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Recently, you co-published a peer-reviewed book chapter with Associate Professor Melvin Williams entitled, "Hip Hop’s White House Guest: Jack Harlow and White Rap Authenticating Strategies" in Race/Gender/Class/Media: Considering Diversity Across Audiences, Content, and Producers (5th edition). The research was a textual analysis of Harlow’s two studio albums, That’s What They All Say (2020) and Come Home the Kids Miss You (2022), and Harlow’s White rap authenticating strategies and potential social criticisms of racial injustice, Whiteness, and White privilege in rap and society.

Tell us what this research experience was like and how it was meaningful to you.

Never have I been so blessed and grateful to work with such a wonderful individual as Professor Melvin Williams. My research experience has been nothing but extraordinary, and I learned a great deal about academic research, fundamental life skills (such as decision-making, problem-solving, creative and critical thinking, self-awareness, and empathy), and how to advance my communication. It was very meaningful to me because as a student, when someone believes in you, it can be transformational. Fear dwindles, confidence climbs, and you gain the courage to set higher goals and take leaps of faith. I succeeded in collaborating through evolving ideas, dissecting data, and being involved in interpreting our discoveries. Lastly, I was granted a magnificent opportunity to travel to DePaul University in Chicago, Illinois, for an academic conference to present my research to other academic scholars.

Your project received many accolades, such as the 2022-2023 Provost Student-Faculty Undergraduate Research/Creative Inquiry Award and presentation at the 2022 Midwest Popular Culture Association Conference.

What do you feel is the significance of your research and what do you hope readers will gain from it?

I hope that our research guides the reader to a deeper understanding of the complex relationship between race, gender, class, media, and society through the lens of Hip-Hop. I want our readers to garner their own perspectives on the challenges that under-acknowledged communities face in the music industry and the ways that these challenges intersect with broader issues of diversity, representation, and authenticity. I believe that this research obtains important information and elaborate analyses of the ongoing discourse on social justice and equality in the music industry, and we invite readers to thoughtfully analyze these vital challenges.

How did you become interested in pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in Communication and Media Studies?

Since a young age, I’ve been fueled with a passion for media studies, and it has always been a component of my life. Naturally, I’ve developed a deep interest in the media’s antics, and I appreciate that Pace’s Communication and Media Studies department challenges its students to pursue magnificent careers. Early on, I realized that the skills obtained in communication and media studies are rich in personal development. Those we acquire are practical and applicable in real-world scenarios, such as communicating in many contexts, developing critical thinking skills, and becoming media literate consumers. At large, I am interested in how communication and media studies tackle and challenge oversimplified media concepts, and various aspects of society, including politics, culture, identity, and social issues.

Why did you choose to attend Pace?

As much as I feel like I chose Pace, I have always felt that Pace chose me! From the first time I stepped on campus, the passion and thrill that I felt have still not left. To me, Pace abounds in uplifting their students to reach remarkable achievements and acknowledging diligent individuals. It is a wonderful university located in one of the most inspiring locations in Manhattan.

What have your experiences been like with the Communication and Media Studies Department?

I thrive in the Communication and Media Studies department because they are very invested in their students. The overall culture within the department is a one-of-a-kind environment, and they give students a chance to engage in hands-on media production, research, and critical dissecting of media messages. I am very fond of the supportive faculty, and the unique array of courses they offer.

“Never have I been so blessed and grateful to work [on co-authoring a peer-reviewed book chapter] with such a wonderful individual as Professor Melvin Williams. My research experience has been nothing but extraordinary, and I learned a great deal about academic research, fundamental life skills, and how to advance my communication.”

What other activities and organizations have you been involved with as a student?

As a student, I am very glad that I became involved in organizations, and I had some of my favorite college experiences at Pace-run activities. I am a Pace Press staff writer and a member of Gamma Iota (the fraternity chapter of Lambda Pi Eta, the National Communication Association's official honor society at four-year colleges and universities), and the National Society for Leadership and Success. In Gamma Iota, I held an executive board position, and as part of that, presented an inauguration for new members, as well as had the privilege to co-host a Q&A with Marielle Segarra, an award-winning podcast host of NPR’s Life Kit. I was also a student representative for new hires in the Communication and Media Studies department.

As a first-generation, Latino undergraduate college student, tell us of any challenges you have overcome in your personal and/or academic journey that you are proud of, and would like to share.

I have encountered many challenges that I am glad to have surpassed. Without guidance of family members and others who had gone through the educational system, I had a very individualized experience in navigating the complexities of college. Similarly, I overcame other issues such as networking, and how to thrive as a self-reliant individual in a metropolis. One of my greatest accomplishments is creating a standard for my nieces and nephews in Pennsylvania to follow and assisting them in pursuing college.

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

Upon graduation, I am very enthused to jumpstart a career in the communication and media studies industry. My favorite areas of interest include media production, journalism, public relations, research and analysis, and event planning. I am still deciding and applying to jobs, but I know that I am interested in the production side of the industry, and I aspire to work in television, film, radio, digital media, or content creation.

What advice would you like to give to our current students?

“Eat your rice.” If I must elaborate, sometimes in life, the glamour and glory must remain hidden and disguised for you to remain steadfast and enthusiastic in your pursuit of greater achievements. If you are captivated by superficial beauties and distractions, growth is hindered, causing you to lose track of why you started in the first place. Eat your rice. Simplicity is powerful. Instead of dwelling on the reasons behind your problems, focus on seeking solutions to overcome them.

A number of Dyson students in the STEM disciplines earned accolades at research conferences this spring, highlighting their impressive faculty-sponsored work.

NEURON Conference

Emma Brown ’23, Behavioral Neuroscience, won best poster at the NEURON (Northeast Under/graduate Research Organization for Neuroscience) Conference, hosted by Quinnipiac University. In her category, Brown was competing against 54 other students from prestigious universities throughout the northeast.

Eastern Colleges Science Conference

Eight students from biology, chemistry, behavioral neuroscience, and forensic science—accompanied by Associate Professor of Biology Daniel Strahs, PhD, and Assistant Professor of Biology Wei Fang, PhD—attended the 2023 Eastern Colleges Science Conference at Sacred Heart University.

Noor Aayla ’23, Behavioral Neuroscience, received the Chemistry Poster Presentation Award for her work with Strahs: "A Method to Analyze Electrostatic Interactions Between Ethacridine and Topoisomerase IA in E. coli."

Denia Diaz ’23, Biology, and Anastaiia Kirdiianova ’26, Behavioral Neuroscience, who both conducted research with Jeanmaire Molina, PhD, received the Ecology Poster Presentation Award for their poster "A Symbiotic Trifecta: The world's Largest Parasitic Flowers, Their Host Plant, and the Microbes that Live Within."

Northeast National History Conference

Emily Schmidt ’23, MS Environmental Science and Policy, took second place in the graduate student category at the Northeast Natural History Conference in Burlington, Vermont, for her poster titled “Are Human Perceptions of the Environment Consistent with Ecological Data? A Study of User’s Opinions and Water Quality in the Pocantico River, Westchester County, NY.” Her research was a collaborative project with Clinical Associate Professor of Environmental Studies Michael Rubbo, PhD, and Associate Professor of Environmental Studies Anne Toomey, PhD.

U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) delivered Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University’s 45^th commencement ceremony address to graduates at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Queens, New York. Together with Harvard Professor Bruce H. Mann, a legal scholar and historian, she received the Doctor of Laws, honoris causa, the highest honor conferred by the Law School, recognizing their lifelong contributions to public service and the legal profession.

Sen. Warren encouraged graduates to “be courageous” and to take chances just as she has during her remarkable career in public office, calling upon them to consider using their law degrees where the need is great.

“That means trust yourself. That means don’t sell yourself short. Don’t settle for work that you don’t believe in. Don’t assume that you can’t make a difference,” she said.

Sen. Warren told students further that the world “desperately needs” them.

“We are living in a time of great uncertainty and instability. Multiple pandemics have made clear that humanity is fragile. The wealth gap continues to grow, while greedy corporations pump filth into our air and pour poison into our water. If that reality wasn’t enough, right now, an army of corrupt legal minds are conspiring with hateful politicians across America to silence our voices, steal our votes, and deny us our freedoms. They want to attack trans people, give comfort to white supremacists, and declare themselves the ones to judge a woman’s personal medical decisions,” she said. “I say no!”

Sen. Warren was a Harvard Law professor and consumer advocate when she was elected to the U.S. Senate in 2012. She is widely credited for the creation of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau under President Obama. In the aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis, Sen. Warren served as Chair of the Congressional Oversight Panel for the Troubled Asset Relief Program.

Horace E. Anderson Jr., Dean of the Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University, presided over the commencement ceremony. Delivering the opening address was Pace University President Marvin Krislov, who asked students to “remember to use your unique privileges and responsibilities as lawyers in good and fair ways.”

He said further: “You must remain dedicated to understanding other people, even your adversaries. You must uphold fundamental rights for everyone. No principle is more important to our legal system than the idea that every single person deserves representation — the poor and underserved as much as the rich and the powerful. You must make sure you fight for the rights of the powerless — whether in your daily practice or through volunteer, pro bono work. And whatever you do in your careers, please remember that lawyers are instrumental to the working of our democracy.”

For some of the law school graduates, this was their first in-person graduation since high school, many having celebrated their undergraduate commencements virtually in 2020.

In his speech, Dean Anderson focused on the ways that the Class of 2023, who began their law school journeys in the face of an unprecedented global pandemic, helped Haub Law thrive. He said students made significant contributions toward the Law School’s number one national ranking in environmental law, its top rankings in trial advocacy and among the best law schools for women, the launching of new programs, and the development of new initiatives.

“This past year has been a very special time for Haub Law. We have created new programs, partnerships, and opportunities for our students, providing them with an even richer learning experience, and connecting that experience even more deeply with the work of our private and public sector partners,” Dean Anderson said. “The Law School has become, once again, the epicenter for important programs, public forums, and policy debates in the region, in partnership with public officials, community organizations, alumni and law leaders who share our vision regarding the role that law students and faculty can play in their work,” he said.

Pace University Trustee Liliane A. Haub and University Distinguished Professor of Law Bridget J. Crawford joined Dean Anderson to present the honorary degrees to Sen. Warren and Professor Mann, recognizing the recipients’ dedication to the law, commitment to public service, and their inspiring example to others within and outside the legal profession.

This year’s 2023 graduating class from Haub Law included 253 Juris Doctor degrees, eight Master of Laws degrees in Comparative Legal Studies, 12 Master of Law degrees in Environmental Law, and one Doctor of Juridical Science degree. Included were 30 part-time graduates, 23 of whom represented the Law School’s first full graduating class of students from its Part-Time Flex JD Program, which was expanded in 2019 to ensure more access for working professionals and others to pursue a career in law.

Remarkably, this year, four outstanding students tied at the top of their class, which is unprecedented in the Law School’s history. The students, Sabrina Bellantoni, Francine Michel, Christina Avery, and Kaitlin Campanini shared joint remarks acknowledging the strong support and mentoring of their Haub Law professors, and the help of their families and friends in graduating.

“And, my parting piece of advice: Remember that a napkin at a bar can be a binding contract, so please be careful what you assent to tonight,” Campanini said.

SJD and LLM graduates were hooded by Associate Dean and Professor of Law Jason Czarnezki. JD graduates were hooded by Professor Crawford and Adjunct Professor Robin Frankel, who were selected by the Class of 2023 as recipients of this year’s Barbara C. Salken Outstanding Professor of the Year Award.

Two exceptional members of the Class of 2023 also received the prestigious Dean’s Award: Kaitlin Flores, a JD graduate, and Chad Weiss, a part-time JD graduate.

Watch Senator Warren’s commencement address

As we mark Asian-American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, we’d like to highlight an opportunity to celebrate the connections between the people of the United States and Asia. The application for the 2024–2025 class of Luce Scholars is now open.

The Luce Scholars Program is a nationally competitive fellowship that offers early career leaders immersive, professional experiences in Asia. The program aims to forge stronger, more informed, more compassionate relationships across geographic borders by creating opportunities for young Americans across diverse sectors and interests to deepen their ties and understanding of the countries, cultures, and people of Asia.

Established in 1974, the Luce Scholars program is experiential in nature, rather than academic. It provides stipends, language training, and individualized professional placement in Asia for 15–18 Luce Scholars each year, and welcomes applications from college seniors, graduate students, and young professionals in a variety of fields who have had limited exposure to Asia. Applicants are asked to reflect on their leadership qualities and other professional attributes.

If you have questions or are interested in applying, please email the Office of Prestigious Awards. The Office will be hosting an information session with a representative of the Luce Scholarship in September, so please check your Pace email and social media for updates; specific details will be circulated as they are finalized.

For more information about the Henry Luce Foundation and the Luce Scholars program, visit their webpage. For more information about research and award opportunities at Pace, visit the Office of Research and Graduate Education webpage.