Student spotlights

Arielle Gedeon
Radio, Television & Film

In 2019, Radio, Television & Film major, Arielle Gedeon, made history when she became the first black woman elected as President of Rowan’s Student Government Association (SGA). As the new president, her focus was to enhance productivity at senate meetings, create a collaborative environment within the SGA executive board and ensure that SGA achieves its ultimate goal: advocating effectively for the student body.

A first-generation college student, Gedeon credits much of her ability to thrive as a student leader to the ASCEND program. 

“The director of the program, Dr. Dawn Singleton, and the staff of the Pre-College Institute (PCI), worked hard to bring in the next class of students to Rowan University,” she said. “Being a first generation college student, I was intimidated by the college process. The PCI has helped me to become a student leader.” 

Gedeon also has a best friend to help her navigate the challenges of college一her twin sister, Ayala, who is also a Radio, Television & Film major and SGA’s Assistant Vice President of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. 

“We love to support each other,” Gedeon said. “We hurdled through a lot of issues that are common for first generation college students and I'm proud to say that we've come so far!”

Gedeon also has influence across the University outside of SGA. She is an Admissions Ambassador, a member of the PROS (Peer Referral and Orientation Staff) and a sister of Alpha Kappa Alpha Inc. 

Although Gedeon’s days are full of extracurricular service and activism, her academic passion finds itself in the Edelman College of Communication & Creative Arts. Courses like David Bianculli’s TV History Appreciation and Colleen Montgomery’s Applied Media Aesthetics drew Gedeon toward her creative path. 

“What connects us all in Edelman CCCA is storytelling...whether it’s our own, history’s or something original,” she said. “Being an Edelman CCCA student helped me to understand that there is support to help students tell their stories.”

Gedeon won re-election for the 2020-2021 year and is still serving as the student body president. 

---

Annie Busarello
Public Relationshins & Advertising

If there were a textbook example of someone squeezing every opportunity out of their time in college, it would be recent Edelman CCCA grad, Annie Busarello. 

Busarello’s choices of how to dedicate her time at Rowan centered around three principles: public service, volunteerism and education. 

Graduating magna cum laude in 2019 with degrees in Public Relations & Advertising and a minor in Communication Studies was just the icing on the cake. As director of charitable events for Student University Programmers (SUP) and philanthropy chair for the Student Alumni Association (SAA), Busarello helped raise thousands of dollars for causes like the Gloucester County Animal Shelter and the 9th Annual St. Baldricks Day event.

She also gained professional experience as an Edelman CCCA Dean's office where her responsibilities consisted of event planning and writing. 

“I’ve learned so much about event planning,” Busarello said, reflecting on her internship. “That helped me land my first job right out of college. I’ve learned not only what was necessary to walk away with my degree, but how to apply it to the job market. With this internship, my voice mattered. That affirmation allowed me to go on to make my thoughts heard and my mark on the world, whatever that may be.” 

The career-readiness training that Busarello received through both her education and her experiential learning gave her the tools to market herself at the Edelman CCCA Career Fair where she landed a job as a program coordinator for Vindico Medical Education. 

Busarello’s advice to current and future CCCA students: “GET INVOLVED. It's never too late. Your life is happening now. What you choose to do today can change your course for the better. Talk to everyone and get as involved as possible. College won’t last forever but the relationships you foster now can.”

---

Chase Campbell
Public Relationshins & Advertising

As a leader at Rowan, senior Advertising major Chase Campbell, strives to make a difference in the lives of others.

This June, Rowan’s Black Student Union (BSU) hosted a peaceful protest on campus to honor Juneteenth and show support for the Black community against the injustices of police brutality. As a co-founder of Rowan’s Men of Color Alliance, Campbell was one of many speakers at the event. 

“This year has been really draining being a person of color,” shared Campbell. “The paradigm shifted in a way that will benefit everyone for the greater good.”

Campbell continued to promote representation this summer as he interned remotely with NCTA: the Internet and Television Association in Washington, D.C. He was recommended for the position after a past internship with the T. Howard Foundation, a non-profit organization that strives to increase the number of underrepresented groups in the media industry. Now, he is a campus ambassador for the foundation and continues to spread the word about the program.

Campbell also proudly supports Rowan’s Division of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) for putting forward initiatives to make black, brown, and indigineous people of color feel included and thoroughly represented on campus. 

“DEI will have more weight on campus now, especially after we just hosted the protest," he said. "A lot of students wanted to see that change, and some even drove an hour to be a part of that change. DEI, and Rowan in general, have set the groundwork, and now it's time for us and them to follow through with our promises to make a change.”

As a senior, Campbell looks forward to passing the torches of his leadership positions onto the next generation of leaders. For his personal career goals, Campbell is considering pursuing graduate studies at Rowan moving forward. He hopes to work as a creative director or senior strategist in the future, and he strives to be recognized as a leader in the advertising industry for all people of color.

“Advertising is a direct reflection of culture,” said Campbell. “I want to make sure people like me feel represented and know their contributions to culture are being acknowledged.”

---

Janna MacPherson
Communication Studies

Janna MacPherson’s post-graduation plans may not be what one might expect of a star communicator.

While many of her peers in the Ric Edelman College of Communication & Creative Arts head off to creative careers—in filmmaking, advertising, journalism and art, to name a few—she seeks to give voice to the voiceless, possibly aiding prisoners incarcerated on false or scanty grounds and/or representing her fellow citizens through elective office. 

A former intern with Gloucester Township Mayor David Mayer and U.S. Senator Cory Booker, MacPherson sees politics as among the noblest of callings, and it’s calling her.

“You can’t accomplish much on the sidelines,” said MacPherson, who graduated with a nearly perfect 3.89 GPA, a B.A. in Communication Studies and a minor in Women’s and Gender Studies. “Nothing big happens on its own. If you want to accomplish something, you have to get involved.”

The recipient of a Communication Studies scholarship for students dedicated to enacting social change, MacPherson, who is vice president of the Rowan chapter of the Lambda Pi Eta honor society, headed to Drexel University this fall where she was accepted into a prestigious and highly competitive doctoral program.

“They accept about three students into their Communication, Culture and Media program each year,” MacPherson said. “I’ll be in with a small cohort, about 12 people overall, and my research will be focused on political rhetoric, especially with a social justice lens.”

Importantly, she said, the Ph.D. courses will enable her to work as an instructor at Drexel and to continue her study of rhetoric, particularly how it affects minority populations.

“As an undergraduate I looked at Donald Trump’s rhetoric of law and order and compared it to Richard Nixon’s rhetoric,” she said. “Nixon’s rhetoric was weaponized against black men in the criminal justice system. Trump weaponized his against Central and South American immigrants.”

MacPherson believes Trump’s rhetoric harmed not only immigrants, many of whom seek entry into the U.S. as asylum seekers fleeing violence, but marginalized American citizens.

“When you see people’s rights under attack it becomes everyone’s duty to step up and act,” she said.

A 2017 intern for Booker in his Camden field office, MacPherson said the senator’s ability to empathize with and speak to the concerns of a wide swath of constituents, from veterans to working men and women, helped fuel her desire to serve the public. Through his office, she responded to constituent calls, helped address Veterans Affairs and Social Security issues, and saw, first hand, how government can make a difference in residents’ lives.

As an intern with Mayer’s office, she saw that impact even more closely, learning personally that the impact of politics really is local.

“Gloucester Township is known for its approach to community policing (a strategy for building trust through close interaction),” she said. “I worked with residents’ concerns like recycling and housing, and saw the impact local government can have in helping residents’ needs.”

The township’s longtime mayor and a former assemblyman, Mayer said he was impressed with MacPherson’s compassion for others and willingness to get involved.

“Janna has a sense of duty that drives her passion for service and fuels her tenacity to serve the public good despite societal challenges,” Mayer said.

For now, MacPherson said, it’s too soon to know for sure where her career will take her but she’s certain, in one form or another, it will include serving others.

“Right now I see myself in the academic space and I’ll see once I complete my Ph.D. program whether I’ll seek an academic job or hop right back into politics,” she said.

---

RowanDOCS

It’s never easy making a complete film during a school year, and that’s especially true for one nearly cut in half by a global pandemic.

And yet, while COVID-19 has decimated many of America’s most stalwart institutions, including the film and television industries, students in Diana Nicolae’s documentary film classes completed four film projects on time and with stunning results this spring. 

Nicolae, an accomplished film director and producer who most recently had her own film Come Find Me screened at the Astra Film Festival in Romania, led 17 students through the completion of the documentaries, which screened during a virtual film festival in May.

This year’s online premiere featured:

City of Sisterly Love, which tells the story of Philadelphia drag performers through their own experiences and struggles (produced by Eric Posey, Austin Simmons, Marissa Armandi, James Molloy and Gary Panter). This film has been selected to screen in the professional category at The OUT at the Movies Film Festival in Winston-Salem, NC, and the Reel Pride Film Festival in Fresno, CA.

 

The Mayor, a film about 15-year old Travis, whose deafness since birth provides no match for his innate will to succeed (produced by Paisley Blair, Claire McKissick, Kyle Foor, Taylor Corson and AnnaRose Rubright);

 

Bigorexia, the story of a young man wrestling with a condition sometimes referred to as "reverse anorexia," in which individuals believe, no matter how much muscle they pack on, that their body is still too small (produced by Jodi Moser, Victoria Todorova, Frank Villarreal and Samuel Kramer);

9/12: Up From the Ashes, which depicts the pain and trauma of some people who remain, nearly 20 years later, gravely impacted by the 9/11 attacks (produced by Ben Lombardo, Zeid Aberra and Bryce Tripodi). This film is a finalist in the Special Broadcast category at the CBI Awards.  

 

“I am very proud of what my documentary students accomplished, despite the difficulties they had to confront to tell their stories, and the flexibility and strength they showed to complete these films and bring them to the public,” said Nicolae, a full professor in Radio, Television & Film. “At times like this we need stories like these to inform, entertain and unite us more than ever.”

For more information, visit www.rowandoc.com.

---

Creative Inquiry Scholars

This fall, the first Paul Grand and Sunitha Menon Rowan University Creative Inquiry Scholarships were given to six Rowan students. 

The goal of these scholarships is to prepare the next generation of creative achievers, intellects and thought leaders who will bring a unique, twenty-first century perspective to society. The scholars are learning how other creative disciplines inform and expand their own work while building a network for future collaborations.

The fall 2020 Creative Inquiry Scholars were selected in a time of great historic difficulty. Each recipient showed interest in social justice, public art and the power to craft a story. They displayed creativity, leadership and perseverance, even during a pandemic. 

Led by Art professor Jenny Drumgoole, the students are tasked with creating a group project—funded by the Institute of Innovative Media Materials & Design (IMMaD)—that will combine their shared interests and individual skills. They will also help select future scholars and serve as their mentors.

Darien Brown is a sophomore Radio, Television & Film student with a minor in Creative Writing. In fall of 2019, she was the co-creator of the GlassRoots Project, a group dedicated to preserving the history of small towns through a continuous series of short documentaries. The business model for the GlassRoots Project won honorable mention at the Rohrer College of Business fall 2019 Idea Challenge. Pre-production of The Glass Roots Project documentary series began in spring 2020, but was temporarily halted due to COVID-19. Darien is interested in pursuing a career as a writer/director.

Giovanna Eley is a senior Art major with a focus on photography and video, and a minor in Law & Justice with a certification in Forensic Studies. Giovanna studied abroad during her sophomore year in Greece. In her most recent work, she casts strangers from Craigslist to enact/reinterpret well known Renaissance artworks. Her work focuses on how individuals connect with each other, societal confines and contemporary power dynamics. Her work can be viewed here.

Tara Grier is a sophomore Writing Arts major who chose to attend Rowan specifically for the Writing Arts program. She is involved with the Writing Arts Club,The Odyssey and The Whit student newspaper. Tara is currently editing her first book, which she hopes will become the first in a fantasy series. Her script, "Reaper" is featured in Rowan's fall 2020 issue of Avant Literary Magazine. When not working on her fiction writing, Grier also contributes to various political and pop culture blogs. 

Jessica Hedum is a senior Art major with a minor in Psychology. She is also the founding member of student organization Women of Westby, a group that creates pop-up exhibitions on campus that focus on the underrepresentation of women in art and art history. According to Hedlum: 

"Painting is my passion, and I have come to love large-scale mural public art during my time at Rowan, especially when these works address social justice issues.” Hedum is also interested in pursuing a possible career in art therapy, working with children and individuals with Autism. 

Dean Powers is a junior Radio, Television & Film major, concentrating his studies on Cinematography and Photography. In his personal video and photography, Powers is interested in portraiture, visual storytelling and how light (both natural and artificial) has the power to direct tone and meaning. Powers is interested in pursuing a career as a director of photography on films. His work can be seen here.

Kymonie Thomas-Nagil is a junior with a dual major in Community & Environmental Planning and International Studies and Sustainable Building. Kymonie studied abroad in fall 2019 in Granada, Spain. His studies at Rowan are focused on public art, sustainability and community building. His goal after Rowan is to bring art and artists into in-need urban communities to promote creativity and to give a voice to those who are under-represented. 

Back to top

Student awards

2020 Medallion Winners

Alyssa Bauer
Public Relations
Anne S. Klein Professional Advisor Medallion for Outstanding Professional

"Receiving the Anne S. Klein Professional Advisor Medallion for Outstanding Professional is such an honor. It validates my professionalism, hard work and contribution to the PR department." 

Leann Carlson
Art
Parthenia J. Vandermark Creative Arts Award

"When I came to Rowan four years ago as a freshman, I would have never pictured myself receiving the Parthenia J. Vandermark Creative Arts Award. Westby Hall has been a second home for me throughout my years here, and I feel so honored to have been a part of the Art community here on campus. I will always cherish the memories and art that I have created here."

Theresa Egan
Art
Harvey and Harriet Alpert Creative Achievement in Fine Arts Medallion

"I am truly honored to have been selected as the recipient for the Harvey and Harriet Alpert Creative Achievement in Fine Arts Medallion. I would like to thank my painting professors and the Art Department for supporting me!"

Griffin Gallagher
Public Relations
Anthony J. Fulginiti Award for Excellence in Public Relations

"Receiving any medallion is always a humbling experience, but having Professor Fulginiti’s name on it makes it even more special to me. I’m honored to receive this medallion and I thank my family, friends and amazing professors who’ve helped me earn it."

Iridian Gonzalez
Journalism
Claudia Cuddy Award for Excellence in Editing and Publishing Medallion

“I am very honored to have been selected as one of the Edelman CCCA Medallion recipients. I want to thank everyone who supported me and taught me in the last two years. Rowan University and especially the CCCA department made me feel welcomed since day one. Grateful to be able to call myself a graduating Prof.” 

Kirsten Hoffman
Art Education
Rodney E. Gates Award for Excellence in Art Education Medallion

“I started at Rowan as an Elementary Education major with a dual major in History. I’ve always been an artist and all it took was one professor to tell me I wasn't in the right place and to change my major to Art Education. Receiving the Rodney E. Gates Award for Excellence in Art Education Medallion shows me that I made the right choice and that I’m right where I need to be.”

Sean Kelly
Radio, Television & Film
Bierman Family Award Medallion

"It means the world to be selected for the Bierman Family Award. I've had Professor Bierman for three classes and his guidance and vast knowledge of the industry has helped me succeed in all aspects of media production."

Janna MacPherson
Communications Studies
Excellence in Communication Studies Medallion

"Having been selected for the Excellence in Communication Studies Medallion has meant the world to me as a student, researcher and engaged citizen. This award continues to energize my passion for research & social change. I am so grateful for the professors whose dedication and enthusiasm have instilled in me a love of learning."

Jodi Moser
Radio, Television & Film
Donovan Family Award for Excellence in Radio, TV & Film Medallion

“Receiving the Donovan Family Award for Excellence in Radio, Television and Film Medallion is such an honor to have my senior year. Rowan has given me all of the necessities I needed to excel in radio, television and film so I am thrilled that I used them to my advantage to succeed as an RTF graduate. Thank you so much to those who chose me for this honor, it’s just the start of the great things I wish to accomplish.”

Morgan Riccobene
Writing Arts
Excellence in Writing Arts Award Medallion

“I am extremely grateful to all of the professors that nominated me to be the Excellence in Writing Arts Award Medallion recipient. Not only do I feel honored as a student earning an academic achievement, but also as a writer going into the professional field who now knows I have made an impact on my professors through my hard work and writings. I only hope to continue impacting others with my work throughout my career.”

Karlee Rogers
Biomedical Art & Visualization
Ann B. Ward Medallion (College of Performing Arts)

"I am so honored to receive this prestigious Medallion award for my efforts during my time in the Biomedical Art & Visualization Program. After having graduated from Rowan and returning in pursuit of a new and exciting career in medical visualization, this recognition reinforces to me that I am now on the right path. I am incredibly grateful for all who provided support, guidance and encouragement along the way."

Ciara Sikking
Public Relations
Anne Sceia Klein Professional Advisor Medallion

"I am honored and thrilled to receive the Anne Sceia Klein Professional Advisor Medallion. I owe this and all my achievements over the past four years to Rowan University, my amazing professors and my wonderful friends for helping me thrive. As a member of the class of 2020, I leave with immense Prof pride and the confidence to take on whatever comes next."

Chloe Smith
Public Relations & Advertising
Hal Vogel Award for Excellence in Advertising Medallion

"I'm so happy to receive the Hal Vogel Award for Excellence in Advertising. Over the last two years, I've totally enjoyed learning about advertising and PR from the great professors at Rowan. This award feels like a vote of confidence from the department and I'm extremely grateful!"

Isha Strasser​
M.A. Writing Arts
Toni Libro Outstanding Master of Arts in Writing Student Medallion

"Thank you to the legion of incredible professors in the Writing Arts Department—you've given me the literary tools to implement a vision for a more beautiful world, and to write my way there one sentence at a time."

Alyssa Sullivan
Journalism
Jack Gillespie Award for Excellence in Journalism Medallion

"I became a journalist to come as close as possible to the heart of the world and because of Rowan University, I took this lesson with me to two metropolitan TV affiliates and a national show. I want to wholeheartedly thank Rowan, my mentors and the entire Journalism faculty for seeing and developing the realm of possibility that lies within me.  Someone once said, 'Journalism is the first rough draft of history.' I'm proud that I was able to put pen to paper for the first time at this outstanding university."

Rowan Radio

Rowan Radio 89.7 WGLS-FM has won 324 national and regional awards since 1993 establishing itself as one of the premier college radio stations in the nation. Over the last two years, WGLS received some of the most prestigious accolades in student media including a Gracie Award and multiple awards from the Broadcast Education Association.

The 2019 and 2020 awards include:

American Women in Radio & Television

• 2019 Gracie Award - "A Community Affair", Kaitlin Kline

Broadcast Education Association (Rowan Radio and RTF)

• 2020 First Place (Sports Feature) - Concussion Protocol: How Concussions Haunt the Game of Football - Joe Stauffenberg and Sean Remington
• 2020 First Place (Emerging Media/Technology) - Apollo: 50 Years of Innovation - Alec Nathan, Eric Posey and Alyson Vogelsang 
• 2020 Second Place (Educational Program) - Trials and Tribulations: The Civil Rights Movement 50 Years Later - Benjamin Lombardo, Elijah Brown and Amie Curry
•  2020 Second Place (Instructional/Educational Film and Video) How Muscles Work - Karlee Dian Rogers 
• 2020 Second Place (Bes Newscast) - "The Rowan Report" - Rylee Meyer and Katie Francis 
• 2020 Award of Excellence (Specialty Program/Podcast) - Making A Musician - Justin Brown and Jon Baker 
• 2019 Award of Excellence (Best On-Air Personality) - "Satin Nights", Damara Perino

College Broadcasters, Inc.

• 2019 Third Place (Best Documentary) - Concussion Protocol: How Concussions Haunt the Game of Football

Communicator - Crystal Awards

• 2019 Award of Excellence (News Production) - Concussion Protocol: How Concussions Haunt the Game of Football
• 2019 Award of Excellence (News Production) - Making A Musician
• 2019 Award of Distinction (News Production) - "A Community Affair"
• 2019 Award of Distinction (Best Social Media Campaign) - "Meet Rowan Radio"

Garden State Journalists Association

• 2020 Second Place (Radio Feature) - Together, Adam Clark and Ralph Quidone
• 2020 Third Place (Radio Feature) - Flip The Script Revisited, Mandi Devers
• 2019 First Place (Sports Feature) - Concussion Protocol: How Concussions Haunt the Game of Football, Joe Stauffenberg & Sean Remington
• 2019 First Place (Talk Radio) - "A Community Affair", Kaitlin Kline
• 2019 Second Place (Sports Broadcast) - "Rowan vs. NJCU NJAC Men's Basketball Championship", Joe Stauffenberg & Brandon Hurson

Hermes Creative Awards

• 2020 Platinum (Audio Program) - Flip The Script Revisited, Mandi Devers
• 2020 Gold (Audio Program) - "The Rowan Report", Rylee Meyer, Katie Francis & The WGLS News Department
• 2019 Platinum (Audio Program) - Concussion Protocol: How Concussions Haunt the Game of Football, Joe Stauffenberg and Sean Remington
• 2019 Gold (Audio Program) - Making A Musician, Justin Brown and Jonathan Baker
• 2019 Gold (Sports Program) - "Rowan vs. NJCU NJAC Men's Basketball Championship", Joe Stauffenberg & Brandon Hurson
• 2019 Gold (Audio Program) - "The Rowan Report", Breanna Ruiz, Lexi Bodnar, Katie Francis, and Kaitlin Kline

Society of Professional Journalists

National

• 2008 Mark of Excellence First Place (Radio Sports Reporting) - From First Snap to Stagg: A History of Rowan Football
• 2002 Mark of Excellence Second Place (Radio In-Depth Reporting) - It's My Party and I'll Die If I Want To
• 2001 Mark of Excellence Finalist (Radio Sports Reporting) - "Profs Pre-game"
• 1999 Mark of Excellence First Place (Radio In-Depth Reporting) - America's Journey into the Millennium

Region 1

Public Relations Student Society of America

Rowan ‘s Anthony J. Fulginiti chapter of the Public Relations Student Society of America (AJF-PRSSA) has won over 200 regional and national awards. In its 40 year history, it persists as one of the most awarded chapters in the nation. Over the past two years, AJF has been recognized nationally for:

Star Chapter Award

• June 2020
• October 2019- AJF-PRSSA also presented their national philanthropic competition guidelines at the PRSA/PRSSA International Conference in San Diego, CA.

Nationally Affiliated Firm

• PRaction, Rowan's student-run public relations firm, was selected and recognized as a 2020 "Nationally Affiliated Firm" by the Public Relations Society of America.  

Back to top

Student clubs & organizations

Every great movement starts with a few motivated individuals who have a vision. 

In fall 2019, Art major Jessica Hedum was feeling defeated. A series of proposals to establish murals in 

Westby Hall failed to come to fruition, so she searched for other ways to create meaningful public art. 

After many meetings with Art professor Nancy Sophy, during which Hedum reflected on personal moments of adversity, she suddenly found her purpose: using art as a medium to celebrate and empower women. Thus, 

The group conducts research to select a combination of their favorite female artists, as well as female artists that are unknown to them, to showcase. They create pop-up installations that serve to highlight female artistry and educate others about women’s contribution to art. 

“A spark of light went off inside of me and for the first time all semester I felt like I could do something powerful,” Hedum said.  

In spring 2020, their installation WOW Welcomes Back the 20s featured Polaroids of female artists throughout the decades with descriptions of their work. Students and faculty had the opportunity to take selfies in front of the polaroid wall and purchase WOW buttons to show their support. After that, they lined the hallways in Westby Hall with a hot pink timeline featuring the names of female artists. 

“The timeline served as an example to students that if they did not feel comfortable walking on a paper display, then they should not ‘walk’ on women in our modern day and age,” Hedum said.

Themes of social justice and unity guide the WOW’s decisions and they hope to continue that work in the future. The group is collaborating with Rowan’s Office of Social Justice, Inclusion and Conflict Resolution (SJICR) on an installation showcasing art created as a coping mechanism during a difficult time in one’s life for Silent Victim Awareness month. WOW is also teaming up with the Wellness Center where participants in the Rowan community can donate $1 to a mental health foundation and add a painted handprint to a mural. 

Art

The Gallery is an annual publication designed and produced by a team of dedicated Art students to highlight some of the year’s best student work. 

The Rowan Arts Collective (TRAC) strives to give fine arts at Rowan more visibility and encourage students of all majors to become involved with and experience many different forms of art. 

Women of Westby is a group of devoted activist artists focused on social justice issues. The club shines a light on forgotten and overlooked female artists in the industry.

Communication Studies

Communication Studies Club gives students opportunities in personal, professional and civic growth. Members can participate in activities that support the community within and surrounding Rowan University.

Lambda Pi Eta is Edelman CCCA’s official honorary society for communication students. It recognizes outstanding students in the communication field, encourages their interests and development, and forms relationships among students and between students and faculty.

Journalism 

The Whit is Rowan’s student-run weekly newspaper and includes a staff of 11 editors as well as a dozen or more reporters who cover everything happening in and around the university, including news, features, art & entertainment and athletics. 

Public Relations & Advertising

Anthony J. Fulginiti PRSSA is Rowan’s chapter of the Public Relations Student Society of America and is a pre-professional organization that helps students develop networking skills in public relations, advertising and all fields related to communication. 

PRaction is an award-winning student-run public relations firm and offers students the opportunity to gain work experience while helping local businesses and nonprofit organizations.

Advertising Club is a group of students passionate about advertising. Ad Club arranges agency tours, career conferences, guest speakers and alumni night to give members a well-rounded view of how to build their career in the advertising industry.

Radio, Television & Film

Radio Television Network (RTN) is entirely student-run and produces various types of television programming including sports, special events, a talk show, game show and more. RTN gives students hands-on training with professional equipment.

Cinema Workshop offers students the opportunity to work on film, video and multimedia projects outside of the classroom.

Rowan Radio 89.7 WGLS-FM is a regional public radio service with a potential audience of almost 1.3 million people in South Jersey, parts of Philadelphia and Delaware. It runs 24 hours a day with a staff of students and civic volunteers who broadcast a variety of musical, cultural, educational, entertaining and informative programs.

Writing Arts

Avant Literary Magazine features student stories, poetry, photography, and artwork.

Writing Arts Club (RUWAC) is a community of writers who create and maintain a collaborative environment to provide members with opportunities to develop their writerly craft and share their work.

Sports Communication and Media

Sports Communication and Media Club provides opportunities for networking with professionals in various fields like journalism, radio, media relations, production, etc. Each Monday the club – along with the Center for Sports Communication and Social Impact – hosts Pizza with the Pros, where students can learn from individuals within the sports industry. 

Alumni spotlights

Phil Davis ‘11

B.A. Journalism
Reporter, The Baltimore Sun

We are living at a time when serving as a journalist can mean not just covering violent crimes but being the victims of ones perpetuated against journalists. It can mean being in the center of a dangerous situation but continuing to report because you are so committed to covering the news and serving your community. 

On June 28, 2018, a single gunman shot and killed five employees in The Capital Gazette Annapolis, Maryland newsroom. Phil Davis, a Rowan Journalism alumnus and Gazette reporter, was among the journalists trapped under their desks until it was over. 

Thankfully, Davis survived and managed to tweet about the incident after police breached the newsroom and moved survivors across the street for temporary shelter. 

That same night, in a parking garage adjacent to the newsroom, Davis and his surviving colleagues covered their own horrific story. 

Davis began his education at Rowan in the College of Engineering before switching to Journalism and graduated in 2011. He started as a reporter for the Gloucester County Times (now the South Jersey Times). For their coverage of their own tragedy, the Capital Gazette staff was named as part of Time Magazine’s Persons of the Year: The Guardians and the War on Truth.

“This is quite the different path,” Davis said. “If you had told an 18-year-old me that I would be honored nationally for writing, I’m not sure I would have believed you. It’s weird and conflicting.” 

The Gazette was also nominated for a Pulitzer Prize for editorial writing and the Pulitzer Prize Board awarded a special citation “for demonstrating unflagging commitment to covering the news and serving their community at a time of unspeakable grief.” 

This was accompanied by a $100,000 award—the largest ever awarded by the Pulitzer Board—to further the newspaper’s mission.

“It’s a tough business but journalism can also be a calling,” said professor and former Journalism Department Chair Mark Berkey-Gerard. “The awards the Gazette was given signals a growing recognition of the value of journalism, of the people who continue to do this work in the face of great risk. ” 

Davis is currently a journalist with the Baltimore Sun. 

Soley Berrios ’13
B.A. Radio, Television & Film
Director of Partnerships & Engagement, Camden Enrollment, Inc.

Born in Puerto Rico and raised in the City of Camden, Soley Berrios works and volunteers with several organizations whose collective mission is to help turn her beloved hometown around.

“I grew up in the city and it’s very important to me,” said Berrios, whose job as director of partnerships & engagement for Camden Enrollment Inc. positions her to make a direct, meaningful impact.

Her agency, created after the 2013 state takeover of the city’s school district, helps educate parents about school programs so they can make informed choices about where to send their children.

“You need to be able to advocate for your children but sometimes people don’t know,” she said. “We have school profiles of all of the schools and our job is to provide information, not make recommendations.”

But that’s just one hat she wears. Berrios is executive board secretary for Around the Way Girl Inc., an empowerment and education-oriented nonprofit for young women; serves on the boards of Saint Joseph’s Carpenter Society and LUCY Outreach; serves on the Camden County Cultural and Heritage Commission; and was the youngest member of the Camden City Planning Board.

Though she loved the experience and education of her RTF degree, Berrios believes the career she’s carving, in which she’s involved every day in her own community, is perhaps more satisfying.

So… is elective office in her future?

“Maybe,” she said. “Camden is small, and it can be a crazy place politically, but it’s my home and I love it. There’s so much work to be done here and public service is what I really want to do.”

Christian Dalonzo ’17
B.F.A Graphic Design
Human Interface Designer, Apple

Very few students can say they worked for Facebook while an undergrad. Christian Dalonzo can.

Throughout his adolescence, Dalonzo quickly moved from designing menus for family Thanksgivings to designing and building websites. As a teen attending Gloucester County Institute of Technology, Dalonzo combined what he learned in the classroom with his own research to design and share apps online. One app, an instant messenger for Mac computers, interested a Facebook designer.

“The funny part about this whole conversation was I was only 17 and finishing high school,” Dalonzo says. “This designer at Facebook had no idea how old I was.”

The discussion didn’t end there. Dalonzo reconnected with a Facebook recruiter while he was a Rowan freshman, which eventually led to his first internship at the social media platform’s Menlo Park, California headquarters. It was Dalonzo’s first time out of the tristate area “minus Florida,” the Sewell, NJ native said.

The summer after his freshman year, Dalonzo interned on the Messenger design team. He returned the following summer for another internship on the same team.

During his junior and senior years, Dalonzo contracted for Facebook, again working on the Messenger team, attending classes in the morning and afternoon, and, taking advantage of the three-hour time difference, video calling into meetings in the evening. Following graduation, Dalonzo moved to California to work on the complete overhaul of the Messenger app, Messenger 4, which launched in October 2018.

“It’s a pretty small team designing these experiences, so when the thing you’ve been working on for over a year or more that you put so many hours of love and care into finally makes it out into the world and now a billion people are using it… it’s hard to wrap your head around. Just seeing everyday people that you’ve never met before using it out there… it’s one of the coolest things.”

Dalonzo departed Facebook in November 2018 to work as a human interface designer at Apple.

Ashley Kalena ’07
B.A. Journalism
Manager, YouTube Strategy, National Geographic Partners

Ashley Kalena’s first stop after graduating was the prestigious Newhouse School at Syracuse University, where she earned her master’s degree in broadcast journalism.

Hired soon after as a production assistant for the Travel Channel in Washington, D.C., she spent two years writing, researching and producing TV shows.

“Two shows I worked on were ‘Ultimate Spring Break’ and ‘America's Scariest Halloween Attractions,’” Kalena recalls. “It wasn’t very journalistic, but it was fun and a good experience.”

Armed with that experience, she moved on nine years ago to her next employer, National Geographic.

Hired as a digital content producer, her duties included working with YouTube videos. Kalena soon found that view count and subscribership were lower than they should have been. More concerning, she learned there was no plan to improve them.

“There was no one person in charge of the strategy, so I wrote up a plan of what I thought the strategy should be and they created a job for me,” she said.

Today, her position with National Geographic Partners, a joint venture between Disney and the National Geographic Society, is challenging Kalena in new and exciting ways. Some of that challenge involves dealing with 21st century pirates—groups or individuals who steal content from YouTube and try to monetize it.

“There’s so much for me to do,” she said. “It’s more than a full time job.”

Well established with Nat Geo, she’s excited about the company’s future. This fall she was part of the launch of streaming service Disney+.

“There are big things happening in our digital world,” she said.

Back to top

Events & special guests

Last spring, all of our events were cancelled due to COVID-19. Now, events look completely different with small guest lists or a completely virtual “venue.” 

Prior to the pandemic, we hosted the Rowan community at several annual and special events during the year. From career fairs to special guest speakers to recruiting events and Homecoming, there was always something going on. We look forward to getting back to the in-person celebrations sooner rather than later. In the meantime, here are highlights from our events and special guests. 

Special events

Experiential Storytelling Conference

In March 2019, the first Experiential Storytelling Conference took place in the Rowan University Art Gallery. 

It was co-organized and chaired by Amanda Almon, associate professor and program coordinator of the B.F.A. in Biomedical Art & Visualization major (RTF); co-organized and co-chaired by Susan Bowman, Graphic Design Professor (PR/ADV); and co-organized by Mary Salvante, Rowan Art Gallery director. The conference brought together a series of expert speakers to discuss their own unique cultures in art, design, science and entrepreneurship. 

Speakers included Jen Christiansen, Ric and Jean Edelman, Jane Golden, Dr. Ali Houshmand, Dr. Kenneth Lacovara, Ellen Lupton and Monica Serrano. Conference attendees including faculty, staff and community members were able to ask each speaker questions during a Q&A session.

George Raveling

Legendary coach and activist George Raveling kicked off the Center for Sports Communication & Social Impact’s speaker series in October 2018. 

Raveling was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame for his groundbreaking career as the first African American coach at Washington State University, University of Iowa, University of Southern California and the 1984 Olympic team. He went on to become Nike’s director of international basketball. As a lifelong activist, Mr. Raveling provided security for Dr. Martin Luther King’s historic “I Have a Dream” speech and still possesses the original copy. 

Dr. John Giannini, the founding director of the Center and Rowan’s athletic director, moderated the discussion with Raveling, during which the coach gave great advice about following your dreams and the importance of relationships. 

Charles Barkley

Charles Barkley, NBA Hall of Famer, 11-time All-Star, 1991 league MVP, Emmy Award-winning sports analyst, and a man formerly known as “The Round Mound of Rebound,” addressed the Rowan University community on October 1 as the Center for Sports Communication & Social Impact’s fall 2019 speaker.

Though gifted athletically, in high school Barkley was small for basketball but had a growth spurt senior year in which he grew from 5’10 to 6’5 and Auburn University recruited him to play for them.

“I was lucky,” he told interviewer and Director of the Center, Neil Hartman. “But I want kids, especially young black kids, to know they don’t have to be a jock or an entertainer. They can be a doctor, a lawyer, an engineer, whatever they want.” 

Barkley has won three Sports Emmy Awards for Outstanding Studio Analyst for his work on TNT and has authored four books including the autobiographical Outrageous; I May Be Wrong, But I Doubt It and Who’s Afraid of a Large Black Man?, the last a collection of interviews with leading figures in entertainment, business, sports and government, including Presidents Bill Clinton and Barack Obama. 

But, Barkley said, there are plenty of great careers, like those the Edelman College of Communication & Creative Arts prepares students for, behind and beside the camera. 

“There are lots of jobs in this business and lots of ways to make money behind the scenes,” he said. 

Ultimately, Barkley implored students to make the most of their time in college but to always keep their eye on the goal. 

National Women and Girls in Sports Day

In addition to the Center for Sports Communication & Social Impact’s annual series the Center participated in the University’s celebration of National Women and Girls in Sports Day in 2019 and 2020.

Communications Studies Professor Kate Harman moderated discussions with Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) champion Crystal Langhorne in February 2019 and Former US National Team Soccer Player Steph McCaffrey in 2020. Students and guests were able to talk to both superstars about their careers.   

Annual Events

Homecoming

Hosted by Alumni Relations, students, staff, faculty and alumni celebrate Homecoming with games and free swag prior to the annual football game. In 2018, we participated in the Rowan Goes Hollywood theme, with a greenscreen from the Radio, Television & Film department and in 2019, we took part in the Out of this World theme. 

While we’ll miss the College Row experience this year, we are excited to welcome two special guest speakers as part of Homecoming @ Home 2020  and hope you can tune in, too.

On Monday, October 5 at 12 pm, chairman and founder of Edelman Financial Engines—and our namesake— Ric Edelman is hosting Wealth in Wisdom, a brief presentation about the keys to financial success.

Edelman earned his bachelor’s degree in communications in 1980 from then-Glassboro State College. He has been recognized by all three leading trade publications, Investment Advisor, 1 RIABiz2 and Investment News, as one of the most influential people in financial planning and investment management. Learn more here.

On Wednesday, October 7 at 12 pm, Communication Studies Professor Emeritus Dr. Ed Streb is hosting Persuasion & Social Influence, a fresh look at everything from car sales, comic books and shopping malls to theme parks, supermarket tabloids and professional wrestling.

From 1980 to 2016, Streb (aka "Mr. Persuasion") taught one of the most popular courses on campus—previously referenced to as one of the "5 Things You Must Do at Rowan University.” In fact, Persuasion and Social Influence still holds the record as the single largest in-person class ever offered at Rowan (280 students in Tohill Auditorium, Fall 1982). Read more here.

Commencement

Alumnus Trymaine Lee, a Pulitzer Prize- and Emmy Award-winning journalist, addressed the 2019 graduates of the Edelman College of Communication & Creative Arts, advising them, as they embark on life and careers, to be mindful of the “five W’s”: worth, work, will, wonder and win. 

Lee, whose career as a journalist began as a reporter with Rowan’s student newspaper, The Whit, continued at The Times-Picayune newspaper in New Orleans where he won a Pulitzer Prize covering Hurricane Katrina. He moved on to The New York Times, the Huffington Post and, now, MSNBC, where in 2018 he won an Emmy for a series on Chicago gun violence. 

“Win at all costs, but not in the way you may think,” counseled Lee, a 2003 graduate with a degree in Journalism. 

A competitive high school athlete who started college on a football scholarship in Pennsylvania, he said off-field distractions caused him to perform badly his freshmen year and so he returned home to South Jersey. Once home, he re-committed to his education and earned his degree from Rowan. 

“There are no losses,” Lee said. “You either win or you learn. And as long as you’re learning, you’re winning.” 

In recognition of his great success, Rowan honored Lee with a Medal of Excellence for Alumni Achievement. 

Edelman CCCA Career Fair

Thanks to two determined Writing Arts students, Edelman CCCA and the Office of Career Advancement launched the CCCA Career Expo and Student Showcase in Spring 2019. 

Writing Arts students Morgan Douglas and Laura Kincaid saw a need for an Edelman CCCA-specific job fair and an opportunity to show employers the unique skill set our students obtain in the College. 

The inaugural event welcomed 20 employers ranging from the Philadelphia Eagles to NJ Advance Media which owns the South Jersey Times. Students had the opportunity to meet face-to-face with representatives for these organizations, hand out their resumes and even take interviews. Our student clubs and organizations had a chance to show employers what they were working on during the showcase, too.

The 2019 fair was so successful that the 2020 expo combined with the College of Humanities & Social Sciences—whose students’ interests often cross with our students’—and included breakout sessions, free headshots and an alumni panel and mixer. 

Open Doors Day 

As part of our recruiting efforts, each year we welcome prospective Edelman CCCA students and their parents/guests onto campus to take a tour, attend a class in their major, hear from Dean Tweedie and other campus leaders, and meet current students. Last February we welcomed about 100 guests during Open Doors Day.

Awards & Showcase

An annual favorite, the Awards Ceremony & Showcase is our way of ending the academic year. We celebrate students for their scholarships and awards as well as their completed projects from the year. Hundreds of students and their guests watch as department chairs hand out certificates and Medallion awards at a brief ceremony before experiencing the work of students from each department at a showcase.

Back to top

Previous Issues