Katie Stephens

Class of 2024

Currently Studying: BBA in Arts and Entertainment Management with minors in Digital Marketing and Law

Member Of: Pace Music Group

Pronouns: She/Her/Hers

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For Katie Stephens, working in the music industry has been a lifelong dream. Luckily, she's on the right path to fulfilling that dream. Not only will Katie graduate in May 2023 with her BBA in Arts and Entertainment Management, but she's also the Marketing Director for Pace Music Group and a representative for Warner Music U, proving that she's on her way to a successful career in the industry.

Why did you choose Pace University and the Lubin School of Business?

Growing up in a small town in Louisiana, I knew I wanted to go to a big city like New York City, but I also wanted a community. Pace University provides both of those opportunities.

How have clubs on campus helped enrich your student experience?

I was an active member of the Industry Network during my freshman year. I am now the Marketing Director of Pace Music Group. Both organizations have helped me grow my network and have given me a sense of community!

The Lubin School of Business is giving me the resources I need in order to learn about the music industry while also connecting me with real-life opportunities to learn (i.e., events, concerts, volunteer work). Since Pace is on the smaller side, as well, I have been able to connect with alumni who were once in my shoes, which has helped me get hired at two of my internships!

How is the Lubin School of Business helping you achieve your dreams of working in the music industry?

The Lubin School of Business is giving me the resources I need in order to learn about the music industry while also connecting me with real-life opportunities to learn (i.e., events, concerts, volunteer work). Since Pace is on the smaller side, as well, I have been able to connect with alumni who were once in my shoes, which has helped me get hired at two of my internships!

You serve as a representative for Warner Music U. How have your business classes helped you succeed in this role?

My marketing courses have helped me learn different marketing strategies. Event Management (MGT 312) has helped me a ton with designing and planning the events that I'm required to throw on campus. Next to that, I would not understand most of the industry terminology that I do now if it weren't for the "How the Entertainment Industry Works" course with Professor Paul Guzzone.

What has been your favorite opportunity at Pace?

My favorite opportunity so far has been planning and hosting the End of Year Showcase with Pace Music Group. We brought in a professional artist to headline and gave Pace students the opportunity to open for them.

Do you have any advice for other Lubin students?

Ask questions! Network with your peers! Network at off-campus events (go to a concert and introduce yourself to the tour manager, merch people, etc.) and be active on campus! Companies want to see you involved in more than just work-related activities and events.

What does #LubinLife mean to you?

#LubinLife means community. I've had so many Pace alumni help me with interviews and resume reviews, and I strive to do that for other students! I'm very fortunate to have landed the positions that I have, and I want to make sure other Lubin students have the resources and knowledge they need to land the positions they want!

Connect with Katie:

• Follow Katie on LinkedIn
• Follow Katie on Instagram

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Harold E. Kaplan is a dual degree graduate of Pace University, having received his BBA in 1972 from Pace University, and his JD in 1983 from what was then known as Pace Law. After spending years in hospital administration, Harold reached out to former Pace University President Edward Mortola and began seriously considering law school. Three years later, in 1980, Harold began his law school journey and then in 1983, he graduated and was admitted to the NY Bar, prepared well by the Law School to start his career as a health law attorney. Over the years, Harold has been a generous supporter of both Pace University and the Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University. Most recently, he endowed a scholarship, the Harold E. Kaplan Health Law and Policy Scholarship, to support students who are passionate about Health Law and Policy. Learn more about Harold, his time spent at Pace, his career, and more in this Q&A.

Can you tell me a bit about your background and undergraduate experience at Pace?

I grew up in Brooklyn and decided I wanted an undergraduate business degree. Although accepted to several colleges, I liked that Pace was then a small private school, so I attended what was then Pace College, from the fall 1968 to June 1972 and graduated with a BBA with concentrations in Law, Taxation and Economics.

Being a small school, among other things, I became acquainted with Pace President, Edward Mortola. He was always accessible to students and became a friend. It was the kind of student experience which endears the student to the school.

Albert Kalter, who taught all the undergraduate taxation courses, was the best professor I had, (and there were many excellent ones). Federal and state taxation are not the easiest subjects, and he was a great educator who took the time to explain what he was teaching. He taught his students how to read, interpret and understand the tax code which is not a simple task. He insisted that students come to class prepared, and you always knew where you stood with him. If you were unprepared, he asked that the student leave; this only happened once. He and I became good friends.

Importantly, most of the undergraduate courses I took required a term paper. After graduating, I attended the University of Ottawa, in Ottawa, Ontario, earning my Master of Health Administration degree. Given the many required research or term papers I wrote, I was well prepared for graduate school, which required numerous term papers, and to graduate, a research thesis.

Did you always want to be a lawyer?

I had considered it as an undergraduate student, but I also wanted to be a hospital administrator. When I received a traffic ticket in 1971, I asked for an administrative hearing in Manhattan traffic court and with a little persuading and careful reading of the New York State traffic code, and photographs of the street where the alleged offense occurred, I was found “not guilty”. The police officer who testified against me wasn’t happy. At home, my parents encouraged me to go to law school, but I still was more interested in hospital administration.

What was your path to law school and then ultimately to pursuing a law degree?

In 1974, I began my hospital administration career at a major NYC teaching hospital. I was negotiating contracts for expensive high tech medical equipment, and when reading purchase contracts, which I often did, I became interested in the law. When one of my departments had an ongoing dispute over an expensive piece of equipment, I was able to extend the warranty, arguing that the hospital hadn’t accepted the equipment because it didn’t meet the terms of the purchase agreement. At that point, I began to understand the value of having a law degree.

What made you choose Pace for your law degree?

Pace University was an excellent choice for my college degree and I always thought very highly of the school which had a growing reputation. In 1977, I spoke with President Edward Mortola about Pace Law , who urged me to apply to its new law school. Instead, I detoured to Florida to be the Assistant Administrator at a large community hospital. Shortly thereafter, I decided to go to law school and being in Florida, considered schools in Florida and NY. Applying to Pace Law made sense since I felt that it would provide an excellent legal education. Once accepted, my wife and I relocated from South Florida to Westchester County. Of course, three years earlier, Dr. Mortola strongly recommend that I attend Pace Law, and he and Professor Kalter were helpful references.

Who were some of the most memorable professors you had during your time as a law student?

There were many. Professor Philip Blank who taught legal methods and wills and estates. Professor Crockett who taught tax law. Professors Doernberg and Zeigler, who had very organized teaching methods and were both excellent educators. Professors John Humbach and Hervey Johnson were both excellent educators and Professor Joseph, who taught several commercial law courses and was always very accessible to students. Professors Ralph Stein and Bartlett as well. All of these professors were accessible, cared about their students, and left a very positive impression on me. They each had different teaching styles but as a group made being a law student more interesting, a little easier and sometimes fun.

What did you enjoy most about law school?

Considering it my occupation, I enjoyed the intellectual challenge of reading, understanding and briefing cases. I usually was at the law library when the door was unlocked in the AM which in some ways still felt like going to work. I long hand briefed every case and doing so, enjoyed sitting in class and putting check marks in my notebook, next to my notes about the key points being made by the professor about the holding, and the facts. It was a game and being a law student was actually fun.

What lessons from law school stayed with you?

Take your job seriously and do it well. Don’t automatically rely on others to get the job done if you are supposed to do it yourself. Delegate carefully.

You were a health law attorney for over thirty years, practicing mainly in Florida, what drew you to that area of law?

Being a former hospital executive, for me, it was natural to become a health lawyer, although I briefly considered taxation law which I was also interested in and was, to my understanding, equally difficult. At the first firm I worked at in New York City, we represented hospitals. When I opened my own practice in South Florida, I became an attorney for physicians, physician practices and other licensed health care professionals, since virtually all the hospitals already had representation.

During your time as a health law attorney, what did you find most rewarding and/or challenging about that practice area?

It was very rewarding to represent medical practices which had a wide range of legal issues making the day-to-day practice much more interesting and rewarding. Whether by good fortune or good lawyering, most of the matters I handled were resolved in my clients’ favor. I was also very active in the Florida Bar’s Health Law Section which was rewarding. I was often program chair and spoke at many Florida Bar CLE programs and volunteered for most of the Section’s positions, including ascending to Chair of the Section.

Currently, you provide arbitration services – how does that compare to your law practice?

I took the required Florida one week course to become a Certified Mediator and began mediating disputes. Shortly thereafter, the American Health Law Association began its ADR service, and recruited attorneys to be mediators and arbitrator. I started taking arbitration courses and stopped mediating.

Traditionally, arbitration was sought out by commercial disputants to serve as an efficient and final mechanism to resolve disputes, which today still remain key factors for choosing arbitration over traditional litigation. Arbitration is very different from practicing law, but at its core, you need to be an experienced attorney, sensitive to due process, hearing practice, etc. and most of all assume a leadership role in the arbitration case to avoid delays and make the process as effective and efficient as reasonably possible. Party’s attorneys usually prefer arbitrators with subject matter knowledge and experience to serve as arbitrators. Being an arbitrator teaches you to be very quiet about what you are hearing and reading and make carefully considered statements. With the right arbitrator, arbitration is beneficial to resolving commercial disputes.

You have always been a generous supporter of your alma mater, thank you. Recently, you endowed a scholarship, the Harold Kaplan Health Law and Policy Scholarship, to support students who are passionate about Health Law and Policy - as an alumnus, why do you feel it is important to give back?

As an undergraduate student, Pace University prepared me well for graduate school, and it didn’t take long to discover that Pace Law equally prepared me well for practicing law. Overall, the Pace community is very special to me, and I wanted to support its continuing mission, now and in the future. I also wanted to support law students who have an interest in health law and also take the opportunity to simply show my support for the Law School.

Do you have any advice for current or future law students?

I have lots of advice for current and future law students most of which can only be imparted one on one. However, future law students should have an understanding of the hard work required to excel in law school and also as a practicing attorney. Being an attorney and doing it well is not easy. Law students should enjoy learning about the law and should take sufficient time to read and understand the cases. It is stimulating to learn about how the law has evolved, and understand that once they are attorneys, they are joining a sacred profession which provides important services to their selected portion of society. Finally, become active in your bar association, and especially in your area of practice and always network.

What are some of your passions aside from the law?

I have many interests, but I still enjoy giving back. I am a volunteer attorney at Pisgah Legal Services in Asheville, NC, and helping those less fortunate and unable to afford and hire an attorney is very important to me. There is also a large group of retired volunteer attorneys in Asheville and being part of this group is very rewarding. I also frequently bike ride and play the piano. And, most importantly, my wife, my children, and grandchildren, are important to me so I dedicate time to family.

After taking the LSAT’s on a whim during her senior year in college, Professor Michelle Simon found her passion in the law immediately after starting law school at Syracuse University College of Law. Having spent time clerking and in private practice after law school, she was hired as a professor in 1985 by Pace Law’s first female dean, Janet Johnson. Twenty-two years later, Professor Simon would also serve as dean of the Law School, making her the third female dean in the school’s history. During this women’s history month, learn more about one of Haub Law’s female trailblazers, Dean Emerita and Professor of Law, Michelle Simon, in this candid Q&A.

You joined what was then known as Pace Law School in 1985 and became interim dean of the school in 2007, followed by dean of the school from 2008-2014. What was your experience like as the third female Dean of the Law School?

Dean Janet Johnson was the first female Dean and the Dean when I started at Pace in 1985. She served from 1983-1989 and was a true mentor to me. She hired me and gave me opportunities to teach different courses. In addition, Barbara Black served as an interim dean in 1993-1994 and also served as a mentor. I was very lucky as dean. At Pace, we always had many women faculty and staff, and it was a very supportive place for a woman. In addition to the support of the previous female deans at Pace, I also had the support of other female law deans. I was fortunate to have these outlets to turn to for support and advice.

Who are some of your female role models – both in and outside of the legal and academic field?

Judith Kaye, Eleanor Roosevelt, Professor Barbara Salken, and my grandmother – to name a few. Judith Kaye was the first woman named to serve on the NY Court of Appeals, and the first to serve as the Chief Judge. She focused on creating alternatives to sending defendants to jail especially for crimes involving drugs and domestic violence. She was a forward thinker and trailblazer. Eleanor Roosevelt, who was an advocate of the rights of the poor, minorities and disadvantaged, and exercised her own political and social influence. Professor Salken, a beloved professor at Pace, who died of cancer way too soon (there is a tree named after her in the courtyard). She always supported me and pushed me to become a scholar and teacher. And my grandmother, who left her life in Hungary in 1938 to escape the Nazis with her husband and my father, worked in a factory in the United States, and was one of the strongest women I ever knew. She believed in me and instilled in me that I could accomplish anything.

Although things have improved in terms of equality for men and women in the workplace, do you still feel there are roadblocks or double standards that women face?

While things are better, there are still many roadblocks. It is very difficult to juggle having a family and a legal career. While many women are entering the legal field, most managing partners and leadership positions still belong to men. I think the pandemic has helped society understand the need for more flexible working conditions, but that doesn’t impact the need to satisfy a certain number of billable hours.

How can women help empower other women in their careers and otherwise?

Be kind and supportive to each other.

Let’s step back for a moment, when did you know you wanted to be a lawyer?

I never thought about being a lawyer. My father was a professional violinist, and my mother was an art historian, so I grew up in the arts and majored in studio art and anthropology in college. I actually started a master’s degree in art therapy at Pratt Institute. When I was a senior in college, many of my friends were taking the LSAT and I decided I would too. I ended up scoring very well, and that’s when I started thinking about law school especially because I always loved both writing and researching. When I started law school, I fell in love with it and knew I had found my passion.

How did you come to join Pace as a professor?

I was always interested in law teaching, and I tried to shape my career that way by clerking, then working in private practice, and writing. I also taught as an adjunct in a paralegal program. I applied to several law schools to be a professor and had several offers, but I loved the people at Pace. It always felt like a family. I feel very fortunate to have chosen both academia and Pace, I truly think I have the best job in the world.

What is your favorite course to teach?

I love teaching civil procedure. I remember how challenging I found it to be when I was in law school, and I know that students find it difficult. I like to *try* to make it less frightening. I also love teaching torts, which is really all about analytical thinking.

You have held some prominent positions at Pace, which was the most challenging?

My time as Dean of the Law School was both my greatest challenge and my greatest achievement. It was challenging at times because you have so many constituencies—the University Trustees, the University President, the Provost, the law school faculty, law school staff, alumni, and of course the students. However, it was a very fascinating and rewarding experience as well. I had served as a trustee on a school board for 21 years and there were many similarities, but instead of thinking about what was best for all the children in my district, I was guided by what was best for all the law students at the law school.

What should students be thinking about as they enter the legal field?

I think it is important for students to think ahead about what they want their lives to look like. Your first job is not your last job, but it can be a stepping stone to the next opportunity. There has to be work-life balance, and the practice of law can be very stressful. If you are unhappy, there is nothing wrong with making a change and going in another direction. And, in whatever job you end up in, find a way to make yourself indispensable.

Aside from our mandatory first year courses, what classes would you recommend a law student should take before graduating?

It should be a mixture of courses that are tested on the bar exam (you don’t want to learn too many courses for the first time while you are studying for the bar) plus courses that look interesting to you, plus courses that are taught by a faculty member you enjoy, plus experiential courses so you get some idea about what practicing law is like. I was very surprised when I started to work about how different the practice of law was from law school.

Academically, what are you working on right now?

I am working on an article about the relationship between law students and University counseling offices and how we can better address the mental health issues in law school.

What are some of your passions and interests outside of the classroom?

I still love art. I am currently interested in honing my skills on the pottery wheel. I also have a house on Cape Cod and I love hiking, bicycling, fishing, and walking on the beach. And I have three children and so far, three grandchildren, so I love spending time with all of them.

As recipients of a 2022 Dyson Summer Research Award, Dante Dallago ’24, Directing and Peace and Justice Studies, and Kalina Walaski ’24, Acting and Peace and Justice Studies, collaborated on “Happy Holidays,” an investigative theater performance piece exploring the dynamics of the holiday dinner table from the perspective of Gen Z students. They will present it at the International Peace Research Association Conference in Trinidad and Tobago in May.

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How did the idea for this project come about?

KALINA: We were in our Activist as Artist, Artist as Activist class with Professor Emily Welty, PhD, and that was a unique class in which we learned theory on one day, and the next day did a workshop of a specific art piece. Professor Welty came to us asking if we wanted to do a more research-based project on peace and justice studies and theater.

DANTE: At first, it was just going to be more of a research-type paper. But then we all agreed that we wanted to do a theater piece with it as well.

You describe this piece as investigative theater. What is investigative theater and why is it impactful?

KALINA: Investigative theater goes under this blanket genre of documentary theater, which everybody fights about in the theater world because people can't agree on what it really means. Basically, documentary theater is theater that's based on real-life source material, real stories, and real people.

Investigative theater is a type of documentary theater that’s more interview-based, in which you research specific people and stories, and then create a play based off that. It's important because theater is such an expansive medium. The audience may not have had any interest [in a certain topic] before, but you put a story in front of them that prompts them to feel something emotionally. Even though you can't control what they feel emotionally, they're still feeling something and getting that story.

DANTE: We decided to do an investigative theater piece because we all knew how to go about it. Our professor had training in it, and it’s closely related to peace and justice studies because we are investigating real-life issues and then putting them on stage.

What was the most rewarding part of working on this piece?

DANTE: For me, it was cool to see the text from the interviews come to life with these stories and how our work came to fruition in these characters. And it was so fun getting to work on it with Kalina and Professor Welty because we all brought our own perspectives to it, and it just made it that much better.

Conversely, what was the most challenging thing that you've had to face working on this piece?

KALINA: I had never done a large research project like this before, and I had also never really interviewed anyone before. So, that was a learning experience because I didn't think I was going to be very good at it. But it was a lot of fun when I got the hang of it. I also had to learn how to do research at the beginning of this, but Professor Welty helped us decide what was most important and how to organize our information.

What has been the most surprising or unexpected thing that you've learned from working on this piece?

DANTE: For me, it’s that verbatim theater is a lot more crafted than one might think because as we edit these stories, we decide what pieces of text from the interviews work, and which don’t. There are a lot of ethics that go into investigative theater and documentary theater, and even in verbatim theater, because you want to make sure that you're still telling the interviewees’ story in the right context, in the right way, in how they want to portray it.

KALINA: I'm very surprised by how emotionally attached I am to the interviews I worked on. It’s so hard to cut parts out because I think they're so funny and so interesting. I wasn't expecting to hold onto something so dearly, and it goes along with the ethics of cutting certain things out, especially when you have your own possible biases of what you want to include.

Theater and its performance aspect put a magnifying glass to the world. Theater is a great way to focus on current issues in the world.

The combination of peace and justice studies and performing arts is an unexpected one. How do you view them as being connected and why did you choose to study both?

DANTE: I think the inherent storytelling structure of theater is so beneficial to peace and justice studies because theater tells a story where there is a conflict and a resolution, and the characters will grow from it. Often, we view conflict as a bad thing, but it can be beneficial. And that's what peace and justice studies is—it’s all about how we transform conflict into a positive outcome and how we can learn from it as well.

KALINA: I also think that theater and its performance aspect put a magnifying glass to the world. Theater is a great way to focus on current issues in the world.

How has this piece inspired any future research or artistic work that you hope to do?

KALINA: The two of us and Professor Welty are really interested in continuing and have been meeting to discuss how we can make this play more sustainable and more interesting. We're working on our upcoming presentation for the International Peace Research Association Conference in Trinidad and Tobago in May, and possibly putting on a showing or doing a workshop reading of this play. This project has gotten me more interested in documentary theater and all its different forms.

DANTE: I'm a playwright, so I like writing plays in a lot of different styles. Because of this experience, most of them now are deeply rooted in research, similar to work one would do for a research paper, allowing the characters to have more depth.

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A BA in Film and Screen Studies major, you received a Provost Office Student Faculty Undergraduate Research Initiative Award to visit an Ukrainian refugee camp in Ballyvaughan, a small Irish village of only 220 people. While there, you interviewed the children about their experiences for a film you are producing, which also utilizes their drawings to illustrate their views on the meaning of “home.”

What was your experience like working with the children in the refugee camp?

What impressed me the most about the children was their compassion, resilience, creativity, and honesty. At first, they were very tentative when they met me. As I asked them questions and interacted with them more, they shared their thoughts, ideas, and memories. Their creativity was astonishing, and their paintings expressed everything I needed to know. Each child had such an interesting imagination and such a beautiful way of portraying the places they knew or created in their minds. In addition, each brush stroke was so purposeful and created a series of compelling images that portrayed exactly who they were. One of the young girls I interviewed, Masha, drew a beautiful culmination of her home in Ukraine as well as her home in Ireland. She would ship her paintings to her dad, who was still fighting in Ukraine, and her simple compassion towards me in inviting me to her Irish home is something I will never forget. I left my paint set, brushes, and watercolor paper for her.

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Your interest in this topic is very personal to you, as is this particular camp. Tell us more about that.

I was born and raised mostly in Ukraine, and first came to the US with my mom when I was five years old. I spent half of my childhood between Ukraine and California, attending school in the US and spending summers and winters in Ukraine with the rest of my family. I remember how confused I felt moving to a place I didn’t know and not understanding the language. My family that lived in Ukraine are now refugees currently living at the refugee camp in Ireland that I visited. I learned through them about the children living there and immediately saw a part of myself in them. Many were from the city I grew up in, and all were experiencing the displacement and lack of understanding that I once had experienced. Their displacement, however, is on an entirely different level, as they have no hope of returning to their homes in the foreseeable future.

How was your knowledge of Russian and English instrumental in your role and ultimate goal?

The town has only one school which the Ukrainian children were attending by the time I arrived, a very small one with only four classrooms. During the interviews, the Ukrainian children expressed to me how they found it difficult to not only understand what was being taught in their classes, but also the rules of classroom conduct, which were entirely different in Ireland. My knowledge of both languages at the very least enabled me to translate these and other experiences for them. In the beginning of the war, the media was so saturated with the technical aspects of the conflict: how many bombs were dropped, which cities were targeted, and how many refugees are fleeing to each country. This was extremely frustrating, and the goal of my project was to give Ukrainian children a platform and opportunity to share their memories and experiences with the world. I hope to continue giving them an opportunity to share their stories and to augment their voices for everyone to hear.

What challenges did you face in filming and how did this experience change you as a filmmaker?

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When I arrived in Ireland, I had to run camera, lighting, and sound simultaneously while conducting interviews, something immensely difficult from a technical perspective. I also pulled all-nighters with the composer of the film score, as we were on a time crunch. Editing 400 hours of film and hundreds of times over was also extremely difficult emotionally, as was seeing my family at the refugee camp and being heartbroken about how this experience has affected them. In addition, I struggled with obtaining currency in the rural areas, as well as finding food due to the nearest convenience store being miles away and not having a car.

Needless to say, every stage of the creation of this film was a challenge, but I am so proud of the result and believe that it was all more than worth it. This film has also definitely made me a better filmmaker. I learned how to properly pace myself when working on projects as well as how to engage in ethical filmmaking, especially with regards to the creation of documentaries.

What was it like working with your Dyson faculty mentor and other faculty on this project?

My experience working with Professor McDonald has been great! She is a very encouraging mentor who gave me the freedom to pursue my work in the way I wanted to while offering both support and critical feedback. I have also had incredible experiences with many of the faculty members that are part of the Film and Screen Studies Department. Each of them has been so helpful and consistently send me information to help me with the work I am doing, as well as share opportunities that I might be interested in. Jillian McDonald, Viktoria Paranyuk, Gloria Vela, and Luke Cantarella are all faculty that have greatly helped me in my journey with this film.

How did your coursework prepare you for this project?

The classes that best prepared me for this project were my video art classes with Professors McDonald and Michael Lantz, as well as those with Professor Andriy Danylenko that pertain to my minor in Russian Translation. My video art classes helped me discover and establish a visual style that I carry throughout my work and new ways to present my imagery utilizing different visual techniques and mediums. Without my coursework in Russian Translation, I would have been unequipped and highly inexperienced in translating for film and subtitling. One of the things that I appreciate most about Professor Danylenko's courses is the freedom and flexibility that he allows his students to work on translation within their fields of interest. This gave me the necessary exposure to translation in film that made the process of translating the subject's testimonies much easier.

The goal of my project was to give Ukrainian children a platform and opportunity to share their memories and experiences with the world.

Where are you in the process of creating the film? When and how will it be shared?

The film is practically complete and will premiere in Professor Viktoria Paranyuk’s Cinema and Migration class this spring. From there, I will be submitting it to a variety of film festivals for a brief festival run and aim to reach out to as many organizations that might be interested in streaming it on their platforms.

Why did you choose to study film at Pace?

I chose to attend Pace because I believe New York has a film scene that is far different from film-centric places such as LA, being far more experimental and passionate, in my opinion. Pace also has a very strong arts program which I believed would greatly supplement my work as a filmmaker.

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

Upon graduation, I would like to continue working as a filmmaker. Whether I am a director or a director of photography, I want to continue making films and contributing to the creative process. I am clearly into documentary filmmaking, but I am also exploring underwater cinematography and that is an area I am currently working towards establishing myself in.

While numbers are trending in a positive direction—women, as well as Hispanic, Black, American Indian, and Alaskan Native people are all pursuing advanced degrees in STEM at increasing levels—lack of diversity in STEM remains a longstanding concern.

According to the National Science Foundation, women represented only 35 percent of the workforce in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) fields in 2021. Hispanic, Black, American Indian, and Alaskan Native people collectively made up just 24 percent, and were less likely to work in STEM positions that required a bachelor’s degree or higher while earning lower median wages than white or Asian STEM workers.

With an aim of increasing the number of students from underrepresented groups pursuing STEM careers, the New York State Education Department issues grants to institutions through the Collegiate Science and Technology Entry Program (CSTEP). Last winter, Pace University received a grant of $60,000 a year for four years to help fund scholarships for students from underrepresented groups and who are economically disadvantaged, and to provide resources for student-faculty research collaborations, skills workshops, and guest speakers.

“Students learn to think like scientists and engage in activities like scientists [while engaging in] student-faculty research,” said Professor of Mathematics Brian Evans, EdD, who is the project coordinator of Pace’s CSTEP grant. “Students also have opportunities to participate in presentations by faculty, guest speakers, and high school students interested in STEM. Moreover, there is funding for stipends and lab equipment from which students can benefit.”

The program provides the faculty involved the ability to shape the trajectories for students who will go into STEM careers. Giving students the tools they need to succeed is highly rewarding.

Added Associate Professor of Chemistry Elmer Mojica, PhD, director of the grant: “The program provides the faculty involved the ability to shape the trajectories for students who will go into STEM careers. Giving students the tools they need to succeed is highly rewarding. This program is another way of accomplishing the Pace motto Opportunitas.”

Hear from four students whose work with CSTEP has impacted their undergraduate experience and their future aspirations.

Noor Aayla ’23, Behavioral Neuroscience

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Research focus: Electrostatics in Topoisomerase and Ethacridine
Faculty mentor: Daniel Strahs, PhD

What aspect of the program has been most meaningful to you and why?
This program is such an incredible program for uplifting the strengths everyone inherently possesses. It aids in creating a platform for STEM-majored minority people at Pace to be exposed to different opportunities, to be given the same ability to succeed in their work in the sciences. The number of programs, institutions, and collaborations that this program has is so beneficial, especially for a student who is trying to understand and figure out their path in the sciences.

How has this program impacted your academic and/or career aspirations?
One of the many ways this program has aided me is to match me with my current mentor, Daniel Strahs, PhD. If I did not have the opportunity to do research with him, I would never have discovered my interest and passion for biochemical computational mathematics. Thankfully so, with the aid of my mentors at CSTEP, I also got accepted to Weill Cornell Medical College, which I hope to attend next fall!

Sarah Gomez ’23, Behavioral Neuroscience

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Research focus: Correlation between fertility and Alzheimer's using C.elegans
Faculty mentor: Matthew Marcello, PhD

What have you learned about the research process?
Through my involvement in research projects, I have discovered that the research process can be arduous and necessitates the creation of multiple backup plans in case of experiment failures. Additionally, it requires problem-solving skills and a great deal of creativity.

How has this program impacted your academic and/or career aspirations?
As a result of my involvement in CSTEP, I have been able to cultivate my research ideas and attend the Society for the Study of Reproduction Conference in Spokane, Washington, last summer. The program also inspired me to apply to graduate school, and I am excited to share that I will attend UC Berkeley, pursuing a master’s degree in molecular science and software engineering after completing my undergraduate studies.

Goldie Hutchful ’24, Chemistry

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Research focus: Antimicrobial and UV-resistant facial formulations
Faculty mentor: JaimeLee Rizzo, PhD

How have the faculty involved with the program impacted your experience?
The professors involved in CSTEP do their best every week to help us. We have had a workshop on building a better resume for academic or career reasons, and they have invited other great professors to come and talk to us about their research. We have also had doctors come in to speak about their career paths. The professors also listen to our needs and the events we want to have, advise us, and write recommendation letters. They are great mentors.

How has this program impacted your academic and/or career aspirations?
This program has made me get into research work, and I have decided to do my PhD after graduation. I was also encouraged to apply this summer to the REU (Research Experience for Undergraduates) program. So far, I have heard back from Stony Brook University and Tufts University. They both offer summer programs in which students receive free housing, a stipend, and the opportunity to conduct research with a professor at the colleges. I have chosen Stony Brook because that is where I intend to go to graduate school and obtain my PhD. It is a win-win situation for me, and this would have never occurred if it wasn't for CSTEP and the fantastic faculty mentoring us.

Brook Thorpe ’25, Behavioral Neuroscience

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Research focus: Mutation on the beta subunit of voltage gated calcium channels in frog eggs
Faculty mentor: Zafir Buraei, PhD

What have you learned about the research process through this program?
Being in this program has allowed me to gain knowledge about the research process and, specifically, how research is not linear. I think I originally went in believing that everything I did needed to be perfect, but by being in this program, I have found that you only learn by failing. The greatest scientists had to fail many times before they succeeded, and my failure is not a representation of my abilities, but rather a showcase of my dedication to continue to find the solution to the questions at hand.

What aspect of the program has been most meaningful to you and why?
The most meaningful part of this program is being able to exist in a space with students of color in a program like science that often lacks that representation in the classroom. Being able to see people who either look like you or have faced the same or similar adversities that you have, succeed in their fields, allows for others to see themselves in that way and continue to push for their goal despite what they might face.

Imagine studying British literature from the heart of London, exploring world-renowned theaters and museums, forming lifelong friendships. That’s what students in Pace University’s First-Year Experience in London program did this past fall, spending their first semester in a truly unique—and memorable—fashion.

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“I’ve dreamed of studying abroad, and specifically in London, since I started high school,” said Ryan Kwon ’26, Film and Screen Studies. “Something about the city–its people and its opportunities–have always enticed me. Since this program is only a semester long, I figured it would be the perfect chance to experience London.”

The First-Year Experience in London (FYE), developed and managed by Pace Education Abroad, provides students in their first semester at Pace the opportunity to begin their college career abroad. With courses designed to satisfy Pace’s core curriculum requirements and with dedicated professors and student support, students in this program have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to study in one of the world’s most prominent academic cities.

“The aim of the program is to bond the cohort to each other and to Pace,” said Senior Associate Dean and Associate Professor of Writing and Cultural Studies Bette Kirschstein, PhD, who served as the on-site academic director for a cohort of 20 students in fall 2022. The FYE program is also designed to help students become global citizens and strengthen their essential “soft skills” that future employers want, such as adaptability, time management, resourcefulness, and teamwork.

Students in the program study at the Kaplan International College. They take two online courses taught by Pace faculty, two courses—including Modern British History—taught by Kaplan faculty, and two taught by the academic director.

Kirschstein taught two English courses, an introductory writing course and Great Britain: Literature, Art, and Culture, both of which she intentionally tailored to their location. “For example, for the ENG 120 ethnography, students did their fieldwork at different local pubs,” she said. “The British culture class also benefitted greatly from being in London, as we visited museums to see the art we were studying.”

Jessica Almonte ’26, a student in the cohort, mentioned the impact of seeing what she was studying in person. “I loved Dr. K’s classes,” she said. “It made us feel really connected to everything around us.” Almonte added that, while she hasn’t chosen a major yet, her time in Kirschstein’s classes and in London has her seriously considering studying English.

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“I noticed I loved being a student in a big city,” Kwon said. “All of my professors were so excited to teach us new and inspiring lessons, even outside the classroom, during trips and group dinners.”

Kirschstein and the cohort embarked on a number of excursions, including a ride on a canal barge, a trip to the London Eye, a boat ride up the Thames to Greenwich, and a day trip to Bath after reading Jane Austen’s Northanger Abbey, which was set in that city.

Almonte also noted the benefit of the program’s small cohort, all navigating the experience of being away from home—most for the first time—together. “We all felt like we were in the same boat and had each other to lean on,” she said.

And now, after returning to Pace, the cohort continues to be a support system for one another. In fact, Almonte is now roommates with another member of the program.

“Having made these friends is such an amazing security blanket,” she said of the transition to Pace. “London provided me with a sense of responsibility and independence that I didn’t have before. Now I feel like I’m going to college for the first time, but I always have the people from the cohort to lean on.”

London provided me with a sense of responsibility and independence that I didn’t have before. Now I feel like I’m going to college for the first time, but I always have the people from the cohort to lean on.

The Pace Office of Education Abroad also organizes a number of initiatives to support the First-Year Experience program students’ transition back to Pace in the spring. Students take UNV 101 during their semester abroad to learn more about Pace and discuss reverse cultural adjustment. They also participate in new student orientation upon their return in January and attend an FYE reunion with their cohort-mates. Academically, students meet with a Pace academic advisor to discuss how to incorporate their FYE courses into their intended major.

“The transition to Pace has been going a lot more smoothly than I imagined, especially thanks to the three-day orientation we had to the New York City campus,” said Kwon. “I still run into those I traveled with and it’s always a pleasure to say hi. And meeting even more kind and motivating people is another plus.”

Almonte said she would “100 percent” recommend the program to any student considering it, noting, “I’ve never had a better four months of my life, and it made me so excited to come back here.”

Kwon added: “This chance has taught me that most times, you are more prepared than you may think, and taking the first step is all you need to do.”

Associate Professor of English Sarah Blackwood, PhD, will serve as the on-site academic director for fall 2023. The application deadline for the fall 2023 First-Year Experience in London is April 15. Learn more about the program and how to apply.

A Day in the Life of a First-year Experience Student

Jessica Almonte shares, in her own words, what a typical Day in the Life of a Pace FYE student might look like.

8:00 a.m.: Wake up!

8:30 a.m.–9:30 a.m.: Get ready for day

10:00 a.m.: Get coffee and pastry at The Mess Hall (best café in Southwark, you’ll meet Richard)

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10:15 a.m.: Walk to school through Borough Market

10:30 a.m.: English Literature and Culture with Dr. Kirschstein (all classes start at 10:30)

12:00 p.m.: 2-hour lunch break until next class (lots of food options in Borough Market)

2:00 p.m.-4:00 p.m.: Critical Writing with Dr. Kirschstein

4:00 p.m.: Walk home

5:00 p.m.: Take tube to get groceries at Tesco, Sainsbury’s, or M&S

6:00 p.m-8:00 p.m.: Homework

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8:00 p.m.: Watch movies with your friends in common kitchen

11:00 p.m.: Go to sleep!

This is what a typical (school) day of my life was like during my semester abroad. It might seem boring on the outside, but I promise you, even the mundane things were so exciting. I made lifelong friendships and experienced things I will never forget. In my first semester of college ever, I went to Scotland (our cohort organized trip), Paris, Brussels, Amsterdam, Brighton, Bath, and Oxford. There were other people in the cohort who went to Iceland, Spain, and Ireland. That’s not something many other college freshmen can say. There is a far vaster world out there than you would expect. It’s full of beauty and hope and promise and new foods and new music and new friends. People found love and their purpose in life. If you have the opportunity to experience this, I urge you to!

Three Dyson faculty members will participate in prestigious Fulbright-sponsored programs in 2023.

Through the US Fulbright Program, Professor of History Nancy Reagin, PhD, will spend the 2023-2024 academic year in Iaşi, Romania. Reagin’s research through the program will examine gender in fascist movements in a transnational context. Romania’s Iron Guard, which had close connections to Germany’s National Socialists, is among the most important fascist movements in interwar Europe.

In addition to her research, Reagin will teach a history course and a gender studies course, as well as consult on curriculum, at Alexandru Ioan Cuza University, the oldest university in Romania. Reagin was granted Pace University’s President’s Award for Scholarly Leave to pursue her work through the Fulbright program.

Associate Professor of Communication and Media Studies SeongJae Min, PhD, has also received a Fulbright Award for 2023-24 to research and teach in South Korea.

Min’s project, entitled “Practicing Alternative Journalism to Bridge Political Divides,” will involve studying journalism practices intended to reduce political polarization, specifically how citizen-produced and public-oriented journalism can encourage democratic attitudes in Korea.

In addition to conducting research, Min will consult on curriculum at Hanyang University, teach Intro to Journalism and Citizen Journalism courses, and explore collaboration opportunities between Pace and Hanyang.

Associate Professor of Economics Anna Shostya, PhD—who is known for innovative courses at Pace, including an interdisciplinary course that combines photography and economics—will spend three weeks at American University of Moldova this spring, serving as a Fulbright Specialist.

Through her project “Pedagogy, Curriculum Transformation, and Global Challenges,” Shostya will share her expertise in innovative teaching practices to aid in a transformation of the University’s business and economics sciences curricula. With a particular focus on promoting undergraduate research experiences, Shostya will help develop a culture of experiential learning at the University.