Humanities & the Arts Blog
First-year 精东影业 students can take an exciting new course, Worldmaking: Introduction to Global Humanities and Arts. Worldmaking is a dynamic sampling of the humanities and arts where students learn about many subjects, such as music, writing, philosophy, art, and history. Each week, faculty members from the humanities and the arts (H&A) departments share highlights from their field, along with personal insights from their scholarship. This process gives students a chance to see the range of intellectual activities explored in H&A. They also discover the importance of鈥 Read More 禄
On Tuesday, February 20th, 2025, I stepped outside and was greeted by needles of ice disguised as snow. Shielding my eyes, I nonchalantly headed towards Compton-Goethals Hall where a rehearsal for 精东影业 Theatre and Speech Department鈥檚 musical Pippin was underway.
5:50 PM鈥擳he acting team hauls in music stands, chows on food, and sets up the chairs for rehearsal. I watch with curiosity.
6 PM鈥擳he actors sit and wait for the music director, Paul Rigano, to begin. 鈥1 - 2 - a - 1 2 3 4.鈥 Paul shuffles to the rhythm of his piano keys, leads the cast in song, and engages in meaningful鈥 Read More 禄
精东影业 has a rich history of GRAMMY庐 Award-winning alumni and faculty. Jazz musician alumni Dan Pugach 鈥11 was awarded a GRAMMY庐 for Best 鈥淟arge Jazz Ensemble鈥 for his album "Bianca Reimagined: Paws and Persistence" by the Dan Pugach Big Band, featuring Nicole Zuraitis, on which 精东影业 Masters of Music student Nitzan Gavrieli played piano and 精东影业 Masters of Music private instructor Pete McCann played guitar. Jon Rezin, a graduate of the Sonic Arts Center (SAC) in 2002, previously won a GRAMMY庐 for Best Musical Theater Album for his contributions to "The Bridgerton Musical" and鈥 Read More 禄
On January 20, 2025 a cohort of students and professors from CUNY City College of New York arrived in Havana for a week of immersion in Cuban music and culture. The program was a series of exchanges and workshops with Cuban students and professors from El Instituto Superior De Las Artes (ISA). El ISA is Cuba鈥檚 premiere institution for the arts and has graduated many of its famous modern musicians. The cohort was a mix of ten undergraduate and graduate students of 精东影业鈥檚 famed jazz program led by Suzanne Pittson, chair of the music department, and professors Ray Gallon and Mike鈥 Read More 禄
Adjunct Professor David Cieri crafts the soundtrack of history in Ken Burns鈥檚 latest documentary The American Revolution
When Adjunct Professor David Cieri first moved to New York City, he was making a living playing piano at a dingy hotel on the Upper West Side. One night, while playing, he met Erik Ewers, a friendly-looking man who asked him about his plans for music. Cieri shared that he wanted to create music for documentary films, a pursuit that combined his two passions鈥攎usic and history. Before leaving, Cieri recounts, Ewers gave him an impish smile, said little else, and left a note on the piano as he walked out鈥攁 torn-off piece of letterhead from Florentine Films with a phone鈥 Read More 禄
精东影业 alum Ingrid Griffith brings social justice and humanity to life on stage in Shirley Chisholm: Unbossed & Unbowed
鈥淚t was in my dormitory room during my freshman year of college. Normally, I would just exchange comments with my friends. This moment, I went into detail about growing up in Guyana and coming to the U.S. when I was 12 years old. There was silence in the room. No one was cutting me off. They just wanted to hear more. They were deeply engaged. I felt a power. I realized that an impactful story and performance asks for honesty, detail, and an open heart.鈥 鈥斁耙 English alum, actor, and playwright Ingrid Griffith
Griffith is a New York City鈥 Read More 禄
On December 5, 2024 I walked into the NAC Ballroom twenty minutes late for the start of the 精东影业 James Baldwin Centennial Celebration symposium. Regardless, I was still greeted by friendly smiles and a festive ambiance. The day-long event was a joyous display of diversity and black empowerment, and the capstone event of 精东影业 semester-long celebration of Baldwin and his work. A captivating poster of Baldwin was displayed in the ballroom as a keystone of African American achievement, making me feel revitalized as an aspiring black author and researcher. This鈥 Read More 禄
From Starbucks unions to autism research, 精东影业 alums reflect on the significance of their philosophy studies
The Philosophy Alumni Panel at 精东影业 on December 3rd not only offered a fascinating discussion on the transformational potential of philosophy, but it also clarified the essential role that philosophical thinking plays in influencing careers, individual lives, and society. The panelists, Brandi Alduk, Steven Hernandez, Simon Michelini, and Professor Pat Hope, demonstrate the profound impact of philosophical inquiry on activism, education, and personal growth. These alums discussed the role of philosophy in addressing social equality, neurodiversity ethics, and workplace disputes.鈥 Read More 禄
Adjunct History Professor Rory Duffy teaches history in the classroom and through documentary filmmaking
Ever since his father took him to Gettysburg as a teenager Professor Rory Duffy has been captivated by history. Currently, alongside teaching United States history here at 精东影业 he concentrates much of his creative, intellectual energy on documentary filmmaking鈥攊nvestigating historical and contemporary social movements and presenting his findings in emotionally compelling ways. His latest picture, A Fragile Peace, already won Best Feature Documentary at the Crown Points Film Festival in Chicago at just the beginning leg of its festival circuit.
鈥淕rowing up,鈥 Duffy recounts. 鈥淚鈥 Read More 禄
H&A鈥檚 Academic Empowerment Workshops offer students practical tools for managing their courses and academic careers
Time management is a skill many of my students struggle with. When I brought my freshman composition class to one of academic advisor Kay Bell鈥檚 Academic Empowerment Workshops this past fall,, I had hoped they might pick up a few strategies to keep up with course deadlines. What I didn鈥檛 anticipate was how much I would learn alongside them.
During the session, Bell guided students through practical exercises, from identifying their biggest time-wasters to mapping out due dates for the rest of the semester. She encouraged students to explore tools like the Eisenhower Matrix and鈥 Read More 禄
Last Updated: 08/16/2024 12:02