Image

Appointment Made Possible by

The Edmond de Rothschild Foundations

NEW YORK, N.Y. (March 8, 2021) – Pace University has named S. Brian Jones, an award-winning and well-respected artist, writer and arts educator, as its new assistant dean for diversity and equity in the arts.

In announcing the appointment of Jones to this newly created position at the Dyson College of Arts and Science, President Marvin Krislov cited Jones’ unique background as an artist, educator, and advocate for diversity, equity and social justice.

“Pace University is fully committed to being a supportive and inclusive community for all of our hard-working and ambitious students," said Krislov. "S. Brian Jones brings the ideal background to ensure we live up to that commitment as our first-ever assistant dean for diversity and equity in the arts. I'm excited to see what he does at Pace, and I thank The Edmond de Rothschild Foundations for supporting this new role.”

The position has a number of responsibilities including administrative oversight of programming; supervising the Pace Storytelling for Equity and Inclusion Fellowship; and fundraising for diversity, equity and inclusion in the arts, among other responsibilities. The position is made possible through a grant from The Edmond de Rothschild Foundations.

Jones began his professional career at Delaware Theatre Company, where he worked as teacher-in-residence and summer arts program director. While there, Jones was instrumental in starting the Playwriting in Prison program at Ferris School for Boys and New Castle County Detention Center for youth, a program that received Bravo’s Excellence in Arts Education Award.

Prior to DTC, Jones worked at La Jolla Playhouse where he served as an instructor for the Teen Summer Program and was the teacher-in-residence at “The Place” a high school for homeless, runaway and transitional teens. He has also worked at a number of other widely respected theater programs in New York and California. Jones holds a master’s degree in Applied Theater from the City University of New York and a Bachelors of Arts in Public Relations with a minor in Theatre and Business Management from Rhode Island College.

“We are delighted to welcome S. Brian Jones to Dyson College and the Pace University community and we are grateful for the generous support from The Edmond de Rothschild Foundations for helping to make that happen,” said Tresmaine R. Grimes, dean, Dyson College of Arts and Sciences and School of Education. “He brings a wealth of experience to this newly created position that will serve him well as he embarks upon coordinating the many diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives already on campus, as well as those that will be developed by Pace University’s newly established Barry M. and Jackie Gosin Center for Equity and Inclusion.”

Pace University in February established the Gosin Center, which was made possible by a donation from the Gosins, that supports ongoing efforts at Pace in anti-racism and equity; expands work to elevate job placement and entrepreneurship among Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) students; and enhances academic scholarship in these areas.

The new Gosin Center, which complements many other initiatives including the creation of this news assistant dean position, will advance Pace’s ability to continue fulfilling its core mission of creating opportunities for young people.

Pace has always been a beacon for historically underrepresented and first-generation college students as they seek a brighter future. It is also ranked the number one private, four-year college in the United States for driving upward economic mobility, according to the Opportunity Insights research project at Harvard University, because Pace uplifts its students academically and professionally with relevant, focused and forward-looking degrees and programs. The Pace community is vibrantly diverse and inclusive, with ethnic, gender, and economic diversity that sets it apart from most other institutions in higher education. A majority of Pace’s student body identify as BIPOC, close to 30% of Pace students are from low-income families eligible for Pell grants, and close to 40% identify as the first in their family to go to college.

“At Pace, we are always striving to create opportunities for students that will pay dividends over a lifetime,” said Pace Provost Vanya Quiñones. “The appointment of S. Brian Jones complements so many of our other diversity and equity initiatives; all aimed to help us envision a more inclusive future and ultimately serve our students for the better. We’re pleased to welcome S. Brian to the Pace community and look forward to furthering our mission of Opportunitas together.”

Regarding his appointment at Pace, Jones said: “I am privileged and honored to be joining Pace University, an institution committed to being on the forefront of providing opportunities for underserved and underrepresented communities, with a sound understanding that diversity and equity not only have a place in our society, they are, in fact, the seeds which one day will save it.”

About Pace University

Pace University has a proud history of preparing its diverse student body for a lifetime of professional success as a result of its unique program that combines rigorous academics and real-world experiences. Pace is ranked the #1 private, four-year college in the nation for upward economic mobility by Harvard University’s Opportunity Insights, evidence of the transformative education the University provides. From its beginnings as an accounting school in 1906, Pace has grown to three campuses, enrolling 13,000 students in bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral programs in more than 150 majors and programs, across a range of disciplines: arts, sciences, business, health care, technology, law, education, and more. The university also has one of the most competitive performing arts programs in the country. Pace has a signature, newly renovated campus in New York City, located in the heart of vibrant Lower Manhattan, next to Wall Street and City Hall, and two campuses in Westchester County, New York: a 200-acre picturesque Pleasantville Campus and the Elisabeth Haub School of Law in White Plains. Follow us on Twitter or on the Pace News website.

About Dyson College of Arts and Sciences

Pace University’s liberal arts college, Dyson College, offers more than 50 programs, spanning the arts and humanities, natural sciences, social sciences, and pre-professional programs (including pre-medicine, pre-veterinary, and pre-law), as well as many courses that fulfill core curriculum requirements. The College offers access to numerous opportunities for internships, cooperative education and other hands-on learning experiences that complement in-class learning in preparing graduates for career and graduate/professional education choices.

Karl Eshwer ’21 has worn many hats since he arrived at Pace. He’s the president of both the Alpha Lambda Delta National Honors Society and Pace Computing Society, worked as an Orientation Leader last summer, and even participated in the NYC Design Factory and Mock Trial. “Holding these positions allowed me to seek out connections and make a meaningful impact on how my peers viewed and responded to their experiences on campus,” Karl explained. “Being in a position to provide this value to the next generation of the Pace Community brings me fulfillment of the highest magnitude and is my ultimate motivation!”

It’s no wonder he was inspired by a great leader and motivated mind when deciding to major in computer science with a minor in economics. “Seeing the heights [Elon] Musk has been achieving over the past decade (no pun intended) has had a sizable impact on me steering down this path,” he told us. As for the economics side of it, the choice seemed only natural to Karl. “In the current landscape of technological innovation, the economics behind any proposed solution has a profound effect on the introduction and eventual growth of the technology,” he said. “I found it imperative to have a reasonable understanding of the field.”

Of all his Pace experiences, though, Karl pointed to his participation in Mock Trial as “one of the crowning jewels” that really had a profound effect on him—and even solidified his decision to come to Pace in the first place. “I felt like there was one element missing during the transition and I wasn’t particularly able to point my finger at it,” Karl said of his first year on campus. That is, until he auditioned for Mock Trial. “[I] realized that was what was missing: a team.”

Familiarizing himself with all the legal jargon was “an uphill battle,” he continued, but ultimately well worth the effort. “Now that [I’m] familiar with Mock Trial’s many facets, I have come to enjoy it much more from a professional standpoint.”

Currently, Karl is working as a product manager for uSTADIUM, a centralized platform for sports fans the world over. “Having mainly worked on the product aspect of the platform, I am most proud of it for the paradigm it is trying to shift in the sports market as well as for the progress the team has made in terms of technology and growth,” Karl explained. Talk about serious dedication to innovation!

We’re thrilled to see what Karl comes up with next, and especially, what his newest project will innovate as he moves forward in his career.

Alyssa Chambers ’20 is a pioneer of launching new ventures, both at Pace and beyond. She’s a lifestyle beauty blogger with a YouTube account, the founder and president of the Pleasantville Campus choir Abyss of Sound, and a go-getter with plenty of internships under her belt. That’s what initially drew her to Pace. “It’s one thing to learn from a textbook, and it’s another thing when a student [can] apply what they learned in real-life situations,” she said.

Initially, she wanted to pursue a degree in industrial organizational psychology. It was after receiving advice from a family friend in business that Chambers decided to turn her attention to human resources as a major. “I decided to minor in law after I took my first business law class and fell in love with the content,” she explained. “It [has] enhanced my ability to synthesize information and develop an argument from the facts presented in [any] given information. I can use the techniques I learned from law to help me use my best judgment in HR.”

But Chambers isn’t all business. She’s been singing since she was just four years old! As the youngest member of her church choir back home, she’d always had a powerful voice, but lacked the confidence to fully express it. That is, until middle school. “That’s when I really had the opportunity to develop my singing voice. I did every musical throughout high school, and always had a singing role.” She even got the chance to audition for X-Factor, a popular talent reality show. “It was a definitely an experience that motivated me to keep developing my voice,” she told us.

Ready to continue her passion for music, Chambers was surprised to discover there wasn’t a choir on the Pleasantville Campus when she started her first year. “I took it upon myself to take a chance and start my own choir. I was alone at first, then found two other lovely students, Adonis Milano and Akhila Ramesh, who were just as passionate as me about starting a choir.” They all went to SDCA together, and the rest is history.

It’s a big job to lead an entire choir, but Chambers is passionate about encouraging her fellow students to believe in their abilities and develop their voices. “I try to inspire people who say they can’t sing [by] showing them that practice and technique can help train a person to develop a singing voice.” That dedication paid off in a big way—when they performed at the Black Excellence Dinner, an event hosted by the Black Student Union. “Everyone was dressed so nicely, [and] the level of confidence our members developed in their voices showed that night. I was deeply touched.”

Chambers has also interned across a diverse set of disciplines; from social media at AHRC to business development at Criterion Management to human resources at ASCEND Learning Network. “I got to assist in a training session with the COO of ASCEND,” she told us, noting a memorable moment on the job. “The topic was on how to be a one-minute manager by effectively giving feedback. This session taught me how to approach individuals with feedback in the most welcoming way—whether good or bad.”

She certainly took those valuable lessons to heart through her work as the founder of a lifestyle beauty brand. Known as ANOVA (short for A Natural Oblique Vivacious Ambiance), Chambers not only runs a blog, but also a YouTube channel, too. “My work was inspired by insecurities I struggled with in the past,” she explained. “Prior to college, I cared a lot about what people thought about me. It took a lot of growing for me to understand that another person’s perception of me is not a reflection of who I am.” Wonderful words to live by.

Ethan McKellar ’24 and Jacob Selman ’24 are the brains behind F14Productions, a media production company that brings together collaborators from all over the Pace Community to create podcasts, short films, music, and more. Pretty incredible for first-year students.

Ethan McKellar ’24 and Jacob Selman ’24 might be first-year students, but don’t count them out: they’ve hit the ground running since coming to Pace. This past September, they launched F14Productions (F14), a media production company that encourages students to come together and collaborate on creative projects. They’ve already launched the career of a new musical artist, created a public service short film advocating for face coverings, networked with Gen-Z creators through multiple podcast episodes, and so much more. “We both envisioned F14 as a center of free thoughts and innovative ideas,” they agreed. “That means that whatever project we do is not rooted [in] one person, but rather a team of collaborators who want to strive for the best possible outcome.”

Since its inception, F14 has caught the attention of other Pace students through Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook, all platforms that both Ethan and Jacob agreed were necessary to take advantage of as business owners. “Social media is no longer the future, but the present,” they told us. “There have been some challenges with communication and production, but it all comes down to the reality we live in with the COVID-19 pandemic.” They’ve worked hard to get the word out about F14, and it’s definitely paid off.

“I love working with a team of creative, hard-working people and I thought Pace was a great place to work with those people,” he told us.

Jacob currently hosts The Create Podcast within F14, which is where he interviews other Gen-Z artists and explores topics relating to the entertainment industry. It’s one of his favorite projects. “The Create Podcast​ was something that I started at my high school and continued here at Pace, and it has only grown. I have been able to talk to artists with backgrounds in music, fashion, and more,” he told us.

As for Ethan, his favorite project to work on thus far has been THE F14 MUSIC PROJECT. “To me, it’s the true essence of what our company is about: bringing talented people together to create something truly special,” he said. In it, Ethan has interviewed many students who are aspiring music artists. This includes producers, music supervisors, marketing professionals, video directors, and more. And they’re even releasing new music soon! “We couldn’t be more excited to see this goal be achieved,” Ethan told us.

So where did the name for F14 come from, you might be wondering? Their birthdays! “Both of us share the same birthday: February 14,” they told us. Talk about serendipity.

For all they agree on most things about their business, the two savvy entrepreneurs aren’t majoring in the same subject. What drew them to Pace, however, was the same: a diverse community and variety of opportunities to blend their many interests into one academic experience. “Pace offered a major that very few other colleges had: arts and entertainment management,” Jacob explained. “From there, it was really just falling in love with the potential that this major has.” For Ethan, it was his love of directing and all things theater-related. “I love working with a team of creative, hard-working people and I thought Pace was a great place to work with those people,” he told us.

Keep your eye on their work. There’s no doubt this dynamic duo is destined for bigger and better projects in the future.

Nowadays, nuclear weapons are rarely front page news—an honor more often bestowed to domestic and international political developments, environmental issues, and ever-rapid technological advancement. Yet, as demonstrated through the research of recent Dyson graduate Nathanael Linton ’19 with assistance from Dyson Assistant Professor Jared Manasek, PhD, the threat of nuclear activity is arguably greater than it has ever been. Linton’s paper—Now or Never: The Anti-nuclear Movement in the Nuclear World—examines the changes in nuclear arsenal building since the end of the Cold War amidst a changing global landscape, alongside the rise of conflicting disarmament and arms-building philosophies.

“It’s really surprising how close things are, when you really look at it, to nuclear warfare possibly happening. If you read the 2018 nuclear posture review, it literally explains why the United States is once again building their nuclear weapons arsenal,” says Linton. “In my research, I was investigating some of the answers as to why this was happening.”

From a public perception standpoint, the threat of nuclear war was much more prevalent during the Cold War. As Linton notes, the media was much more “in your face about it,” largely because the USSR and the United States often practiced strategies of brinkmanship, escalating potentially dangerous events such as the 1961 Cuban Missile Crisis to the brink of active conflict. Today however, because there is no one obvious threat—but rather an array nations and entities with diverging interests and incentives—Linton argues that the situation today is considerably less stable.

This opinion is shared by the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists Nuclear Doomsday Clock, who have labeled the current situation as “two minutes to midnight,” a designation that has only been matched on one occasion, during the height of the Cold War in 1953.

“During the Cold War, due to the conflicts between the US and the USSR, civilians had more of an understanding about the threat of nuclear weapons,” says Linton. “I don’t think the feeling toward nuclear war is as strong as during the Cold War due to the fact that there’s not rival powers, but instead multiple global events, and you have to piece all those global events together to understand it might be more dangerous."

“One of the interesting things about Nathanael’s work is he’s really gone at this question of ‘how did it change?’” says Manasek. “I was young in the 1980s and I remember being absolutely terrified that the Soviet Union was going to nuke us. Then the Cold War ends and it seems to stop being an issue, but then it turns out to be a different, and possibly more dangerous issue.”

While delving further and further into his research, Linton also got the chance to speak to Pace’s Matthew Bolton, PhD, Director of Pace’s Disarmament Institute and world-renowned leader in the nuclear disarmament movement. Bolton and Dyson Assistant Professor Emily Welty, PhD, are heavily involved in the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN), which was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2017 for their tireless advocacy and commitment to taking actionable steps to abolish nuclear weapons worldwide.

Given the scope of his research, Linton was very interested in Bolton’s thoughts on disarmament as it pertains to the “Big Five”—the five countries (The United States, Russia, China, the UK, and France) that are permanent members on the United Nations Security Council. While there has been huge progress on the disarmament front thanks to groups like ICAN, the task for total disarmament remains an extremely daunting one, and would require an extreme mentality shift amongst the global superpowers.

“It’s a mentality of what the bomb represents that has to change. If the big five countries are not willing to change their mentality—and take away the value that the bomb has—if they’re willing to do that, then nuclear disarmament can happen in the future. But as of right now, government structures are still maintaining the value that the bomb represents, and trying to make it matter even more,” says Linton.

Linton hopes to continue working on this ever-evolving research as he embarks on his postgraduate career, and eventually law school. Perhaps a few years down the road, with a law degree under his belt, he will be able to draw upon his research to help spur impactful and lasting action.

“Students and individuals should be aware of what’s going on. It’s up to us to piece and string together the different events, the bigger picture, and look at the reigning mentalities of certain nations,” says Linton. “Hopefully, research like this could help add to the already growing awareness to nuclear weapons and disarmament.”

Walk into any grocery store, convenience store or big box store in the US and you’ll likely be inundated with sugar-sweetened beverages (SSB).

“Sugar sweetened beverages include drinks containing added sugar, whether to make them sweeter or more shelf-stable,” said Christen Cupples Cooper, EdD, RDN, founding director and chair of the Nutrition and Dietetics department in the College of Health Professions. “Soda, Sunny Delight, Yoohoo chocolate milk, sports drinks and Frappucinos are all sugar sweetened beverages. SSB research suggests that SSB can lead to overweight and obesity, diabetes, heart disease, depression, tooth decay and other serious conditions."

Beverage companies figured out long ago that if they appeal to young people through eye-catching marketing, they can ensure profits for years to come. No one needs SSB to live, so why buy them? Despite growing awareness that SSB contribute significantly to poor health, these drinks are sold everywhere—in vending machines, at gas stations, grocery stores, and social events. Parents are frequently persuaded to let kids drink them—something that Cooper and Professor of Nursing Angela Northrup, PhD, attribute to both the "pester power" of marketing as well as various degrees of knowledge across different populations.

“I had noticed in a previous study, and just in general, many parents indiscriminately giving their children, for example, Capri Sun, even when other choices were available, like water and juice,” said Northrup. “We really were concerned with how much this is contributing to the obesity epidemic, because when you look at the numbers, a large proportion of children’s daily calories are drunk as empty calories. We really want to see what people know and where they’re getting the messaging from.”

Thus, Northrup embarked on a research study, in collaboration with Cooper, focused on the prevalence of sugar sweetened beverage consumption amongst young children. They began interviewing with a qualitative study of residents in Peekskill, New York. To give the study a greater breadth, Northrup had been planning on interviewing a Spanish-speaking population of farmworkers in upstate New York. After interviewing several candidates to conduct the interviews in Spanish, Northrup realized that the ideal candidate was someone she already knew—her clinical student, Rachel Mazariegos ’21. Once the semester ended and Rachel was no longer her student, Northrup brought Rachel on in anticipation of conducting several interviews in March 2020.

“Last fall, I had Rachel as a student in my clinical,” She just had this way with the patients, and was just amazing. This light clicked that she would be perfect,” said Northrup.

“I find it really interesting, this population is relatable to me,” said Mazariegos. “I come from a Spanish-speaking household and I’ve seen the knowledge change over time—from what my cousins give my younger cousins, to what my aunts and uncles gave my cousins. The knowledge has increased with generations, but there’s still people who are not as knowledgeable on these topics.”

After receiving funding and approvals, Northrup and Mazariegos were finally set to interview a number of parents in this particular upstate migrant farm-working community, who had children between the ages of 2–5. The world however, had other plans—the first set of interviews had been scheduled a few days before New York State began shutting down due to COVID-19, and Northrup, understanding the risks and what was about to happen across the country, cancelled the interviews.

“I approached Rachel to work with us, and we were going to use some of our funds, and then unfortunately, the pandemic hit and they froze all of our funds.”

The project was thus put on hold, and Rachel’s involvement was uncertain given the lack of funds available. But in summer 2021, Northrup realized an alternative option—the research could instead be conducted by taking advantage of the Office of the Provost’s undergraduate student faculty/research program, which had just put out a call for submissions.

“In the summer, the undergraduate faculty research call came out. I had participated numerous times, and it was the perfect place, the perfect time, and the perfect student,” said Northrup.

Given the intricacies and difficulties of conducting research during the COVID-19 pandemic, Northrup, Cooper, and Mazariegos have spent the past few months obtaining various approvals, submitting necessary forms, and laying the foundation for Rachel to conduct interviews over Zoom. Mazariegos, who has handled all of the unforeseen obstacles wrought by the pandemic admirably, has enjoyed learning about all of the factors that go into conducting impactful research, and has found the experience helpful in terms of preparing her for the future.

“I would like to become a pediatric nurse and I’m hoping to become a nurse practitioner,” said Mazariegos. “This type of research study, especially with migrant farmers—migrant farmers can be hard to reach, bringing more attention and research to a group that’s underserved. I’ve enjoyed it so far, even the IRB, the whole paperwork part of it.”

As the research proceeds, the trio hopes to better some of the underlying causes behind consumption of sugar sweetened beverages amongst young children—whether its confronting the immense marketing pull of certain drinks, or better educating underserved populations about the risks and consequences of sugar sweetened beverages, particularly as they relate to child development.

Northrup notes that ultimately, they would like to use the information to potentially support policy recommendations.

“I think we need to make a normative shift of some type, and a lot those types of shifts don’t really happen until you have policies that support it, such as anti-smoking laws, and even sugar sweetened beverage taxes,” said Northrup. “As contentious as it is, I think that it’s a very effective way of getting the message across at how bad it is.”

“I think the ultimate goal for me is seeing how families are impacted by this, and seeing the shift of knowledge between family members,” said Mazariegos. “There are people who are unaware of the harm that these drinks are doing to their children."

When the research is complete, the trio plans on publishing a paper to demonstrate their findings, and perhaps help galvanize support for that aforementioned normative shift to help better elucidate the harms of sugar sweetened beverages. Cooper notes that their paper is rather distinct, and given its interdisciplinary nature, represents a major accomplishment for interdisciplinary research at Pace.

“We’re bringing Rachel’s patient care and language skills, Angela’s patient care skills and nursing expertise, and I’m a registered dietician and doctor of education—we’re bringing nutrition education, nursing, language skills, and nursing experience to this,” said Cooper. “We have a much broader base of understanding from a number of different angles.”

For Communication Studies and Film and Screen Studies double major Joshua Lovell ’18, summer isn’t a time for vacation.

Last summer, Lovell was selected to participate in the highly prestigious Hesselbein Global Leadership Summit. Held in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the summit aims to develop experienced, ethical, and innovative global leaders. Lovell was just one of 50 students chosen from around the world, and the only student selected from New York State.

Lovell notes that the summit was highly informative, and he was introduced to a number of mentors and motivated students from around the world.

“When we got there we had a series of workshops, and met with mentors from our specific fields,” says Lovell. “We dealt with social cohesiveness and learning steps toward being a successful leader—they taught us strategic techniques to best go about our leadership.”

Lovell also had the opportunity to interact with a number of established leaders while at the summit—including Frances Hesselbein, former CEO of the Girl Scouts and winner of the Presidential Medal of Freedom, as well as members of the Obama administration.

Lovell notes that he’s excited to have brought what he learned in Pittsburgh back to campus, where he is involved in a number of leadership initiatives. Lovell is currently a member of the Urban Male Initiative, Black Student Union, Caribbean Student Association, and P.A.C.E. Board. He’s also the executive director of Come Alive Network NYC, a community service organization that was founded in Guyana and now has a subsidiary in New York.

“Come Alive is a demographic-based initiative, we go into communities in New York City and help with college essays, schoolwork, really anything in regard to empowerment.” As the executive director, Lovell has applied some of the tactics gleaned from the leadership summit, and stressed the importance of collaboration between all of the executive board.

In the classroom, Lovell has taken advantage of everything Pace has to offer. In addition to his communication studies and film and screen studies double major, he’s also pursuing a triple minor in political science, arts and entertainment management, and African and African-American studies. As for his classroom influences, Lovell listed several professors, all of whom have made his Pace experience worthwhile.

In addition to his academic and community service initiatives, Lovell also finds time to give back to Pace. He currently works at the calling center at the University, where he speaks with prospective students, gives his assessment of academic and extracurricular programs at Pace, and helps ease the transition from high school to college.

Lovell says he’s unsure of where his Pace Path will lead him after graduation, but is currently setting his sights on a possible career in television production; specifically, he’d like to work with BET, and help produce the network’s awards show programming.

As for the immediate future? While Lovell likely won’t be heading back to Pittsburgh this summer, you could be sure that he won’t be hanging out at the beach—rather, he’ll be continuing to make a difference each and every day.