Pace University’s Bachelor of Arts in Writing for Diversity and Equity in Theater and Media Arts, housed in the Dyson College of Arts and Sciences, has received a two-year, $609,000 grant from The Edmond de Rothschild Family Philanthropy that continues its support of the program.

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The only program of its kind in the tri-state area, the BA in Writing for Diversity and Equity in Theater and Media is one of Dyson College’s newest programs. The major provides a unique opportunity for students who wish to develop their own voices as writers through the lens of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) to produce content for film, television, theater, streaming, and narrative gaming.

Providing a truly unique experience, the program supports the student in both developing top-notch writing and content creation skills, as well as learning how to navigate the media landscape for success. “The student in this major will develop creative content not ascribing for a seat at the writers’ table but build their own table where their unique voice will be valued, developed, and heard,” said S. Brian Jones, assistant dean of Diversity and Equity in the Arts at Dyson College.

“Students will benefit from a 360-degree, immersive academic program that enhances their academic learning with connections to professional development and career readiness opportunities, including workshops with local and national writers, tours of local New York City theater companies, and discourse on the intersection of writing and DEI with industry professionals,” Jones explains.

As an interdisciplinary program, it combines courses from Film and Screen Studies, English, and American Studies, including specific wholistic DEI courses on gender, race, class, disability, and LGTBQ+IA identity. This fall, students will take masterclasses with award-winning playwright Jonathan Payne and the only African-American woman serving as a narrative director in narrative gaming Novera King.

Through the combination of the program’s theoretical foundations and industry-specific learning experiences, students graduating from the program will be prepared to understand and have access to avenues through which to have their work produced, share their writing portfolios to obtain an agent or manager, apply to grants and fellowships as independent artists, or go on to further study.

The Edmond de Rothschild Family Philanthropy has supported the program since its beginning in 2018. At that time, the program sought to enroll five students. It now has more than doubled its goal as interest in the major has grown quickly, with 11 students enrolled this fall.

“We are so proud of the unique and inspiring experiences this program has developed for students in just a few short years,” said Tresmaine R. Grimes, PhD, Dean of the Dyson College of Arts and Sciences and School of Education. “The additional funding from The Edmond de Rothschild Family Philanthropy is a testament to the program’s progress and its bright future that lies ahead.”

About The Edmond de Rothschild Family Philanthropy

The Edmond de Rothschild Family Philanthropy’s mission includes “harnessing legacy, promoting excellence, catalyzing change, and building an inclusive society” through building philanthropic partnerships. Through a business mindset that focuses on strategic thinking, The Edmond de Rothschild Family Philanthropy supports projects in arts, entrepreneurship, health, and education, aiming to impact the public good.

About Pace University

Pace University has a proud history of preparing its diverse student body for a lifetime of professional success because of its unique programs that combine immersive academics and real-world experiences. Pace is ranked the #1 private, four-year college in the nation for upward economic mobility by Harvard University’s Opportunity Insights, evidence of the transformative education the University provides.

About Dyson College of Arts and Sciences

Pace University’s liberal arts college, Dyson College, offers more than 50 programs, spanning the arts and humanities, natural sciences, social sciences, and pre-professional programs (including pre-medicine, pre-veterinary, and pre-law), as well as many courses that fulfill core curriculum requirements. The College offers access to numerous opportunities for internships, cooperative education and other hands-on learning experiences that complement in-class learning in preparing graduates for career and graduate/professional education choices.

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The Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University community came together on Monday, October 3 to mark the beginning of the new Supreme Court term (known as “First Monday”). Haub Law professor Leslie Tenzer moderated a distinguished panel which included Haub Law Professors Bridget Crawford and Emily Gold Waldman as well as attorneys Mashayla Hays, Legal Counsel from The Lawyering Project and Kulsoon Ijaz, Staff Attorney for the Center for Reproductive Rights. The panel engaged in a thoughtful discussion on the Supreme Court’s recent decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, which overturned Roe v. Wade. Additionally, they analyzed the decision itself, the future landscape of legal protections for reproductive rights, and the larger implications for the rule of law. Pace University President Marvin Krislov delivered welcome remarks, along with Congressman Jamaal Bowman (NY-16), who urged Haub Law students to be “courageous, relentless and to lead and learn with love all the while, understanding the urgency of the moment we live in.”

With so many important decisions in the balance, this upcoming Supreme Court term holds great significance for our society, for the legal community, and for the rule of law,” said Dean Horace Anderson. “As a law school, we seek to educate our students on these pivotal rulings, to inspire them, and to provide them with the tools that will enable them to become leaders in the future.”

It’s energizing to be back on campuses for an in-person, New Normal fall semester. I’m teaching two classes this semester, I’m cheering on Setters athletes in Pleasantville and applauding PPA performances in New York City, and I’m enjoying the serendipity of bumping into students, friends, and colleagues in elevators and on walkways. I hope the new semester is off to as inspiring a start for all of you as it has been for me.

As we embark on the new year, my main focus is on continuing to build a strong Pace University by guiding the implementation of our strategic plan, Pace Forward. As always, two cornerstones of our work are investing in graduate, interdisciplinary, and combined degree programs to meet market demand and continuing our progress on DEI initiatives and our work to become an anti-racist institution.

Beyond those foundational efforts, we have four priorities for this academic year. The first is building out the Pace Path across all undergraduate programs and ensuring each undergraduate has the opportunity to complete two experiential activities before graduation. The second is supporting and investing in the people who work at Pace by improving our culture of collaboration addressing priorities identified in the Great Colleges results. The third is improving administrative processes to make it easier to get our work done, addressing both student-facing and employee-facing processes. And the fourth is completing construction on 15 Beekman Street and developing plans for One Pace Plaza East, as we continue to invest in our physical environment to meet our academic needs across all three campuses.

Staff and faculty, I encourage you to join next week’s Community Conversation, where we’ll begin discussion of our collaborative work on these priorities.

I also want to note that October is national Emotional Wellness Month. At Pace, we have renewed our commitment to advancing mental health and wellbeing among our students, faculty, and staff, especially in wake of the pandemic. We offer programming and support for both our student and employee communities, and I encourage you to take advantage of them.

Finally, like many of you I have watched the scenes of devastation from Puerto Rico, Florida, and elsewhere in the southeast in recent weeks. For those of you from the affected areas, or with friends or family there, we send all our best wishes for a speedy recovery.

Have a good autumn. Have a good semester. And, especially in Emotional Wellbeing Month, do what you need to do to take care of yourselves.