Dyson College Alumni News
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Actors Studio Drama School
Gerrard James '17
Coming Soon to Stage and Screen: Gerrard James ’17, Fulbright Scholar – Actors Studio Drama School MFA Acting alumnus Gerrard James is in the United Kingdom to further hone his craft at LAMDA (the London Academy of Music & Dramatic Art). James is a recipient of The John Wood Fulbright Award, which provides international students with the opportunity to pursue a Masters in Classical Acting at LAMDA.
Actors Studio Drama School
Kathleen Simmonds '01
Producing Emmy-nominated Success – “My ASDS teachers opened my eyes to a bigger world, one where I can tell stories and help audiences to reflect on their lives in a more meaningful way,” says Simmonds. “I have found that my greatest successes have come from staying true to myself and only choosing projects that I have a deep personal connection to, and feel like I am making a meaningful contribution to society.”
Criminal Justice
Cristina Alesci '01
From Pace to CNN – "Pace afforded me a great education in the middle of New York City—and I mean that literally. Pace offered me a partial scholarship, which enabled me to earn my degree without the burden of enormous student loans. Low debt was one reason I was able to take a risk on journalism several years later."
Liberal Studies
Gerald Olvera ’18
Dyson Veteran Earns A+E Fellowship – Gerald received the Sgro Fellowship for Veterans in Media Technology from A+E Networks, a competitive, 18-month program for veterans to enter careers in media production. Gerald, who joined the US Navy just weeks before the 9/11 attacks, came to Pace after serving around the world for 11 years. “The resources gained from this fellowship will allow me to confidently pursue my next career endeavor, becoming an editor, and eventually a teacher,” he says.
Political Science
Nadia Owusu '05
Winning Words – Tony Kushner, David Foster Wallace, August Wilson, Jonathan Franzen—Pace University alumna Nadia Owusu ’05 joined this illustrious list of great American writers recently, upon receiving a 2019 Whiting Award for her nonfiction work Aftershocks, coming next year from Simon and Schuster. The $50,000 award, which all four of the noted literary giants previously received, is given annually by the Whiting Foundation to ten emerging writers.
Performing Arts
Dominique Fishback
Forbes Ranks PPA's Dominique Fishback – Pace Performing Arts alumna Dominique Fishback, has been named in Forbes 30 Under 30 - Hollywood & Entertainment 2019. The Brooklyn, NY, native is bestknown for her role as Donna 'Darlene' Pickett on HBO’s The Deuce. Last year, she made her film debut in Night Comes On, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival. She also appeared in The Hate U Give, released nationally in theaters in October.
Actors Studio Drama School
Bradley Cooper
Star Power: A Visit from Actors Studio Drama School Alumnus Bradley Cooper Inspires Students – The Hollywood powerhouse credits much of his success to his training from the Actors Studio Drama School (ASDS). He spoke with ASDS students recently at an exclusive event.
Performing Arts
Emily Rogers ‘15
PPA Alumna Makes Broadway Debut in Wicked – Pace School of Performing Arts alumna Emily Rogers ‘15, Musical Theater, made her Broadway debut in Wicked on December 17, 2018. She joined the ensemble, and will act as understudy for the lead role of Elphaba.
Media, Communications, and Visual Arts
MCVA Alumnae/i
MCVA Students Make Connections – Alumnae/i returned for a networking event on the Pleasantville campus that brought together industry professionals and communications students.
Biology
Jacklynn Egger ’14
Helping fight pancreatic cancer – Alumna and BS in Biology major Jackie Egger ’14 brings her passion for research begun at Dyson to one of the nation’s premier cancer centers.
Communications
Emily Dinuzzo ’16
Writer of News You Can Use – A Communications alumna talks about her path from Pace to her work at Reader’s Digest and beyond.
Public Administration
Andrea Stewart-Cousins ’86 ’08
First Woman NYS Senate Majority Leader – On November 26, 2018, State Senator Andrea Stewart-Cousins '86 '08, General Studies, Public Administration, was elected by her peers to serve as New York State Senate Majority Leader. She is the first woman to lead either legislative chamber. Pace President Marvin Krislov shared his congratulations, “Pace students and alumni are hard-working, driven leaders, and we’re so proud of Senator Stewart-Cousins for all her hard work, drive, and great accomplishments.”
Public Administration
Stacey Petrower '97
Profiles in Leadership: Stacey Petrower ’97 – The Master of Public Administration (MPA) program at Pace offered the instruction that she wanted and the flexibility that she needed. Petrower completed her degree while juggling a grueling commute and her job, acquiring the additional practical skills and knowledge that would allow her to thrive.
English
Gloria Heffernan ’81
An Alumna’s Poetic Roots – Gloria Heffernan’s '81 love of writing was nurtured at Pace and today, she is a successful published poet.
Public Administration
Charles Fall ’14
MPA Grad Wins Democratic Primary – Charles Fall ’14, MPA, has won New York’s Democratic primary on Sept. 13, emerging over two challengers in an open race to represent Staten Island’s North Shore in the state assembly. There’s no Republican running against the 29-year-old, which guarantees him the seat in the November general election.
Environmental Policy
They're all hired! All Env '18 Graduates Report Employment – Dyson College’s 2018 class of MA, Environmental Policy graduates has reached 100 percent job placement success. Alumni have taken positions supporting local nonprofit organizations and politicians. Their achievements stand as a testament to Pace University’s mission to provide Opportunitas, and the ongoing focus on student success outcomes. This marks the inaugural class of graduates for the program, established in 2016.
Media, Communications, and Visual Arts
MCVA Alumnae/i
MCVA Students Make Connections – Alumnae/i returned for a networking event on the Pleasantville campus that brought together industry professionals and communications students.
Latin American Studies, Spanish
Matteo Ceurvels ’13
MOL and LAS Alumnus Translates Market Data – Matteo Ceurvels ’13, Spanish, Latin American Studies, has a love of languages and a keen eye for interpreting digital market trends in Latin America and Spain
Performing Arts
Dominique Fishback
"LA Times" Lauds PPA Alumna Fishback – Pace School of Performing Arts alumna Dominique Fishback was interviewed by the LA Times about her stage and screen successes. Praised for her nuanced portrayals of tough yet vulnerable and resilient young women, she discusses her education at Pace, as well as some exciting upcoming film, television, and theater projects.
Environmental Policy
Nicole Virgona ’18
Env Grad Goes to Work For Sen. Schumer – Nicole Virgona ’18, Environmental Policy, has accepted the position of regional deputy director of Senator Charles Schumer’s (D-NY) Hudson Valley office, sustaining the program’s 100 percent post-grad employment rate. Virgona credits earning her “dream job” to her experience in Pace’s Environmental Policy Clinic, and the dedication of Michelle Land, director of Pace’s Master of Environmental Policy program, and William Colona, director of government and community relations.
Performing Arts
Ashley Romans '15
PPA Alumna Lands a "Shameless" Role – Pace School of Performing Arts alumna Ashley Romans ‘15 has landed a recurring role on the hit Showtime comedy-drama series Shameless. Romans joins an all-star cast, including William H. Macy and Emmy Rossum, for a historic ninth season, which will make Shameless the longest-running original scripted series in Showtime's history; premiering September 9, 2018.
English
Yahdon Israel '12
Editor-in-Chief of Brooklyn Mag, where’d you get that Literaryswag? – Yahdon Israel ’12, English, has built a #Literaryswag social media movement, interviewed world-renowned authors, and now serves as editor-in-chief of Brooklyn Magazine. He followed his passion, trusted his instincts, and relied on his intellect.
Criminal Justice
LaKresha Roberts ’04
In the Race for Attorney General – The Dyson criminal justice alumna is running for Delaware’s chief law enforcement officer, the office formerly held by the late Beau Biden.
Performing Arts
Aury Krebs ‘16
A Letter to Harvey Milk: The Musical – Pace School of Performing Arts alumna Aury Krebs appears in the ensemble of A Letter to Harvey Milk: The Musical, now showing at the historic off-Broadway Acorn Theater. The show has received rave reviews, and recently extended its run through June 30, 2018.
Political Science
Andrea Marra '17
Political Science Alumna Vies for Senate Seat – Andrea Marra ‘17, Political Science, is running for the state senate seat for New York City’s Queens District 13. If she wins the election, she would be the first transgender state senator and the first Asian-American state senator in New York history.
Performing Arts
Ashley Romans ‘15
LA Drama Critics Circle Award – Pace School of Performing Arts alumna Ashley Romans '15 won the Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Award for Lead Performance in the play Rotterdam. Romans plays the lead character Fiona/Adrian in the 2015 play about transgender lives. Her win was noted in the entertainment trade magazine Variety.
Performing Arts
Nabiyah Be '14
PPA Alumna in Marvel's "Black Panther" – Pace School of Performing Arts acting alumna, Nabiyah Be ’14 plays the character Linda in the highly anticipated Marvel Studios film, Black Panther. Be appears alongside an all-star cast including Lupita Nyong’o, Chadwick Boseman, Michael B. Jordan, Angela Bassett, and Forest Whitaker.
Chemistry
Kenya Velez '17
The Road to Med School – Kenya Velez was born with educati opportunities her parents never dreamed of. Velez earned a degree in Chemistry and became the first person in her family to graduate from college.
Communications
Maria Luskay '85
First-gen College Faculty – Like many Pace University students, Professor Maria Luskay, director of the Media and Communication Arts graduate program, is a first-generation college graduate and a go-getter.
Performing Arts
Dominique Fishback
Pace School of Performing Arts alumna Dominique Fishback’s captivating portrayal of Darlene in the critically acclaimed HBO drama The Deuce was noted in Variety magazine online. The entertainment trade magazine called Fishback’s character “the show’s emotional core.”
Psychology
Sara Juncaj '09
First Doctorate of Philosophy Degree Earned by First-gen – Sara Juncaj a first-generation college graduate, earned one of the first doctor of philosophy degrees from Dyson, which was given in Mental Health Counseling. This is her story.
Biology
Michael Boyle '13
From Pace to Max Planck – Michael Boyle ’13 is an evolutionary biologist investigating the mystery of the evolution of the human brain at the world renowned Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Leipzig, Germany.
Performing Arts
Adam Gonzalez '04
From Theater Arts Major to MTV Executive – Adam Gonzalez is a television executive in charge of development and production of unscripted programming for the MTV and VH1 networks.
Performing Arts
Maybe Burke ’14
Advocate of Gender Diversity – Maybe Burke is the founder of The Trans Literacy Project, a series of short educational videos about trans people by trans people. Burke works toward building a just society where gender spectrum inclusivity is the norm.
Political Science
José Luis Castro '88
From Dyson College to Global CEO – As the head of two international health organizations, José Luis Castro makes significant impact upon pressing global health issues.
Actors Studio Drama School
Michael Rader '13
Q&A with MFA Directing Alumnus – Michael Rader is a proud ASDS alumnus who graduated with his MFA in Directing in 2013. Since then he has gone to direct Off-Broadway, regional productions, national tours, and was recently named Artistic Director of the Cape Playhouse.
Actors Studio Drama School
Charles Brice '12
Q&A with Actor Charles Brice – The Actors Studio Drama School alumnus Charles Brice is an actor who can be seen in the critically-acclaimed HBO show The Night Of and in the independent feature film, How to Tell You're a Douchebag. The leading man shares with us lessons he learned from his mom and tells us what a honey wagon is.
English
Nina Freeman ‘12
Forbes Magazine Named Her One of Their 30 Under 30 to Watch – Nina Freeman is a rising star in the indie game design world, garnering praise for her character-driven, highly relatable story lines. Forbes Magazine named her one of their 30 under 30 to watch.
English
Benjamin Saltzman '07
Benjamin Saltzman was awarded a 2017-18 National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) Fellowship for his research of the literature and culture of Anglo-Saxon England, focusing on texts written in Old English and Anglo-Latin. Saltzman is an instructor in Medieval British Literature at Caltech, and is finishing work on a book, “Bonds of Secrecy: The Cultural and Literary Mechanics of Concealment in Early Medieval England.”
Environmental Studies
Gian Joseph ’16
Green Roofs and the Plants That Love Them – Green roofs mitigate the impact of human activities upon the urban environment. Environmental Studies alumna, Gian Joseph ’16, researches the best plants for the job.
Psychology
Les Kippel '70
Music Mogul and Grateful Dead Devotee – Les Kippel ‘70 graduated from what was then Pace College, with a degree in Human Relations. Brooklyn-born, Kippel’s father wanted him to be a teacher, a safe career choice. Kippel chose another road, following his passion.