From the Classroom to the Community: Mount Professor Wins 2024 BRIO Award
10/23/2024
Congratulations to Dr. Rob Jacklosky!
University of Mount Saint Vincent Professor of English Rob Jacklosky, PhD is many things: teacher, essayist, comedy theorist, and fiction writer. And now he can add another accomplishment to his resume: winner of a 2024 BRIO Award.
Just this past Summer, Dr. Jacklosky learned that he had been selected by the Bronx Council on the Arts to receive a $5,000 grant for his novel-in-progress. The coveted BRIO Award (Bronx Recognizes Its Own) recognizes artists from a wide range of creative disciplines—including performing arts, visual arts, media arts, and literary arts—who represent the broad diversity of Bronx residents.
As part of the award, Dr. Jacklosky will develop a public service activity aimed at providing art-related opportunities to the Bronx community. Known as Artists for Community Enrichment, the activity has a dual purpose: to highlight local artistic talent and to foster community engagement that can reach those who might not normally have access to artistic experiences.
Dr. Jacklosky is in the planning stages of holding an on-campus writing workshop at UMSV that will be open to both the Mount community and the public. He said that he expects to recruit students from his classes to assist. Pointing to the foundational relationships the Mount has with Bronx-based senior residence homes like The Hebrew Home for the Aged, he said he anticipates such groups will be eager to participate.
“The wonderful people in our nearby communities are avid consumers of culture—a sophisticated, appreciative audience who regularly attend public performances at the Mount, and many of them even take classes here,” Dr. Jacklosky said. “I love the idea of putting young and old together in a creative environment.”
In addition to teaching English and serving as the Director for the Mount’s Core Curriculum, Dr. Jacklosky teaches creative writing, comedy theory, and a course called ‘Writing Funny Things After Reading Funny Things.’ He has published essays, book chapters, and other works that highlight his academic and literary interests, including an essay in the popular humor website, McSweeney’s Internet Tendency.
Dr. Jacklosky recounted his surprise and delight upon learning he had captured the coveted BRIO Award. He’s been working on his novel and other works of fiction that have garnered positive feedback from peers and mentors.
“When my wife spotted the notice about the BRIO award, we both submitted applications,” he said. “I sent mine in on the last hour of the last possible day!”
Aside from the personal recognition he’s gained since being awarded the grant, Dr. Jacklosky has noticed a subtle difference—not just in his own work, but in his classroom.
“The acknowledgment has given me more energy and confidence, which sooner or later every writer needs to keep going with a project,” he reflected. “This positivity comes across to my students. At this point in the semester, they are deeply engaged in their own writing, and they need to believe in themselves. They need to hear that it’s worth every bit of time and effort they put into it.”
Dr. Jacklosky said that he is constantly struck by the incredible opportunities available to UMSV students.
“Students with creative talent can choose to go anywhere,” he said. “But here at the Mount, they receive individualized attention in an atmosphere that nurtures them beyond what they might have received in a larger or more well-known school. There aren’t many places where you can work with a small cadre of student writers who will become familiar with your work over time. They know when you can do better, and they’ll push you to improve. I tell them: enjoy it now because that kind of supportive atmosphere can be hard to find.”
We’ll be sure to keep you apprised of Dr. Jacklosky’s plans for his upcoming writing workshop. Until then, we send him our congratulations and thank him for continuing to represent some of the best of the Bronx creative community!
About the University of Mount Saint Vincent
Founded in 1847 by the Sisters of Charity, the University of Mount Saint Vincent offers a nationally recognized liberal arts education and a select array of professional fields of study on a landmark campus overlooking the Hudson River. Committed to the education of the whole person, and enriched by the unparalleled cultural, educational, and career opportunities of New York City, the University equips students with the knowledge, skills, and experiences necessary for lives of achievement, professional accomplishment, and leadership in the 21st century.