classes Wulf thought she should take in the fall and spring terms of her senior year and made recommendations. Koogler was interested in how Wulf might be able to use a class to further refine the play. 

“There will be a lot of work around this play, and it will be hard,” said Koogler. “This version is close, but there is work to do.” 

Hultgren recommended courses from the Society, Culture, and Thought (SCT) discipline group, like those on Facism and philosophy, specifically a study of historian and philosopher Hannah Arendt, that had informed Wulf’s current work. 

“Any SCT course, go for it,” said Hultgren. He listed out some options. “Carol Pal’s class on the Silk Road is a student favorite. Political philosophy with Paul Voice or Catherine McKeen would also be good choices.”

They talked briefly about Wulf’s plan for Field Work Term, another hallmark of the Bennington educational experience, where students spend 6 weeks at work in the world. Wulf is working on connecting to the United State Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, DC, which she had visited and found moving. By contrast, she is also formulating an independent study to build a Houdini-style escape trunk for her vaudeville act.  

Wulf’s most abiding challenge is the urge to do too much, take too many classes, and approach too many projects. She is in a constant time crunch, and despite having spritely energy, is at risk of wearing herself out. 

“You are good at so many things; it seems difficult for you to keep yourself from taking on more than is reasonable,” said Rohn. “Are you still planning to write, design, and direct the play?” 

This wasn’t the first time they had had this conversation. Wulf reported that she found another student, Hannah Cartwright ’27, a close friend with a similar vision, to direct. A bad collaboration in the past informed the choice and a new approach, she said. 

“I am going to be in the room during rehearsals, watching and taking notes,” said Wulf. “But I won’t discuss changes in front of the cast.” 

Koogler, a playwright with experience developing work with directors, was optimistic about this new opportunity for growth. Working in a collaborative way is an essential skill for theatermakers. 

“I am happy to discuss it with you as much as you need,” he said. “And I think it will be a great learning experience for you.” 

“I am really excited to do my play and really excited to work with the director,” Wulf said. 

When Wulf left, the faculty discussed. 

“She has gotten so much more focused,” said Rohn. “This Plan is good. Terrific, really.” 

“I feel the same way,” said Koogler. “I think it is a big step to back off from directing. It will allow her to focus on perfecting the script." 

“She is so talented,” said Rohn. “I cannot wait to see where she is in 10 or 15 years.”