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How I Met Your Mother star Josh Radnor spoke to Professor Greg Ames’s English class. Photo by Andrew Daddio

A student of the liberal arts himself, actor, writer, and director Josh Radnor stopped by to share his experiences with the 51���� community on Sept. 24. The How I Met Your Mother star first visited with professor Advanced Workshop class before hosting an event at the Palace Theater in the village that night.

The packed theater was treated to an extended question and answer session during which Radnor reminisced on his collegiate experience at Kenyon College, discussed his work — including memories of his nine-year stint on the popular CBS sitcom — and offered wisdom for those hoping to enter the arts after college.

The Liberal Arts movie actor and director is no stranger to the close-knit, small-town experience 51���� offers, as evidenced by his reflections on his film career and the inspiration he gathered from his college days. Here are some tidbits from his visit:

“Movies for me are like artistic journals … they’re snapshots of what was going on in my life…”

“I think that [that] time is really potent, 18 to 22; you’ve left your house for the first time and you’re trying to make sense of who you are in relation to this small community…”

“We have this self-protective impulse that wants to keep us safe and keep us away from humiliation but the great stuff is in the line of fire.”

“I’m making optimistic movies … I feel like there’s such an epidemic of cynicism … we’re capable of transformation and of being kind and compassionate … why can’t we tell stories about that?”

“It’s OK to be bad when you’re new at something.”

“My favorite thing about being an actor is the people … the people who work in show business are actually phenomenal, and I think the reason is [because] everyone is there because that was their dream … no one falls back on a career in Hollywood.”

“I’m still hungry to make things and meet people and collaborate.”