Keeping Up With: The School of Humanities, Communication, and Art

8/5/2025

Learn More About Recent News, Recognitions, and Student and Faculty Accomplishments

In January, the University of Mount Saint Vincent announced that it made the strategic step forward to restructure the academic divisions of the University from individual departments to schools—enhancing the Mount’s institutional efficiency and effectiveness in addressing the challenges facing higher education today. This move created six schools under the larger university umbrella, with three serving solely students enrolled in the Undergraduate College of Mount Saint Vincent and three crossing ties between the Undergraduate College and the College of Professional and Graduate Studies.

While each academic department has been preserved—including the appointment of new faculty chairs—the University created positions for a new dean or assistant dean in each of the six schools. It is important to note that this restructuring was not for cost savings, but for organizational efficiency and opportunity. UMSV is proud to be navigating the challenges of higher education without having to cut programs or positions—and that’s significant.

This Summer, we’re eager to highlight news and accomplishments from each of the University’s schools. Next up: the School of Humanities, Communication, and Art.

The School of Humanities, Communication, and Art thrives as a vibrant center of creativity, critical inquiry, and cultural expression. Students and faculty express and critically reflect upon the human condition, driving change through the liberal and creative arts. The School—one of the Mount’s largest—includes the Departments of Communication, Art, and Media; English; History; Modern Languages and Literatures; and Philosophy and Religious Studies, as well as all of our interdisciplinary programs. Whether through public-facing art installations, original performances, research papers, or literature reviews, the School of Humanities, Communication, and Art—led by Assistant Dean Michelle Scollo, PhD—champions purposeful, imaginative, and impactful work.

Programs in literature, media studies, journalism, philosophy, theatre, visual arts, and more equip students with the analytical, creative, and communication skills vital to today’s evolving world. The faculty in the School of Humanities, Communication, and Art are leaders in their fields with active scholarly agendas and creative work. They partner with students in their academic journeys, engaging them in deep, powerful learning, mentorship, and professional development. Many of the part-time faculty in the School are professionals in their fields, adding to the learning, professional development, and network for students. With close faculty guidance, real-world experience, and a deep commitment to cultural leadership, students graduate empowered to inspire, inform, and innovate.

Keep reading to learn more!

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Department of Communication, Art and Media Presented 2025 Senior Art Exhibition, Multimedia Mayhem

In Spring 2025, Adjunct Professor of Studio Art Anila Jaho and Assistant Professor of Studio Art Thomas Ray Willis organized, curated, installed, and promoted Multimedia Mayhem, the annual senior capstone exhibition for the Department of Communication, Art, and Media at the University of Mount Saint Vincent. The exhibition showcased final projects from seven graduating students in the art/VAEM senior capstone course and was on view from April 23 to May 17, 2025 in the Elizabeth Seton Library.

A celebratory opening reception was held on April 23, 2025, marking the culmination of four years of artistic growth, experimentation, and personal inquiry for the exhibiting students: Cristian Caraballo ’25, Adrian Chano ’25, Brooke Frierson ’25, Dillen Harrison ’25, Isabella Motz ’25, Alexandra Taveras ’25, and Mia Enid Valentin ’25.

Under the guidance of their department faculty, the students developed bodies of work in their senior year that addresses themes including cultural identity, psychological introspection, urban studies, language, loss, and memory. The projects spanned a wide range of media, including photography, film, mixed-media installation, painting, and digital design, demonstrating the students’ diverse practices and conceptual depth.

Multimedia Mayhem stood not only as a showcase of technical and creative achievement, but also as a reflection of the department’s commitment to fostering independent thinking, rigorous critique, and exhibition experience for graduating seniors.

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Faculty Present On-Campus Art Exhibition, Moments

As part of its ongoing commitment to advancing the visibility of art at the University Mount Saint Vincent, the Department of Communication, Art, and Media extended the faculty Moments exhibition into 2025 and contributed new work to the installation. The exhibition is located in the UMSV Conservatory in Marillac Hall and features artwork from nine current faculty members and one professor emeritus.

Originally launched with the grand opening of the Conservatory on June 10, 2023, Moments provides a glimpse into the talents of the Mount’s distinguished faculty, who are not only dedicated educators but also accomplished visual artists pushing the boundaries of their creative practices. A public art reception was held on April 3, 2024, which brought together students, colleagues, and members of the Mount community in celebration of faculty achievements in the visual arts.

The exhibition includes a wide range of media such as painting, sculpture, photography, and digital work, demonstrating the depth and breadth of artistic practices across our department. From painting and sculpture to photography and digital media, the exhibit highlights the multifaceted practices of our faculty members across various disciplines and departments. Exhibiting professors include Matthew Archibald, Brad Crownover, Enrico Giordano, Chemin Hsiao, Jeffery Morabito, Séverine Rebourcet, Janet Rollins, LinDa Saphan, Rob Seyffert, and Thomas Ray Willis.

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Art Expo 2025 Engages Local Community Members and Students with Mount Art Majors

As part of community outreach and arts education initiatives, Department of Communication, Art, and Media Chair Robert Williams and Assistant Professor of Studio Art Thomas Ray Willis co-organized and co-hosted Art Expo 2025, a collaborative design showcase and award ceremony in partnership with St. Margaret of Cortona and St. Gabriel School. Held in Benedict’s Hall on a Saturday morning, the event celebrated the achievements of middle and high school students from the school’s architecture program led by teacher David Mosher.

Robert and Professor Willis helped facilitate a panel discussion featuring design feedback and career insights. Studio art students and alums, including Analydia Camacho ’24 and Isabella Motz ’25, were invited to serve as guest panelists, offering constructive commentary and mentorship to the presenting students. Professor Willis moderated the panel, fostering a dialogue between young designers and practicing artists from the Mount.

The event concluded with a lunch reception, during which faculty and alumni engaged with students and families about the value of arts education and opportunities available at the Mount. Art Expo 2025 served as both a celebration of student creativity and an important recruitment and community-building effort.

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Professor Thomas Ray Willis Organizes Fall 2024 Visiting Artist Lecture Series

As part of his commitment to integrating professional art practice into the classroom, Assistant Professor of Studio Art Thomas Ray Willis created, organized, and hosted the Fall 2024 Visiting Artist Lecture Series at the University of Mount Saint Vincent. This public lecture series was held in conjunction with his ART 322: Design Ideation course and featured three nationally recognized design leaders from premier institutions: Nike, Sesame Workshop, and the Obama Foundation.

Held in Maryvale Hall, the series was open to the public and provided students with direct access to contemporary design professionals who shared insights on creative leadership, industry trends, and recent projects. Featured speakers included: James Buford, the creative director and former designer at Nike, Reebok, Levi’s, and Kate Spade; Theresa Fitzgerald, the former vice president of creative at Sesame Workshop and former design director at Peanuts International and Nickelodeon; and Ray Anne Shea, the director of design at the Obama Foundation.

Through this series, students gained exposure to a wide range of design methodologies and professional trajectories, enriching their academic experience and preparing them for future careers in the creative industry.

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Communication Students Remain Active Both Within and Beyond the Classroom

Students studying communication continued to hold successful internships with major companies in the field throughout New York City in 2024-2025. Their internships included learning more about social media, public relations, television production, and on-air work. On campus, eight Communication majors and minors were inducted into Lambda Pi Eta, the national Communication Honor Society, in April 2025.

In addition, 13 communication majors successfully completed the capstone course in the major, Seminar in Communication, taught by Assistant Dean Michelle Scollo, PhD. Students spent an entire semester conducting original research in the communication field on cutting-edge and socially relevant topics using a variety of research methods. Topics included:

• College Students’ Use of Streaming services
• The Explicitness of Lyrics in Mainstream Music Over the Past Decade
• The Impact of College Coaches’ Nonverbal and Verbal Communication Style on Team Morale and Performance
• The Impact of Professional Athletes’ Social Media on Fan Perceptions
• The Impact of Sports Betting Commercials on Fans’ Perceptions of the NFL
• The Perceptions of Representation and Inclusion in Video Games Among Video Game Players
• The Portrayal of the Decision to Drop Out of College in YouTube Influencer Videos
• The Portrayal of Latino Characters in Film from 2004-2024
• The Portrayal of Monotheistic and Polytheistic Religions in Video Games from 2014-2024
• The Portrayal of Police Brutality on U.S. News Channels in 2024
• The Role of Communication Between Instructors and Students on Digital Learning Platforms in Student Learning and Success
• The Role of Digital Platforms in the Social and Personal Lives of Gen Z
• The Role of Multiplayer Video Games in Cultivating Interpersonal Relationships in Online Communities Among Neurodivergent People

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Dr. Brad Crownover Remains No Stranger to the Stage

Associate Professor of Communication Brad Crownover, PhD isn’t just at the front of the classroom—he’s on stage, as well!

In November 2024, he presented “Acting and Directing a Monologue” in a session titled “Great Creative Pedagogical Ideas for Theatre, Film, and Multi-Media” at the National Communication Association conference in New Orleans, LA.

In December 2024, his original play, Happy Tails, A Dramedy in One-Act, was produced as part of the Working Theater’s Staged Readings of New Plays. Read more about it! He was also a finalist for the TheatreWorks! Mark Plesent Playwriting Commission Fund in April 2025.

Lastly, he presented two original poems as an invited guest celebrating the work of poet Elaine Sexton in May 2025. The poems are titled I’m Your Barbie Girl and Persephone’s Lament.

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Dr. Diami Virgilio Presents at National Conference

Assistant Professor of Media Studies Diami Virgilio, PhD presented at the Meaningful XR conference held in Davis, CA this past Spring. Meaningful XR is conference dedicated to exploring the transformative potential of virtual reality, augmented reality, and mixed reality—collectively referred to as XR. Dr. Virgilio’s presentation was titled “Virtual Mates after Orion.”

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Dr. Matthew Leporati Has the Write Stuff

Associate Professor of English Matthew Leporati, PhD had lots to share from this past semester! First, his most recent book (“Romantic Epics and the Mission of Empire”) was reviewed favorably in The Times Literary Supplement by Ross Wilson in February 2025. He also published several articles, including: “Blake’s Vortices: Hold” in Vala: The Journal of the Blake Society, a review of Divine Images: The Life and Work of William Blake by Jason Whittaker in Blake: An Illustrated Quarterly, and a review of Jerusalem: Blake, Parry, and the Fight for Englishness by Jason Whittaker and William Blake as Natural Philosopher, 1788–1795 by Joseph Fletcher in European Romantic Review.

The University recently shared much more about Dr. Leporati’s recent endeavors in a recent faculty feature. Read more here!

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Dr. Leonard Nalencz Contributes to Trilingual Publication

Associate Professor of English Leonard Nalencz, PhD recently edited, translated, wrote the introduction for, and contributed a story to a book that was published by Trident Press last October. The book, titled Let’s Walk Together, is a trilingual anthology of poems and stories in Quechua, Spanish, and English.

Additionally, Dr. Nalencz shared that one of his former students, Jahony Germosen ’24, landed a position as the education coordinator for the Strother School of Radical Attention in Brooklyn.

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Dr. Stephanie Pietros Contributes Scholarship to Peer-Reviewed Journal and Academic Conference

Associate Professor of English Stephanie Pietros, PhD had two major scholarly accomplishments this Spring. First, she had an article published in the Spring 2025 issue of Studies in English Literature 1500-1900, entitled “The Willow Song and Comedy in Othello.” Studies in English Literatures is a top-tier peer reviewed journal published by the Johns Hopkins University Press. Second, she presented a paper at the Modern Language Association Annual Convention in New Orleans in January 2025. And—in addition to her scholarly work—Dr. Pietros is a regular contributor to Thinking Theatre NYC, where she writes theatre reviews on off-Broadway and independent performances throughout New York City.

Dr. Pietros also serves as the Director for the Honors Program here at the Mount. She shared that the School of Humanities, Communication, and Art had four graduating seniors complete Honors Theses in Spring 2025. They are:

• Antonio Escobinas ’25, The Filipino Impact on American Healthcare | Mentor: Dr. Rosita Villagómez
• Isabella Motz ’25, Stuck Between a Horse and a Hard Place: Patriarchal Containment in John Keats’ “La Belle Dame sans Merci” | Mentor: Dr. Matthew Leporati
• Gabrielle Perez ’25, The Power of Words: Exploring Performative Language in Poetry, Film, and Music | Mentor: Dr. Leonard Nalencz
• Dominick Porto ’25, Fear, Loathing, and Journalism: Hunter S. Thompson’s Radical Critique of American Power | Mentor: Dr. Diami Virgilio

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Department of History Concludes Another Successful Year

Faculty members in the Department of History taught an exciting array of courses that explored a wide range of periods, topics, and themes in Spring 2025. Associate Professor of History David Gallo, PhD offered his pathbreaking core course on the birth of the modern world, “Royalties and Revolutions,” thought-provoking upper-level classes like “Medieval History,” and the capstone course for majors, “Senior Research Seminar.” Associate Professor of History Daniel Opler, PhD presented his own compelling introductory course on challenges to equality in early America, “Witches, Slaves, and Rebels,” and the essential upper-level class “African American History, 1865-2012.” Professor of History Joseph Skelly, PhD taught the core course “Ethics of Peace and War” and the advanced class “Contemporary Middle East”—both now more relevant than ever. The Department also offered other gripping classes like “Americas Before Columbus,” “Shaping of the Modern World,” “Doctors, Disease, and Healthcare,” and “Equal Justice Under the Law.”

Three history majors completed the Department of History’s capstone course in the Spring 2025 semester. They are:

• Beirut Garcia ’25, An Academic, Forensic Assessment of the Bush Administration’s Decision to Invade Iraq in 2003
• Jake Luxoro ’25, “Après Moi, le Déluge;” Louis XV and the Failure of the French Monarchy
• Orangel Mejia ’25, Reaganomics and America Today

Throughout the year, history students wrote original essays, perfected start-of-the-art research methodologies, delivered captivating presentations, and enthusiastically participated in campus events. Five students were inducted into Phi Alpha Theta, the History Honor Society. Additionally, Dr. Gallo, Dr. Opler, and Dr. Skelly contributed to the life of the University beyond the classroom in important ways. They advised history majors, supervised the minor in women’s studies, coordinated the minor in political science, helped to draft UMSV’s assessment report for the Middle States accreditation process, served on faculty committees, ardently supported the work of the Faculty Council, conducted scholarly research, and attended academic conferences. The collective efforts of the faculty, majors, and minors serve as a reminder, once again, that—for UMSV students—the Department of History is where the past becomes their future!

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Students Participate in Faculty-Led Study Abroad Program in Rome

The Department of History, in cooperation with the Department of Modern Languages and Literatures, had four students participate in a faculty-led study abroad program in Rome, Italy in partnership with John Cabot University. Dr. David Aliano was the program director. The six-credit program lasted for five weeks, from May 22 to June 27, during which time Dr. Aliano traced the history and culture of the city of Rome from its ancient origins to the present day through a series of in-class lectures, on-site visits to museums, and excursions to historical monuments across the city of Rome.

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Dr. David Aliano Highlights Accomplishments in the Department of Modern Languages and Literatures

Professor of Italian and History David Aliano, PhD shared that he recently became the editor of Italian American Review, a peer-reviewed journal of the John D. Calandra Italian American Institute published by the University of Illinois Press. Additionally, he was elected the new chair of the Columbia University Seminar in Modern Italian Studies.

Dr. Aliano was also a co-author, with Joseph Sciorra, of: “A Land of Newspapers: Introduction to the Special Issue on Periodicals of the Italian Diaspora.” This was published in Italian American Review in Winter 2025.

Several students in the Department also boasted accomplishments. Christabel Marranzini ’25 completed her senior thesis, titled “Love in the Poetry of Dante and Petrarca.” Paz Morales Saldias ’25 completed her senior thesis, titled “Fellini’s La Dolce Vita and the Intersection of Hollywood on the Tiber, the Economic Miracle, and Made in Italy.” Humberto Lopez ’25 was the winner of the Solange Bruneau Mally Memorial Award in Modern Languages and Literatures and achieved the highest overall GPA among the University of Mount Saint Vincent’s undergraduate graduating Class of 2025.

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Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies Students Shine

There has been no shortage of hard work happening in the Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies this semester! A few highlights: 20 students were inducted into Kappa Gamma Pi, the Catholic Honor Society, in April 2025; two philosophy majors completed internships in the Center for University Research; and one graduate received the Philosophy Medal at the 2025 Commencement Ceremony: Isaac Mack!

Additionally, three students completed senior seminar research projects in Spring 2025. They are:

• Isaac Mack ’25, Moderating Divine Madness: Analyzing Moderation in the Strauss-Kojève Debate
• Gael Rodriguez ’25, Two Visions of the End: Leo Strauss and Alexandre Kojève on Utopias
• Jancarlos Sanchez ’25, Defining Tyranny: Strauss’ Classical Insight Versus Kojève’s Historicist Perspective

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Sister Eileen Fagan Travels to the UK to Present Latest Research

Associate Professor of Religious Studies Eileen Fagan, SC, PhD jumped across the pond in July 2025 to present a paper at the Oxford University Symposium on Religious Studies in London, UK. Sister Fagan’s paper is titled “Theologies of Pope Francis and Johann Baptist Metz in Dialogue: Reconnection of Faith and Politics.”

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.