May/June Abridged Spotlight

M AY/ J U N E

Image by Megan Martinelli

2021

FACULTY OF Lorra Brown

May Faculty of the Month Department of Communication 1. How does it feel to be recognized as the Faculty of the Month?

I truly believe being a professor is the best job in the world. There is nothing more rewarding than inspiring students. To help students set and achieve their academic and professional goals and see them chart a lifelong path as productive members of society is the best reward.

2. How long have you taught at the university and what courses do you teach?

Prior to teaching, I was a senior public relations executive running the consumer marketing practice at Ogilvy Worldwide. About 15 years ago, I switched career paths to become a professor. I pair my professional and academic background and experiences to develop and teach a variety of courses. These include public relations capstone, public relations workshop, corporate social responsibility, strategic public relations management, professional seminar and others in both our undergraduate and graduate programs.

3. As a professor, internship coordinator and former senior PR agency executive, what do you enjoy about teaching Public Relations?

The industry is constantly evolving and has become integrated with marketing, advertising, promotion and of course social and digital media. I love the intellectual challenge of adapting courses to help our students stay abreast of new skills required as the industry changes.

Public Relations professionals frequently lead the efforts in social media, strategic marketing communication, advocacy and issues/crisis management. The opportunities for students are vast so we can help students chart a path that aligns with their personal and professional passions and abilities. Public Relations can be applied to nearly every industry from travel to sports to music, fashion, healthcare, technology, non-profit, social issues, food and beverage and beyond. As such, there are always new career possibilities and lessons to share with our students.

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Professor Brown and students pose during a field trip to New York City at Meredith Corporation, publisher of People Magazine.

THE MONTH Zhiyuan Cong

June Faculty of the Month Department of Art 1. How does it feel to be recognized as June’s Faculty of the Month?

I am very happy and honored to have the opportunity to appear as Faculty of the Month. Our College has many very talented and hardworking professors.

I hope to learn from them and bring more positive energy on this media platform.

2. How long have you taught at WP and what course(s) do you currently teach?

I came to William Paterson University in 1994. By the end of this semester, I will have 27 years of teaching experience here. As the head of the printmaking program in the Art Department, I not only inherited our original Intaglio courses, but also added and developed new courses on Lithograph, New Media Etching, Silkscreen, Monoprints and Monotypes. Additionally, for the corresponding new courses, the printmaking studio has been built up and become a student favorite in the department, as it is hailed to be the most workable printmaking studio in the Greater New York area. This semester, I am teaching Basic Printmaking Media.

3. You created the university’s Chinese Ink Painting course in 1997 and founded the university’s Center for Chinese Art in 2009. How important is it for you to promote Chinese art?

As a 21st Century higher education art instructor, it is my mission and responsibility to strengthen and lead the global, diversified, and multi-disciplinary comprehensive education for our students. Eastern and Western cultures are the common wealth of mankind. The introduction of Chinese art not only provides American students with a new window for their intellectual development and understanding of the world, but also opens up new opportunities for their artistic and work careers. One of my students, Nicholas Patrick Colbert, in our 2008 program said: “I not only began to understand the East, but also realized how much I didn’t see in the West.”

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As a 21st Century higher education art instructor, it is my mission and responsibility to strengthen and lead the global, diversified, and multi-disciplinary comprehensive education for our students.

- Zhiyuan Cong

2015 Summer Art in China Study Abroad Program

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ADJUNCTS OF Thomas Paster

May Adjunct of the Month Department of Music 1. How does it feel to be recognized as the Adjunct of the Month?

WP has an incredibly talented music staff and I’m fortunate to be a part of it. While other universities have ignored popular music, the forward-thinking musicians/educators that make up the music faculty were trailblazers in creating degree programs in this area. It’s a tremendous honor to be a part of this program and for the university to recognize someone as Adjunct of the Month for teaching in the pop music program means that WP is miles ahead of most other universities in this area. I’m grateful to teach here and honored to be recognized for simply doing the best job that I can.

2. How long have you been teaching at William Paterson University and what course(s) do you teach?

I have been an adjunct professor at the university during two separate periods of my teaching career. In the early 2000’s I was the director of the WP Chamber Choir. I enjoyed it very much but ultimately gave it up because I had several small children and needed to be home more.

Many of my Chamber Choir students from twenty years ago are now my colleagues as NJ high school choral directors and it’s rewarding to know that I had a small part in their development. I was fortunate to be asked to return in 2017 as the director of the Advanced Pop Vocal Ensemble. Contemporary vocal ensembles have been my focus for the last ten years, and it’s a joy to work with the talented students that are in this program.

3. Your a cappella group Highlands Voices was featured in the 2016 Lifetime TV series, Pitch Slapped. Tell us about that experience.

It was a very interesting experience to be part of the filming of a reality show. It wasn’t all good, but it certainly wasn’t all bad either.

It gave the group a good amount of notoriety that led us to other opportunities. Highlands Voices will be featured in an upcoming romantic comedy entitled, Marry Me, starring Jennifer Lopez and Owen Wilson, set to be released Valentine’s Day weekend in 2022.

That opportunity probably would not have happened without Pitch Slapped. For the students involved, their summer job was starring in a television show- not a bad summer gig.

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Thomas Paster poses with the WP Pop Ensemble

F THE MONTH Alexis Cullen-Baker

June Adjunct of the Month Department of Communication

1. How does it feel to be recognized as the Adjunct of the Month?

I am very honored to be recognized as Adjunct of the Month. I have truly enjoyed all of my years teaching in the Department of Communication. Eleven years ago, when I arrived on campus, I was teaching one class. Now there are many comedy course offerings, an annual Comedy Festival, and a respected group of working alumni. This community has not only grown but it’s also wonderful and vibrant.

2. Tell us about yourself and your affinity for comedy?

Comedy has always been a huge part of my life. As a child, my dad would put on Steve Martin and George Carlin albums and I remember his uncontrollable laughter as he listened to these comedic geniuses. Growing up, I lived in a small NYC apartment and at night when my parents thought I was sleeping, I would actually press my ear up to my door and listen to my dad and mom watch Arsenio Hall and SNL. I later pursued theater, graduating with a degree in Theatre/Dance and Classics from Washington University in St. Louis in 2003. Since then, I have had the privilege of working in theatre and comedy - both as a professional and as an educator. I have worked in many NYC comedy clubs and have had the pleasure of performing alongside some of the top comedians in the world.

3. Many of the courses that you teach center around comedy.

In your opinion, how is the infusion of comedy into your courses and in life beneficial?

Comedy is an amazing outlet of expression and creativity. In my courses, students get to explore their comedic voice, create vibrant and funny comedic characters and learn the ins and outs of the business of comedy writing and performing. Many of my students have gone on to have successful comedy careers, whether it is working for late night television shows, creating their own successful podcasts, or traveling all over the country to perform as stand-up comedians. However, I believe my courses can benefit those who don’t necessarily want to pursue a comedy career. My courses teach confidence, techniques for public speaking, and the ability to be a strong and thoughtful writer.

Alexis Cullen-Baker performing onstage

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ALUMNI OF Diana Jean Puglisi

May Alumni of the Month Department of Art 1.When did you graduate and what was your major?

I graduated in 2011 with a BFA: a concentration in painting and ceramics and a minor in art history. At the time, I was creating abstract intuitive, colorful paintings, but was always attracted to materials and took a textile class or two in my undergraduate studies at WP. 2. You’re an interdisciplinary visual artist, who uses textiles like tulle, lace, velvet and thread in your work. What draws you to these materials?

I’m drawn to different textiles and objects for its formal properties as well as its conceptual and cultural associations.

3. How do you use art as a way to de-stress, especially during a pandemic?

I find parts of my practice to be meditative. The act of sewing with a machine for me is physical (depending on the material I am pushing through), fast, rhythmic and energizing. It can also be frustrating because a sewing machine doesn’t always act how you want it to, especially when you are using upholstery and/or thick materials. I also don’t really follow the rules of sewing, so I push the machine further than I maybe should. The process of constructing a composition by arranging its parts, in works like the pincushions, is the aspect that feels most meditative because it is more of an intuitive process.

Although that process is intuitive, I like to mention that it isn’t naïve— I use my past experiences, research, formal understanding and knowledge of art history to make decisions. I work in silence, I don’t listen to music or podcasts when I create, I find that to be distracting.

It has certainly been helpful to have a home studio during the pandemic, but my studio doesn’t always de-stress me.

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The process of constructing a composition by arranging its parts, in works like the pincushions, is the aspect that feels most meditative because it is more of an intuitive process.

- Diana Jean Puglisi

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THE MONTH Miles Franco

June Alumni of the Month Department of Music 1. What was your major and when did you graduate?

In 2017 I graduated with my MBA in Music Management.

2. While working as a meat cutter in Columbia, S.C., you saw an ad for William Paterson University. You quit your job to study for the GRE (Graduate Record Examination) and subsequently was accepted into the university. How did that experience reshape your life and career path?

I honestly was not aware of William Paterson University before seeing the advertisement online and I am so glad that I saw it. I was still creating music, playing shows, and having a good time doing it during my time back home in South Carolina, but I started feeling complacent, and unmotivated. I enjoyed my time as a meat cutter, as I started that profession in high school, and continued through and post undergrad, but I always had an itch to get into the music industry. There were not a lot of opportunities at the time in South Carolina, and I was nervous to leave home. By attending William Paterson University, it gave me the tools and network to start a career in the music industry. Attending WP has been the best choice I’ve made for myself and my family.

3. You’re in your fifth year of working in the music industry. Tell us about the work you do in the music industry.

I started as an intern at Ultra Music Publishing, which turned into a fulltime job in publishing and later I pivoted to finance and record royalties at Ultra Records. It was an exciting time and I learned so much being at an independent record label. You get to see all aspects of the industry when you are in the middle of it all. I moved to Nashville about 2 years ago and worked for a business management company for a year, and now I am at 300 Entertainment. Working at 300 Entertainment has been a blessing. I currently work in Royalties and Rights Management. This company is growing and the team and artists on the roster are all family. Even though I was hired during COVID-19, and have only met a few people in person, everyone motivates you to be the best you can be, and we are all learning more and getting better. In addition, we have focused a lot of our attention as a company to addressing social justice issues and celebrating diversity.

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Cover art for Miles Franco’s album

STUDENTS OF Hershell Williams

May Student of the Month Department of Art 1. What was your major and when did you graduate?

I recently graduated in December 2020; I obtained a BFA degree with a focus in Animation.

2. You’re an animator. Where do you find inspiration?

Most of my animations come from music; I feel music and animation can go hand in hand because when I listen to music, I often try to find what picture the artist is trying to paint in a song.

Sometimes it isn’t about what the artist intends to convey but about how I personally feel when listening to it and I often create storylines based on music.

3. What is the best advice that you’ve received from a WP art professor pertaining to your animations?

Professor Steve Rittler would often say, “Faster does not mean better; do not cut corners.”

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Most of my animations come from music; I feel music and animation can go hand in hand because when I listen to music, I often try to find what picture the artist is trying to paint in a song.

-Hershell Williams 8

F THE MONTH Kendra Chaiken

June Student of the Month Department of Music 1. What is your major and when will you graduate?

My major is Music Education with a concentration in Classical Saxophone. I will graduate in May 2021.

2. You’re a saxophonist, who began playing in the 4th grade. What do you enjoy about performing?

My favorite thing about performing is the atmosphere that comes with it. There is always an element of suspense that comes with each performance. I think the mixture of nerves and excitement that comes with every performance is a feeling I love. I enjoy the emotional aspect of performing. In each movement, in every piece I play, there is a character that is evoked from all of them. Being able to express myself fully in each performance is a feeling I would not trade for anything.

3. You’re the recipient of The LeRoi H. Moore Music Scholarship. How has this scholarship impacted you?

This scholarship has impacted me by allowing me to take some of the financial strain off of being a college student during the pandemic. It also allowed me to take a step back and recognize all the hard work I have put in over my four years at William Paterson University. It is an honor to receive that scholarship and be recognized by the Music Department, my professors, and my peers.

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Being able to express myself fully in each performance is a feeling I would not trade for anything.

- Kendra Chaiken 9

A View Through My Lens: “The Arrival of Spring” By: Megan Martinelli Department of Art Student & COAC Office of the Dean Photography Intern Winter seemed to last longer than usual this year. As a result, walking around campus and being able to see blooming flowers and luscious green grass instead of snow piled high is uplifting. Through these photos of nature around campus, I wish to leave lasting images of the first few signs of Spring’s arrival to William Paterson University: clear blue skies, blossoming trees, and rich colors are making an appearance through my lens.

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College of the Arts & Communication Office of the Dean: Loretta Mc Laughlin Vignier, Interim Dean Dr. Lauren Fowler-Calisto, Dean’s Fellow & Assistant to the Dean & Associate Professor, Department of Music Lavene Gass, Marketing & Community Liaison Amy Nemery, Executive Staff Assistant Rosario Urena, Administrative Staff Assistant Kaeli Brady, Intern: Graphic Designer Tekoa Criddell, Intern: Graphic Designer Megan Martinelli, Intern: Photographer John Conlow, Intern: Videographer Julianne Kearns, Intern: Social Media

Interviews & Edits by: Lavene Gass Layout Design by: Tekoa Criddell To submit news, email Lavene Gass at gassl1@wpunj.edu.

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