GREENVILLE, Pa.—Greenville native David McWhirter, a television director and producer, visited Thiel College to tour the James Pedas Communication Center and meet with individuals from Penn-Northwest Development Corp. on Monday.
Executive Director of Penn-Northwest and Vice Chair of the Thiel College Board of Trustees Rod Wilt ’86, who is also a Thiel graduate, brought McWhirter to campus to showcase what Mercer County has to offer and to collaborate with a local film team about a possible short film set in Sharon, Pa.
“David’s talent in the field of directing and editing television production is well documented,” Wilt said. “He has Mercer County roots and is proud to be from Greenville. Having him back home to start networking with Get2Work productions on an exciting opportunity was a fantastic opportunity for Penn-Northwest and Thiel College. I look forward to see what happens when these creative minds begin to collaborate!”
McWhirter also met with students and other College officials inside the $6.5 million donor-funded and Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design-certified Pedas Center and toured the television studio on campus. The College’s television studio, TCTV, updates its equipment to meet and maintain industry standard, with the help of a yearly contribution of $100,000 from the Pedas family. James Pedas ’50 H’89 is a successful entrepreneur and figure in American film making having owned numerous drive-in movie theaters with his brother Ted. The brothers also owned Circle Films Inc. that produced the Coen brothers’ debut and sophomore films, Blood Simple (1984) and Raising Arizona (1987).
“I love both Thiel and Greenville,” McWhirter said. “It doesn’t matter where you’re from, if you have passion and drive, you should pursue your dreams wherever they should lead.”
The Greenville native has directed more than 50 hours of television working on shows such as All-American, The Flash, Supergirl, and Quantico. McWhirter made his directorial debut in the Season 5 episode, “Maternal Instincts,” of The Closer that landed actress Kyra Sedgwick an Emmy Award for Best Actress in a Television Series – Drama in 2007.
“We are always thrilled to be able to have members of the Greenville community visit,” said Thiel College Vice President of College Advancement Roberta Leonard. “It was an honor to host Dave McWhirter and hear his willingness to help students.”
McWhirter’s late father, Dr. William McWhirter, was the team doctor for both the Greenville Trojans and Thiel College Tomcat football teams in David’s youth.
About Thiel College
Thiel College is an independent college founded in the Lutheran tradition. Located in Greenville, Pa., the College offers 60 majors and minors, 24 varsity sports, and an 11:1 student-faculty ratio. The College is also home to a new Master of Science in speech-language pathology and 2Master of Business Administration. Both master’s degree programs offer innovative and accelerated five-year paths which allow students to earn a bachelor’s and master’s degree in five years. The speech-language pathology program also has an accelerated 15-month graduate-level program. The M.B.A. program also has a 12-month post-graduate program.A dedicated faculty paired with dynamic research and internship opportunities produce numerous graduate school and job placements. Coeducational from its beginnings, the College remains committed to combining tradition with innovation as it celebrates 150 years.