Compassion in Action This summer, students working with associate professor of theater Stephanie Sandberg explored the practice of compassion through the eyes of documentarians.

By Kelsey Goodwin
September 9, 2024

“Our documentary is titled ‘Compassion in Action,’ because compassion is fundamentally about the action of helping.”

~  Stephanie Sandberg, associate professor of theater

On a sunny morning in July, Washington and Lee University associate professor of theater Stephanie Sandberg and her four summer research students set out to Bodhi Path Buddhist Center in Natural Bridge with a van packed with a video camera and sound equipment to interview a former Buddhist monk about compassion.

Tsony, the center’s resident teacher, greeted the crew warmly as they began assembling their lighting rigs and camera in Bodhi Path’s main building, sunlight streaming in through the windows of the meditation hall as the group set up the shot. Once he was seated comfortably and sound-checked, Tsony smiled up at the group and asked, “Well, where should we start?”

That question was central to Sandberg and her students’ goal of crafting a unique proof of concept —  a short film composed of scenes that best represent the concept and themes of a potential feature film or television series — on what Sandberg envisions as a documentary series offering a fresh perspective about compassion, “particularly compassion-based practices in the United States that have led to significant recovery, either for individuals, for communities or systems.”

“Compassion, as we understand it for this project, is distinctly different from empathy, sympathy and care,” Sandberg said. “Unlike empathy, which involves feeling what another person feels, compassion is not about sharing someone else’s suffering. Instead, compassion is an action-oriented response to the observation of suffering. It involves recognizing someone else’s distress and taking steps to alleviate it. Our documentary is titled ‘Compassion in Action,’ because compassion is fundamentally about the action of helping.”

Sandberg’s team initially planned to outline six different episodes, each exploring the manifestation and practice of compassion in society. However, the project quickly expanded as the students dove into their research.

“Once we started doing in-depth research on compassion, we realized what we wanted to say couldn’t be contained in only six episodes,” said Nathan Stortz ’27, a mathematics and classics double major minoring in philosophy from Stony Brook, New York.

In addition to their conversation with Tsony about compassion’s place in Buddhist teachings, the group interviewed a historian about the role of compassion in uncovering history, as well as a local mental health counselor, among others. Ultimately, the students researched and detailed 10 episodes, exploring the place of compassion in politics, education, economics, spirituality and religion, the practice of self-compassion, restorative justice in the context of the criminal justice system, the environment, history, health care and the arts.

“Compassion is needed at every age of human development, from birth to death,” Sandberg said, “but do we really understand what it is during all those stages? Do we understand how to practice it? And what are those best practices that would create a better society?”

Three out of the four students participated in Sandberg’s research through the Summer Research Scholars program, which supports students in collaborative research supervised by Washington and Lee faculty and staff. Anthony Kahn ’28, a first-year student from Acworth, Georgia, found the summer opportunity through W&L’s Advanced Immersion and Mentoring (AIM) program for incoming first-year students. Kahn said Sandberg trusted the group to bring their unique ideas to such an important topic.

“I truly believe this documentary will make a positive change, and I want to help make it happen,” said Kahn, who plans to continue to work with the project this fall as the group begins to produce full episodes.

Sandberg partnered with local film producer David Verde to teach the students how to use cameras, lighting equipment and other tools to gather footage and interviews. Verde was also instrumental in discussing setting up shots and other aspects of project planning. Sandberg said this hands-on opportunity for students to learn the process of filmmaking – honing skills such as lighting, shot composition and interview techniques – will shape the aesthetic and feel of the documentary, creating a visually compelling way to convey its central message.

“The best part of this experience was seeing how everyone became more adept at using the film equipment and operating efficiently on set as time went on,” said Charlie Euripedes ’27, a politics major and film and visual culture minor from Charlotte, North Carolina. “Seeing our research turn into tangible videos that we can use as we continue the production of this documentary was incredibly rewarding.”

Students also had the opportunity to brainstorm ideas and elicit feedback from Sam Levine ’99, founder of Levine IP, a corporate strategy and business development advisory group specializing in intellectual property development. Levine, who has a background in filmmaking and producing, is helping the students think through real-world questions that potential distributors or funders would ask about a film project in development.

“I’m asking them to consider their development structure, their plan for financing,” Levine said. “Most importantly, what’s the narrative hook that will interest a distributor or platform in this content? The students are now figuring out the narratives — what the challenges are in each episode and how you can create some stakes and tension so that the audience will want to follow along.”

For each episode, the group looked for experts in the field and individuals or organizations applying compassion to relevant work or community engagement. Sandberg said the students’ research interests will help develop the documentary’s message on compassion in key ways. For example, one student explored compassion in the context of middle and high school education, while another expressed interest in centering compassion on the context of PTSD and trauma. The group felt that different angles would enrich the overall understanding of compassion.

“It was wonderful to see the project shift from an incredibly abstract idea to something solid and heavily researched over just a few months,” said Allison Munck ’27, a strategic communications major and film minor from Midway, Utah. “One thing that consistently came up throughout every interview was how the foundation of most compassionate approaches is humanizing those you’re affecting and interacting with. Compassion can’t be practiced without the baseline acknowledgment of a person or group’s humanity. This humanization often comes from understanding.”

Munck said one of the most impactful examples of this for her came up in the group’s interview with Jesse Crosson, founder of the Second Chancer Foundation, a nonprofit organization based in Charlottesville, Virginia, dedicated to helping justice-impacted individuals transition back to life after incarceration. His interview will be part of a future episode centered around the role of compassion in restorative justice.

“In a compassionate approach to justice, understanding the background, motivations and desires of all parties is key to cultivating kindness and collaboration in the justice process,” Munck said. “Jesse emphasized the importance of creating a foundation of respect, safety and understanding before the parties even begin to discuss solutions and justice.”

By involving the students in the pre-production and concept development, Sandberg foresees their fresh ideas and generational viewpoint enhancing the overall direction and messaging of the series. Sandberg said the students’ research and on-the-ground filming work with local people practicing compassion has helped to identify powerful stories to feature, grounding the documentary’s message in real-world compassion practices. She plans to begin the filming for full episodes of the series this fall and hopes that the students who participated this summer will be able to remain involved with the project throughout the academic year.

 The experience has already provided invaluable personal and professional development for the students who have gotten to participate in the project’s beginnings.

“My academic interests are rooted in my desire to work with and understand as many people in as many fields as possible, and this project fit into that perfectly,” Munck said, citing interviews with campus experts in economics and history as opportunities for cross-disciplinary exchanges that she would not have experienced otherwise.

“I’m hoping to continue to play a role in this project as we move from the pre-production to production phase,” Munck said, “and I’m looking forward to seeing where it goes.”

Stortz said his experience was also educational on an even deeper level.

“Listening to the wisdom of a Buddhist lama, the life story of a felon-turned-activist and more during our interviews allowed me to discover many important truths about compassion,” Stortz said, “lessons that I imagine will stay with me forever.”

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