Honors the Memory of DJ Henry with Education and Empowerment

WESTCHESTER and NEW YORK (Oct. 16, 2020) – To educate and empower the Pace Community on topics connected to social and racial justice, inclusion and equality while honoring the memory of former student Danroy “DJ” Henry Jr., who was killed by a police officer 10 years ago, Pace University will host the inaugural Social Justice Week, the University today announced.

The week-long series runs from Oct. 26 to Oct. 30 and includes social justice-centered programming consisting of nearly 50 events created by students, faculty, staff and alumni. Pace University is committed to being an anti-racist institution and Social Justice Week supports education, empowerment and passion. Events are free and some are open to the public.

“This October marks 10 years since the tragic death of DJ Henry, a promising young Pace student and football player,” said Marvin Krislov, Pace’s president. “As we reflect on his life, I am pleased that our campus community is choosing to celebrate DJ’s legacy with this Social Justice Week series of programming. I hope this annual event will serve as a recommitment to work toward our goals of equality and other positive change.”

The week will kick off with an overview of how Pace students are leading the charge on advocacy and making a difference on campus and in their communities. Other highlights include a conversation with the founders of the Black Lives Matter movement; a discussion with the president of the National Urban League; presentations about topics such as diversity in the workforce, the gender gap in the technology field, and a conversation with a death row exoneree, among many others topics.

Many of the events are centered on the tragic death of DJ Henry, a Pace University football player who was shot and killed by a police officer in 2010. On Oct. 26, there will be a screening and discussion of the 48 Hourssegment, “The Story of DJ Henry.” The MFA program will be hosting “Poems in Power” in partnership with the Henry Family. There will also be a campus rally on Oct. 29—DJ Henry’s birthday (he would have been 31) and Pace University Athletics will retire his No. 12 football jersey. To learn more about his story, you can watch the video by the DJ Henry Dream Fund, the foundation established by DJ Henry’s parents.

“We created Social Justice Week to highlight the importance of social justice and to acknowledge the circumstances of DJ Henry’s murder,” said Pace student Ashley DeSalvo, a student organizer and ambassador of Unity and Social Justice with Pace’s Student Government Association. “Issues of social justice affect all of us. There is not enough time in one week to cover all of the moving pieces that influence our lives, but we hope that the events and activities of this week spark interest and passion that will encourage students to continue this work.”

Suede Graham, coordinator for Student Development and Campus Activities at Pace University noted that planning such a series of events was empowering as students, faculty and staff came together for something that was much bigger than themselves. “The students here are so passionate about diversity, equity, and inclusion, and they are doing an excellent job of holding the university accountable in their passion,” said Graham. “I found myself nearly getting emotional reading through the submissions because I realize the levels of empathy individuals within our community hold.”

About Pace University

Pace University has a proud history of preparing its diverse student body for a lifetime of professional success as a result of its unique program that combines rigorous 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. From its beginnings as an accounting school in 1906, Pace has grown to three campuses, enrolling 13,000 students in bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral programs in more than 150 majors and programs, across a range of disciplines: arts, sciences, business, health care, technology, law, education, and more. The university also has one of the most competitive performing arts programs in the country. Pace has a signature, newly renovated campus in New York City, located in the heart of vibrant Lower Manhattan, next to Wall Street and City Hall, and two campuses in Westchester County, New York: a 200-acre picturesque Pleasantville Campus and a Law School in White Plains. Follow us on Twitter or on our news website.

The Pace Storytelling Fellowship for Equity and Inclusion is providing new opportunities to promote diverse creatives.

With the inception of the Pace Storytelling Fellowship for Equity and Inclusion, funded by a grant from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, Dyson College has a new opportunity to play an important role in fostering diversity and equal representation.

Launched in fall 2019, the fellowship program was created as a springboard to amplify diverse voices. Open to sophomores and juniors, it provides training and mentorship through monthly workshops, seminars, and events geared toward developing creative excellence and mastery of the writing craft, as well as assistance with graduate school applications and career and job search guidance. Fellows also receive a stipend and a paid summer internship to equip them with the knowledge and experience to enable success.

“This program gives an opportunity for students whose voices might not otherwise be heard to write,” program coordinator Lucia Burns said. “Representation matters, and we all want to see ourselves in stories, whether in plays, television, film, or fiction.”

The inaugural cohort of nine participants began in spring 2020 after a comprehensive application and interview process. They attended several panel discussions with industry professionals, including “Working Writers in New York,” featuring playwright and screenwriter Dustin Chinn, screenwriter/director/producer Sue Kramer, and young adult author and founder of We Need Diverse Books Dhonielle Clayton; “How to Pitch,” featuring entertainer Mo Brown and writer Rashaun Allen; and “How to Get the Most out of Your Internship,” featuring Andrew Tolbert, senior director of kids and animation at Hello Sunshine, and Cishawn Randolf, director of human resources at A + E Networks. During summer 2020, the students interned at arts, media, and technology organizations including New York Stage and Film, Clubbed Thumb, Girl Be Heard, Firelight Media, 9 Story, Valiant Entertainment, and Art Garage.

“Our overall goal is to help diversify writers’ rooms across the spectrum of arts organizations by developing a growing cadre of excellent and knowledgeable writers from currently under-represented groups to tell their compelling stories,” Burns said.

Meet the Fellows

The inaugural cohort of Pace Storytelling Fellowship for Equity and Inclusion participants includes these writers from across the nation and around the world.

Cheyenne Anderson ’21

“In fourth grade, I had a writing teacher, Mrs. Clark, who had us write short stories, and she told my parents that mine was one of the best she had read from a kid my age,” Cheyenne Anderson said. “I took the compliment and ran from there!”

Today, she’s an acting major, International Performance Ensemble program, who is actively involved at Pace. During the 2019–20 academic year, she served as president of Stand Up! Productions, a student theater organization, and represented the Pace School of Performing Arts in the Student Government Association. As a storyteller, she’s produced poems, plays, and other work grounded in authenticity.

“I believe in the necessity of telling lots of different kinds of stories with unflinching honesty, and I try to do that through whatever medium best suits the story,” Anderson said.

The truth about her own story is that it hasn’t always been an easy one. Originally from Kentucky, Anderson struggles with chronic mental and physical health conditions, and her path to Pace took her through boarding school, a gap year, and community college.

Now, she’s using her own experience as inspiration to forge a career as a multifaceted theatrical artist and producer.

“The Pace School of Performing Arts is a really fantastic program, so not only did the rigor of the artistic training draw me, but doing a tour of campus when I was sixteen really solidified for me that Pace is a wonderful community with a fantastic location and caring peer group,” Anderson said. “[As a fellow] I hope to gain a network of colleagues and mentors, along with a sense that my writing is worthy of being taken seriously.”

Luis Bermudez Jr. ’21

For Luis Bermudez Jr., writing is like “a puzzle.” “By the end of the story, everything will fit together and make sense, but the story itself will be chaotic,” he said. “I love invoking emotions and aim to write stories that will induce them.”

A film and screen studies major, he typically focuses his writing on the goal of entertainment and emotion, so it’s no surprise that music inspired his interest in storytelling. “I love artists who can tell a story with such vivid imagery that we all believe it happened the exact way they explained it,” he said.

Bermudez, who started out on Pace’s Pleasantville campus before transferring to New York City, hopes to sell scripts as soon as possible, while pursuing directing and film production. He’s thankful that the fellowship has placed him in an atmosphere to be able to work toward those goals.

“This fellowship is a great way to build connections and learn from people who are already [successful],” he said.

When he is not polishing his latest story or screenplay, Bermudez is an active participant in Pace’s intramural sports program.

Michelle Chan ’21

As a student in New York City, Michelle Chan has found plenty of new inspiration for her multifaceted work.

“The opportunities that come from living and learning in this unique city are one-of-a-kind,” Chan said.

While the directing major, International Performance Ensemble program, is interested in a variety of disciplines, she hopes to pursue a career as a director, bringing the stories of our communities of color to life and exploring themes of cultural fusion and identity.

Before starting at Pace, Chan spent several years growing up in Hong Kong. As a student, she served on the board of Stand Up! Productions throughout her freshman and sophomore years, helping to produce full-length performances and new works. Now, she’s looking to further expand her artistic community through the fellowship.

“I hope to create a network of other writers from diverse backgrounds and help each other navigate this industry that hasn’t made it easy for us to tell our stories,” she said.

Jemma Harris ’21

Jemma Harris first discovered her passion for writing through books. Growing up in Brooklyn, New York, she recalls living as a squatter—when there wasn’t enough money for rent—so perhaps reading offered an escape from the challenges of real life.

“I’m a big fan of detail, and I like to use genre as a way to tell meaningful stories in a way that can address reality without slapping the reader in the face with it,” Harris said.

A film and screen studies major with double minors in creative writing and journalism and digital storytelling, she hopes to find future success as a screenwriter and novelist.

“I applied to the fellowship in hopes that it would provide instructive or mentoring experience within different fields of writing beyond what’s available in a classroom, and give me a greater sense of connection to the school I’m graduating from,” Harris said.

At Pace, she is also involved in Stand Up! Productions and Feminist Allies.

Jada Henry ’21

For Jada Henry, storytelling is a way to recount memories and reorganize them through a different lens. She describes her writing as “naturalistic” and “abstract,” as she tries to keep the realism in her stories while also incorporating unorthodox themes.

“I’ve always been connected to storytelling,” she said. “I continuously try to keep a sense of reality so that the stories I write are like that of old friends reminiscing over whacky memories.”

When Henry isn’t capturing her memories on paper, she spends her time as secretary of Pace’s multimedia club, POP TV. The film and screen studies major is also a fourth-year Women’s Leadership Initiative mentor and recently celebrated the publication of her first fictional thriller, The Principles of Good Taste and Ornament.

“As a creator, often the biggest obstacle is yourself, so I am thrilled to have a piece of work I am proud of to my name,” Henry said.

Before coming to Pace, Henry had never ventured out of her hometown of Little Rock, Arkansas. Looking ahead, she intends to pursue screenwriting and acting in the film industry and believes the fellowship is an integral stepping-stone to those dreams.

Georges Yogolelo Mbuyu ’22

Born and raised in Johannesburg, South Africa, Georges Yogolelo Mbuyu came to New York City to work toward degrees in both political science and English literature and language at Pace. Mbuyu, a member of Pace Music Group, the University’s music club, and an active representative of the Alpha Kappa Sigma fraternity, first discovered his passion for writing through a high school English teacher.

“[He] taught me that writing was an indispensable tool,” Mbuyu said. “We got to write and record our own shorts. It rarely felt like a lesson, and I’ve loved writing ever since.”

Today, as a fellow, he is honing his craft with new stories and friends, and through his writing he hopes to take the audience on a journey to discover real meaning.

“It’s seeing the uniqueness of all our lives that excites me and makes me want to share that [enthusiasm] with everyone I can through stories,” Mbuyu said.

Janvi Patel ’21

Janvi Patel is fascinated with hearing and recording people’s stories. Double majoring in American studies and art, she came to Pace to be in New York City, and she’s already had plenty of life experience as a world traveler, international volunteer, and adventurer—she overcame a fear of heights and water by cliff jumping with a friend.

With her writing, unapologetically wordy and descriptive, Patel likes to take readers on their own journey, one in which they forget their current surroundings.

“I like creating experiences for others through my stories that make them question their morality, existence, and society,” she said.

As a kid growing up in Lansdale, Pennsylvania, she was mesmerized and delighted by stories and books she discovered while exploring the town’s public library, as well as her school library. At Pace, she’s actively involved in several student organizations, including Blend 41, Aphros Literary Magazine, Pace Music Group, the LGBTQA Center, Setter Stage, and Pace Film Club.

As a fellow, Patel hopes to learn and engage with other writers, and she has big plans for the future, which include working in government and conservation, writing books, volunteering, and designing a school where she can help create mindful, meaningful curricula that are free and accessible for students.

Benjamin Daniel Ravelo ’21

Working toward degrees in computer science and English, Benjamin Daniel Ravelo has loved stories and comics since childhood.

Born and raised in New Jersey, he describes his storytelling style as an exploration of strange, fantastical environments and real, universal truths, infusing a poetic language and a bit of fun along the way.

“I love to cast my net into various genres, often science fiction, and try to fish out a truth to convey to the reader,” Ravelo said. “The higher the concept and the more relevant the theme, the better.”

He credits his experience with undiagnosed anxiety during his middle school years with helping to make him who he is today, and looking ahead as a fellow, he hopes to grow in his craft as a writer and gain opportunities to make further connections, especially in the world of comics and graphic novels.

He has already taken a significant first step, having co-written a mini-comic that has received positive audience response.

Justin Winley ’21

Film and screen studies major Justin Winley is a transfer student from Harlem who describes himself as the kind of kid who read the dictionary for fun and often played around on his dad’s old typewriter, fascinated as he watched the words formed in his mind print out before his eyes in real time.

His parents encouraged him to read from an early age, and as a writer, his favorite subject is the human connection.

“I explore the way people change over time, through relationships and trauma and everything else that can happen to us over the course of our lives,” Winley said. “This is what ties my poetry to my prose, my screenplay to my songwriting.”

At Pace, he serves as vice president of Pace University Martial Arts, a student organization he co-founded, and he is a member of both the Black Student Union and the Caribbean and African Student Association. As a fellow, Winley is developing relationships with working writers in the Tri-State area.

“I am connected to several like-minded and equally gifted/talented individuals who are all eager to build, and that prospect keeps me excited and optimistic about the future of art,” he said.

He looks forward to further collaborations, and his ultimate goal is to work in the film industry as a “one-man pitch machine,” developing screenplays for film and television with opportunities for him to perform.

National Award Honors Ordinary Citizens Doing Extraordinary Acts of Public Service

PLEASANTVILLE, N.Y. – September 25, 2020 -- A Pace University nursing student who founded an international first responder organization in the aftermath of the devastating earthquakes in Haiti has won a 2020 Jefferson Award, a prestigious national honor that recognizes America’s top change makers and ordinary citizens who are doing extraordinary acts of public service.

In selecting Jacqueline Cassagnol for a National Award for Outstanding Public Service, Multiplying Good, the nonprofit organization that administers the Awards, cited the Rockland County resident’s on-the-ground life-saving volunteer work in Haiti and her subsequent creation of Worldwide Community First Responder, Inc., which provides health education, first-aid and disaster preparedness training to people in the United States and Haiti. Since the organization was established in 2011, it has educated and trained more than 350,000 community members in critical life-saving skills.

Cassagnol, a doctoral candidate in nursing at Pace’s College of Health Professions, is the first student from Pace to earn the national honor, and the third member of the Pace community. She joins an impressive list of people who have earned an award that is often considered the “Nobel Prize for Public Service.” This year’s other national winners include actress and activist Kristen Bell, Youth Villages CEO Patrick Lawler, and TOMS clothing brand.

“I couldn't be prouder of Jacqueline Cassagnol’s many accomplishments, now including becoming Pace University's first-ever student national Jefferson Award winner,” said Pace President Marvin Krislov. “Pace students are committed to serving our community, and Jacqueline embodies that. I'm impressed and inspired by her leadership, hard work, and dedication. She is truly deserving of this great honor.”

Over the past four decades, the list of Jefferson Award recipients has included hundreds of national figures — both public and private —more than 63,000 unsung heroes, and tens of thousands of employees and young people that represent the good that is happening in communities across the country. The list of winners includes an impressive who’s who of cultural icons, political dignitaries and everyday community members and volunteers.

“For nearly 50 years, we’ve used recognition to inspire everyone to find a way to serve others,” explained Hillary Schafer, CEO of Multiplying Good. “By celebrating service on a national stage, we elevate the spirit of America, the resiliency of its people, and the good that is all around us.”

“Jefferson Award recipients represent the highest level of service to others,” Schafer continued. “By telling their stories, we encourage them to do even more and inspire others to make a difference through service.”

The Jefferson Awards is the nation’s largest and longest-running awards ceremony honoring public service. The Awards, which are traditionally held twice a year at a ceremony in Washington, D.C., were entirely online this year. It was presented as a one-hour streaming video and aired a collection of inspiring stories that celebrate unparalleled service to others. It also included special recognition of One in a Million awards campaign winners who've had a positive impact through service in the face of crises.

Pace University, a champion of the Jefferson Awards since 2008, also held a virtual viewing party that included staff, students and faculty. Cassagnol was among 12 local bronze award winners and was chosen to represent Pace at the virtual awards ceremony.

In addition to winning a national Jefferson Award, Cassagnol has earned many other honors for her work. She was named “Nurse of the Year” by the March of Dimes at its Fifth Annual gala in New York; designated a “Rising Star” by the Rockland Economic Development Corporation at its Annual Forty Under 40 Reception in 2014; presented with the Safe Community Award by Volunteer New York; and inducted into the New York Academy of Medicine in November 2018. In 2019, the New York Yankees named Jacqueline a “Nurse Hero,” and she won the Haitian American Young Citizen of the Year Award from the U.S. Haitian Chamber of Commerce.

In her acceptance remarks, Cassagnol congratulated her peers and noted that it was a great honor to represent Pace University at the Awards.

“I am so grateful to Pace University and Multiplying Good for recognizing extraordinary public service,” Cassagnol said. “Congratulations to all of the recipients of this prestigious award tonight. Your contributions, your sacrifices, your collective enthusiasm clearly are making a significant difference. You are all leaders, highly deserving of the recognition you have received.”

Dr. Harriet R. Feldman, dean of the College of Health Professions and the Lienhard School of Nursing at Pace University, and past Jefferson Award recipient, said Cassagnol was an inspiration and example for others.

“I applaud our student Jacqueline Cassagnol on this extraordinary honor,” Dean Feldman said. “Her dedication to the well-being of local, regional and global communities will surely inspire others in the Pace Community and beyond about the importance of service. We are very proud of her!”

About Multiplying Good

Multiplying Good is a national nonprofit that uses service to others and recognition as tools to unleash potential, inspire individuals, and transform lives. It has offices in 11 communities across the country, delivering on-the-ground impact where it is needed most. Founded in 1972 by Sam Beard, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, and Senator Robert Taft, Jr., the organization has recognized the extraordinary public service of thousands with its Jefferson Award. Additionally, Multiplying Good fuels personal growth and leadership development through a continuum that starts with engagement and culminates in recognition. To learn more, visit MultiplyingGood.org or follow Multiplying Good on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn, and Twitter.

About Pace University

Pace University has a proud history of preparing its diverse student body for a lifetime of professional success as a result of its unique program that combines rigorous 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. From its beginnings as an accounting school in 1906, Pace has grown to three campuses, enrolling 13,000 students in bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral programs in more than 150 majors and programs, across a range of disciplines: arts, sciences, business, health care, technology, law, education, and more. The university also has one of the most competitive performing arts programs in the country. Pace has a signature, newly renovated campus in New York City, located in the heart of vibrant Lower Manhattan, next to Wall Street and City Hall, and two campuses in Westchester County, New York: a 200-acre picturesque Pleasantville Campus and a Law School in White Plains. Follow us on Twitter or on our news website.

$200,000 State Grant through State Sen. Harckham’s Office Paves Way for Resource Center for Student Veterans

PLEASANTVILLE, N.Y. – September 21, 2020 – President Marvin Krislov joined New York State Senator Peter Harckham, student veterans and campus leaders on Monday for a grand opening of Pace University’s Student Veterans Center on its Pleasantville campus.

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The new center, which was made possible with the help of a $200,000 grant secured by Senator Harckham, will serve as a one-stop resource center for student veterans at Pace, which has hundreds of student veterans and dependents across its campuses, including 60 in Westchester. The new SVC is centrally located on campus inside the Kessel Student Center. Watch a video of the ribbon cutting here.

“Pace University has a proud tradition of supporting student veterans and their families, and this new Student Veterans Center, our first space dedicated exclusively to their needs, will help us deliver on that mission,” said President Krislov. “We are grateful to Senator Harckham for his support. He shares our firm belief that we must go above and beyond to serve those who have served our country.”

“The new Student Veterans Center at Pace University’s Pleasantville campus will be an important resource for the Pace veterans community, and I am pleased to have supported its creation from the start,” State Sen. Harckham added. “These days, more veterans of our Armed Services are pursuing postsecondary educations, and their needs differ somewhat from typical college students in terms of certain resources and socialization. Pace’s Veterans Center is a recognition of this shift in the student body, and will be met with wide appreciation as a result.”

The SVC will offer a central location on campus to connect, socialize and use the school's resources. Veterans, for example, will be able to obtain information on how to work with, and navigate, the VA, as well as the various educational benefits student veterans are entitled to including the Forever GI Bill, Post 9/11 GI Bill, Yellow Ribbon Program and Vocational Rehab.

“This is a dream come true,” said Steven Garcia, a USMC Veteran and Past President of the Student Veterans of America’s Pleasantville chapter. “Bringing veterans together at one central location will be great for the entire Pace community. This space will be essential in helping connect veterans with available resources at Pace and get them the support they need to be successful. I want to thank Senator Harckham and Pace for making this possible.” ​

“We are here today because like many others, Senator Harckham recognizes and believes in the importance of community building,” said Sukh Singh, a USMC Veteran and member of Pace University’s Class of 2021. “The SVA has put in countless hours to receive more recognition in our community. So, this is a crucial milestone for Pace’s student veterans who finally have a space to grow and support one another in their pursuits of higher education.”

Senator Harckham last year joined student veterans and university leaders to announce the project. Construction on the new Student Veterans Center began this past winter – delayed only slightly because of the pandemic -- and was completed over the summer.

“Student veterans contribute to the diversity and campus life here at Pace University,” said COL (Ret) Peter Riley, director of Pace Office of Veterans Services. “It is terrific that veterans have their own Center. It gives them a place to use the computers, study, relax, commiserate and support each other. We appreciate all the effort that Senator Harckham and his staff did to open the Veterans Center. COVID-19 might have delayed its opening, but could not prevent it.”

About Pace University

Pace University has a proud history of preparing its diverse student body for a lifetime of professional success as a result of its unique program that combines rigorous 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. From its beginnings as an accounting school in 1906, Pace has grown to three campuses, enrolling 13,000 students in bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral programs in more than 150 majors and programs, across a range of disciplines: arts, sciences, business, health care, technology, law, education, and more. The university also has one of the most competitive performing arts programs in the country. Pace has a signature, newly renovated campus in New York City, located in the heart of vibrant Lower Manhattan, next to Wall Street and City Hall, and two campuses in Westchester County, New York: a 200-acre picturesque Pleasantville Campus and a Law School in White Plains. Follow us on Twitter or on our news website.

Marc Gironda '00 found his interest in becoming a psychologist through his love of music.

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Why do we like certain music over others? Why are some melodies so emotionally powerful and moving, such as Beethoven's Ode to Joy, that they are performed and beloved by virtually all people across all generations?

A graduate of the PsyD program in school-clinical psychology, Gironda, plays both the piano and trumpet, and is most fascinated by the universality of music, its timelessness, and presence in every culture.

He is also interested in musical perception.

“I enjoyed investigating how musicians versus non-musicians process music in the brain, as well as the similarities between music and language,” Gironda said. “Most aspects of how we perceive and understand music, both emotionally and cognitively, were interesting to me.”

As an undergraduate, he earned bachelor’s degrees in both music and psychology at Colgate University, but it was his coursework in applied psychology that led him to Pace’s APA-accredited PsyD program on the New York City campus.

Today, Gironda credits Pace with not only providing an academic curriculum that prepared him for his current work and practice, but also access to professors such as Richard Velayo, with whom he presented research at conferences sponsored by the American Psychological Society and Eastern Psychological Association.

His rigorous field placements were also a big part of the making of this dedicated professional.

Gironda worked as a school psychologist at the Pequannock Township School district in New Jersey, as well as with children and adults, in both inpatient and outpatient settings, at Hackensack University Medical Center and Morristown Memorial Hospital (now Morristown Medical Center).Although it was a challenge to balance the demands of graduate school with the expectations of fieldwork, it left him feeling confident about his abilities as a practicing psychologist.

“I felt there was an excellent balance between academic and real-world preparation through my Pace education,” Gironda said.

He currently works at Bartky HealthCare Center in Livingston, New Jersey, focusing on children, adolescents, young adults, and their families. Recognized as a “Top Kids’ Doc” by NJ Family magazine, he sees patients with a range of issues, from anxiety and depression to adjustment after divorce and changing family situations, and has a special interest in working with individuals with autism, intellectual disabilities, and other neurodevelopmental disorders.

“The work can be hard, but it’s ultimately very meaningful when I can make a difference in an individual’s life,” Gironda said.

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I chose Digital Cinema and Filmmaking as a major because I have always been interested in the film industry, and I was also very impressed by the program at the Dyson College of Arts and Sciences on the Pleasantville campus. The courses include many hands on assignments, the equipment available to students is quite impressive, and an internship is required in order to graduate. This spring 2018 semester, I enrolled in the travel documentary course to Puerto Rico, the focus of which has been the aftermath of Hurricane Maria. The process of creating a documentary in such a short amount of time has been complicated and a lot of work. However, the memories I have made are ones I will remember for a very long time. I am also a Dyson Scholar in Residence, and it has been a great experience to live within a diverse community of students in the residence hall. After graduation, I hope to do camera work or editing for a comedy or reality TV show. It would make going to work something I love to do.

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I chose Pace because when I visited, I immediately fell in love with the New York City campus, which is so close to many different opportunities. I recently completed an internship at the United Nations, working with the Control Arms Coalition, an international alliance of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) which aims to end the illicit trade of small arms and light weapons. I also participated in the 2018 National Model United Nations (NMUN) conference as a head delegate, which involved supporting my fellow classmates with their position papers and the rules of the conference. It was so inspiring to see us develop into such a strong, award-winning team, which I credit to my Dyson education and the guidance of Professor Bolton and other head delegates. After graduation, I would love to work for another NGO focused on disarmament before attending graduate school, and then, either return to the UN or perhaps pursue a career at the White House!

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Honored recently by the Princess Grace Foundation, Kizzmett Pringle is preparing to live her destiny as an actor.

What was your experience like growing up in Detroit, Michigan?

My experience is nothing like what most people think of when they think of Detroit. I am proud to be from Detroit, and I rep my city hard. My Detroit is Motown, Motor City, AutoShow, Dream Cruise, Belle Isle, Mackinac Island, Thanksgiving Day Parade, Detroit Hustles Harder, Slow Roll, and the Movement Music Festival. My experience is also family. I grew up surrounded by love from my two amazing parents and my younger brother, also an MFA-trained actor. He recently graduated from the Shiley Graduate Theatre program, a joint venture of The Old Globe and the University of San Diego, MFA program, and we have shared passions, dreams, and goals. We have our own brother-sister language, and he just gets me.

Did you always want to act?

Detroit is the auto capital of the world, so a lot of activities and afterschool programs are geared (no pun intended) toward math and science. I enjoy math and science, so it was a no-brainer to go to school for engineering and, eventually, get a job [in the automotive industry]. That’s what you do when you grow up in Detroit.

I received my undergraduate degree in mechanical engineering, with a management minor, from Kettering University. Kettering is a private, cooperative education and experiential learning-based university, and I secured a co-op with General Motors (GM). During my first year at GM, I was 17 years old (I graduated high school early) and supervising a group of mostly men, who had been doing their jobs longer than I’d been alive. As you can imagine, for a young African-American woman, it was very interesting! LOL!

How did you get into acting?

Starting at a young age, my parents enrolled my brother and me in every camp, afterschool program, and class at the YMCA. You name it, we did it. One activity was a theater camp with the critically-acclaimed Mosaic Youth Theater of Detroit. I was 12 years old, it was my first experience acting, and I fell madly in love with every aspect: meeting new people, creating, storytelling, and, of course, the thrill of performing. Mosaic Youth Theater of Detroit changed my life.

Describe your experience at the actors studio drama school.

Long days, hard work, going above and beyond, and no sleep! This past year, I learned and discovered so much, but honestly, I was getting no rest. Along with being a full-time graduate student, I was an acting apprentice at the Obie Award-winning The Barrow Group, and I worked two jobs. You really have to love what you do to keep going.

One of my favorite assignments, which was during my first year of school, was animal work as part of the Stanislavski System. Transforming the human instrument into an animal serves as an introduction to character work, and for this assignment, the actor is asked to choose an animal to observe, research, and inhabit in front of peers. My animal of choice was a lioness, and let me be clear, this is not come in and "play" an animal, but rather, become one. To truly physically and mentally embody an animal—how they move, how they think, what they think, what they eat, how they eat—the research required is extensive. I took it upon myself to come in full lioness drag, and I stepped right into lioness. It was so much fun, and even now, the lioness is still with me.

What acting work are you most proud of?

As an African-American actor, the playwright August Wilson is king. Therefore, the opportunity to work on any play of his is a dream come true. During my second year of school, I worked on Gem of the Ocean. It is the first installment of The Pittsburgh Cycle, his decade-by-decade ten-play chronicle dramatizing the African-American experience in the twentieth century. I played the role of Black Mary, and it's the role that I have learned the most from as an artist. That is what I'm most proud of.

You received a grant this summer from the Princess Grace Foundation. Tell me about it.

Before I was even accepted into the Actors Studio Drama School’s MFA program, I created a graduate school vision board, which included a Princess Grace Foundation award. The foundation is dedicated to elevating extraordinary artists in theater, dance, and film. It donates millions of dollars to empower the diverse, inspiring, and extraordinary artists who have received the performing arts’ most distinctive honors —Academy Awards, Tony Awards, MacArthur Genius Awards, and Pulitzer Prizes—and who are shaping the American cultural landscape. I am now honored to a part of this amazing family, and this award means my hard work has been received and acknowledged.

What’s on your vision board for the future now?

I'm interested in sharing stories of powerful, groundbreaking women. Dream roles of mine include Eartha Kitt and Lottie 'The Body' Graves, a burlesque dancer in Detroit during the Black Bottom era. I consider myself a very physical actor, and I honestly discovered this through my movement classes at school. This past winter, I applied and was accepted into the Gibney Winter Dance Intensive, and this summer I fell in love with the aerial hoop. I eventually want to produce and perform my own 3D projection mapping, dance, and aerial hoop show.

I am also working on a social enterprise venture, possibly a nonprofit to address the lack of proof, representation, and awareness in the exploration, creation, and vision of one's life and life experiences, for minority women of color.

Is there a story behind your name that you’d like to share?

I get this question a lot. “Is that your real name?” “Do you know what it means?” “Interesting spelling.” My parents named me after my aunt, my father’s sister. I was told that my grandfather read the word in a book, and named her Kizzmett. I don't know where the unique spelling came from. Does my name have any special significance in terms of who I am as a performer and artist? No. But in terms of who I am as a person, yes. I have the word, Kismet, meaning fate or destiny, tattooed on my shoulder, because I feel like I'm living out my destiny.

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Zuher Ibrahim ’20, History, Political Science, is a future policy maker whose Pace Path involves advocacy on mental health awareness, sexual assault prevention, and education access.

Why did you choose to attend Pace?

I chose to attend Pace because of opportunities I felt would become available to me within Dyson and, more specifically, the New York Political Science Department. Once here, I was an intern during the fall 2018 semester with the Nobel Peace prize-winning International Coalition to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN), a global civil society working to promote the adherence and full implementation of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW). This opportunity was available to me as a student in Professor Bolton’s class on Global Politics of Disarmament and Arms Control. I am also a first-generation student, and having the opportunity to attend a school of my choice has been a very humbling experience.

You are also a title ix ambassador in the dean for students office, as well as organized the out of the darkness suicide prevention walk in April 2019.

My work in the Dean for Students Office as a Title IX Ambassador has been exciting because it is unlike any other job experience I have had before. I recently participated in a webinar with Mount Sinai on Sexual Assault/Violence Intervention (SAVI) and the New York State Department of Health, providing feedback for an upcoming statewide toolkit on sexual assault policies across all SUNY campuses. My role when organizing the Out of the Darkness walk was as Vice President of Active Minds, a club on campus dedicated to breaking down the stigma of mental health on college campuses. Organizing it took months of prep, and we tabled for weeks before the event to bring awareness to suicide prevention, statistics, and what can be done with just a $1 donation! After months of planning, promotion, and finishing the walk-in April, we raised over $8,700 for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.

I chose to attend Pace because of opportunities i felt would become available to me within dyson and, more specifically, the new york political science department.

Outside of Pace, what internships have you had thus far as a student?

My first internship was as a College Transitioning Coach at the Student Leadership Network, where I assisted the Director of College Counseling in guiding over 100 students through the college application and financial aid process. I was later a Bridge to College Coach, in which, through a special certification, I ensured the quality of academic performance and attendance of more than 200 college students, post-deposit submission. This was an important task, as many high school students experience a “summer melt,” with over 40% not attending college due to missing documents, financial aid mistakes, etc. My most recent internship was at the New York City’s Mayor’s Office, where I managed email communications, letters, and 311 calls directly sent to the Mayor. In fall 2019, I will be a Campaign and Community Intern at DoSomething.

What would you like to do upon graduation/what are your career goals?

After graduation, I want to attend law school and have a career in politics, creating policies that will benefit low-income communities regarding education access across the United States, as well as overseas. I plan to open my own pro bono clinic for unfair cases, including cases for sexual assault, and build a foundation in my hometown in Ethiopia, with a mission of education access, especially for young girls.

What advice, if any, would you like to give to our current students?

My advice to current students would be to figure out what you enjoy, make it into a career, and advocate for yourself! You are in college in New York City, a place many would dream of, and should be exploring a career you enjoy with internship opportunities to rave about during your time as an undergrad. It is highly important to advocate for yourself - if you feel like something is wrong academically, physically, mentally, or emotionally, stand up for yourself and tell someone who can help you.