This fall, the School of the Arts and Communication is introducing a new series, ArtsComm Alumni Chats, for students to connect with alumni from diverse career paths and explore innovative career paths. The first Alumni Chat will be held on Wednesday, Oct. 9 at 6:30-7:30 pm on Zoom.
The theme for the upcoming Alumni Chat will be The Intersection of Art and Technology. There will be four TCNJ alumni featured: Kathleen Fox ’17, Creative Technologist; Terrance Odonkor ’22, Orchestrator, Arranger and Music Supervisor; Courtney Ross ’18, Senior Director of Product Development at Critical Response Group, and Benjamin Zander ’18, Emmy-Nominated Journalist from NBC News NOW.
“The chats are in response to our students who wanted more industry exposure and connections with our alumni,” Assistant Dean Erica Bagnarelli said. “We knew that fantastic alumni were coming into individual classrooms or hosted by a department, but students in other majors and classes might not be aware or have access to those experiences. We wanted an opportunity for all students, regardless of major, to hear from alumni in each of our departments, who’ll come together to focus on a new theme each month.”
During the one-hour Zoom meeting, the alumni will share their background and career path, and describe the unique work they are doing.
There will be a Q&A session, moderated by Bagnarelli, and attendees will have the opportunity to ask the alumni questions. ArtsComm Connector Kayla Woods, a senior communication studies major, will be asking the alumni prepared questions.
“I’ve asked the panelists, as we look at [the intersection of art and technology], to share a bit about a project that helps explore this intersection,” Bagnarelli said. “I hope attendees will leave with an appreciation of how our disciplines each grapple, evolve, and advance with an ever-changing landscape, and perhaps be inspired by the stories and experiences of our talented panelists. Our hope is also to build a LinkedIn network where panelists and attendees can come together to continue these conversations.”
There will be two more Alumni Chats this semester: Storytelling Across Mediums on October 23 and Creative Careers and Entrepreneurship in the Modern Age on November 20.
Register today for the first Alumni Chat on Oct. 9.
– Kaitlin Bavaro ’25