Class of 2020 Commencement events to be held Sept. 17-19

Syracuse University will host a Commencement ceremony—delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic—and other celebratory events for the Class of 2020 during the weekend of Sept. 17–19.  

Commencement will be held Sept. 19 at 10 a.m. at the Stadium. This University-wide ceremony, where Syracuse University Chancellor and President Kent Syverud will formally confer degrees, is for all undergraduate, graduate and doctoral candidates. Doors open at 8 a.m.

Following Commencement, all 2020 Newhouse graduates and their families are invited to join Dean Mark J. Lodato and the faculty and staff for a celebratory reception. The event will include a dean’s welcome, recognition of participating graduates and an opportunity to reconnect with faculty. A precise time and location will be announced soon; stay tuned for details.

For more information about Commencement activities for the Class of 2020, see the event listing.

Forever Orange: Dara Dilmaghani ’23

Syracuse University’s Forever Orange Scholarship provides half of the tuition for students who enroll full-time in a qualifying graduate degree or certificate program at Syracuse University. The scholarship is automatically available to all Class of 2024 graduating Syracuse University seniors who are eligible for admission—no separate scholarship application is needed. Graduating seniors who have already been admitted to a qualifying graduate program are also eligible.

Learn more about recent students like Dara Dilmaghani, who is developing his skills and the ability to lean into the future of technology with the help of a Forever Orange Scholarship.

Dara Dilmaghani

Undergraduate Program: Advertising, ’23
Newhouse Master’s Program: Advanced Media Management, G’24

What drew you to Syracuse University for your undergraduate studies? 

Newhouse played a role in me coming to Syracuse. I was not sure where I wanted to end up when I was applying to college but when I was accepted to Newhouse and researched more about the school, I knew that this was the place I needed to be. 

What made you want to pursue a master’s degree?    

There were a few factors that led me to stay one more year, with the main one being the pandemic. I felt like my senior year was the first year I was experiencing the full in-person opportunities Newhouse had to offer, and I wasn’t ready to leave without spending a little more time growing as a student. The advanced media management program was the perfect place for me to continue my journey. With an emphasis on skills I didn’t get the chance to develop in my undergraduate career and the ability to lean into the future of technology was just something I could not pass up.  

How did you first hear about the Forever Orange Scholarship and how did it play a role in your decision to attend graduate school?  

I heard about it in my application process. I had always had plans on pursuing a master’s degree, but the Forever Orange Scholarship was another great incentive to stay here and pursue it at Newhouse. The ability to receive my master’s degree in half the time for half the price was honestly a bigger blessing than I could have ever imagined.  

What unique features of your graduate program made you want to apply?  

I picked Newhouse because it had already done so many amazing things for me and taken me to so many places. I picked advanced media management because I felt like I was going to have the opportunity to do something really great, and I have. The faculty in the program, especially Professor Adam Peruta, have gone above and beyond and given me opportunities that I never imagined I could achieve. Just in one semester I feel more knowledgeable than I have in the past four years, I have met some amazing like-minded classmates and was able to go to Las Vegas. I don’t think there are many graduate students that are having the same experiences as me and I’m so grateful that Newhouse has given me these opportunities to continue growing as a student.  

Advanced media management students (from left to right) Henos Mulugeta, Dara Dilmaghani, Hongjian Yu and Matthew Brodsky in the HyperX Esports Arena at the CES tech event in Las Vegas. (Photo courtesy of Adam Peruta)

What moments in graduate school have been the most exciting or defining thus far?  

100% learning about the impact AI is having not only on media, but the world as we know it. This program has given me the ability to test out these new tools and find a workflow that works for me. I do not think I would’ve been able to stay ahead of the curve if I was already in the professional world. Now, I can spend my time preparing myself for an inevitable change in the way media will function with tools that are unfamiliar to many.

What advice would you give to students that are in the initial stages of deciding to pursue graduate school? 

It is worth it, especially right after undergrad. It is tough to go back to school when you have been out of the routine for a while but spending that extra year or two learning a bit more can really take you far once it is all said and done. Do not be afraid to lean into discomfort and remember that opportunities are just right in front of you, you just need to know when to take them. 

For more information on Newhouse School graduate programs, please email nhmasters@syr.edu

Newhouse in the News

Some recent media appearances, interviews or stories by Newhouse School faculty and staff.

Mark Lodato, Dean

Jennifer Grygiel, Communications

Robert Thompson, Bleier Center for Television and Popular Culture

Anthony D’Angelo, Public Relations

Charisse L’Pree, Communications

Joel Kaplan, Magazine, News and Digital Journalism

J. Christopher Hamilton, Television, Radio and Film

Austin Kocher, Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse

Roy Gutterman, Magazine, News and Digital Journalism

Bill Werde, Bandier Program for Recording and Entertainment Industries

Joey Gawrysiak, Esports Communications and Management

Sean Branagan, Communications

“The Marketer’s (Early) Guide to AI”: AI is Here to Help, But Not Take Over Our Jobs

With artificial intelligence rising and rapidly changing the communications industry as we know it, it is imperative that we keep up with the latest developments surrounding the technology. The Weiss Center hosted an exclusive group of Newhouse students for a livestream of Marketing Brew’s “The Marketer’s (Early) Guide to AI.” This experience served as a lucrative learning opportunity for us as young professionals to hear from prestigious industry experts about how they’re applying AI in marketing and technology.

Marketing Brew hosted a series of executives to discuss how AI has impacted their companies and day-to-day operations. Topics varied from the relationship between chatbots and employees, how AI can impact storytelling and how to leverage AI to maximize the customer experience.

The five key takeaways from the sessions were:

AI technologies can work in conjunction with human labor to optimize efficiency.

The industry mentality shifted from being fearful to embracing AI.

AI is helping to ease the consumer customer service experience.

AI can be trained to effectively tell a brand’s story.

Companies have been using AI longer than you think. 

Marketing Brew’s livestream event opened a world of new possibilities in technology happening right before our eyes. AI technology is rapidly changing industry practices every day, and it is imperative that we absorb as much information as possible before we enter the workforce. Attending this livestream event not only taught us about how AI is being used in practice right now, but it also helped us understand how we can utilize AI in our future careers.

Beth Egan is an associate professor and director of the master’s in advertising program at the Newhouse School.  

A Newhouse Education Can Lead to Success in a Variety of Fields

Learn More about the Career Arc of Paul Marchand ’91 from Advertising Student to Top Exec at Charter Communications

Paul Marchand’s career journey from Newhouse advertising student to one of the top executives at Charter Communications took a key turn at Lord & Taylor. 

Paul Marchand headshot
Paul Marchand

Marchand ‘91 joined a buyer training program with the department store giant after graduating from Syracuse, though he stayed involved with his field of study by placing ads in The New York Times and connecting with the heads of the company’s advertising and public relations teams. 

Then, he got invited by Lord & Taylor’s human resources staff to go to college campuses to recruit prospective employees. The thinking was that he could serve as a role model as a recent graduate.  

Marchand did such a good job that he ended up getting recruited himself—Lord & Taylor offered him a job in HR. Marchand is a prime example of how a Newhouse education can lead to success in an array of fields.  

“I did it on a condition that if this doesn’t work, I would go back to being a buyer,” he said. “One year in, I never looked back and just realized that HR was something I was really passionate about.” 

But the core skills he honed at Newhouse helped to set him on the path for success. After working in HR roles at Lord & Taylor, J.P. Morgan, Merrill Lynch and PepsiCo, Marchand is now the top human resources executive at Charter.  

Marchand joined Charter in 2015 as executive vice president and chief human resources officer. A leading broadband connectivity company and cable operator, Charter is a Fortune 100 business with nearly $50 billion in annual revenue, serving more than 32 million customers in 41 states under the Spectrum brand of internet, TV, mobile and voice products.  

“I never really lost the elements of the foundation of what Newhouse taught me,” Marchand said. “How do you influence your audience? How do you persuade people? How do you build advocacy? All those things that I do in my daily job get me back to my Newhouse roots.” 

At Charter, Marchand oversees HR strategies, policies and practices; recruiting training and development; and diversity, inclusion and community impact at a company with more than 101,000 employees. He played a pivotal role in helping guide the company and its employees through significant growth. A year after Marchand’s arrival, for example, Charter completed a three-way merger that quadrupled the size of the company’s workforce. 

a person stands next to a sign that says "Welcome to the Newhouse School" in the Newhouse 1 lobby
“I think there’s a grit and hard-working ethic to Newhouse and Syracuse students,” Marchand said.

Marchand said he is proud of key Charter initiatives that have helped expand the company’s workforce and retain employees at a time when the labor market is tight, including the establishment of a minimum starting wage of $20, freezing cost increases for employee health benefits for the past 11 years and a new free tuition program for full-time employees to continue their education and enhance their skills. Additionally, he said, all of Charter’s employees are based in the United States as part of the company’s commitment to have workers live in the communities they serve. 

It has been a busy time overall for Charter. Currently, the company is in the middle of a multiyear effort to build out its Spectrum Internet service to more areas, including the expansion of its high-speed broadband network to more than a million homes and businesses in unserved or underserved communities as part of the federal Rural Digital Opportunity Fund.  

Last fall, the company unveiled the Xumo Stream Box, which gives users access to live TV and popular streaming apps and puts “customization and aggregation of content at top of mind,” Marchand said. A new distribution agreement reached in 2023 with the Walt Disney Company that gave Charter’s Spectrum TV customers free access to the Disney+ streaming app represented “a step forward for the video industry.”  

“It’s not unique to us, it’s an entire ecosystem issue. There’s so much content, and so many ways that people consume it, and where they consume it, and we want to be at the forefront of making it easy for people to watch their favorite programming wherever they are,” Marchand said.  

Consumer habits continue to evolve, driven in large part by younger viewers who have grown up watching videos on their phone or binging TV shows on a tablet. What hasn’t changed, Marchand said, is the drive and talent exhibited by Newhouse graduates in the workplace that date back to when he was a Syracuse University student in the late 1980s.  

“I think there’s a grit and hard-working ethic to Newhouse and Syracuse students,” Marchand said. Charter employs many Newhouse graduates across the company, he said, and dozens of alumni can be found both in front of and behind the camera in Charter’s Spectrum News operations around the country, from multimedia journalists like Caitlin McVey in Tampa, to anchors such as Cheryl Wills in New York City, to Karl Turner, senior news director in Columbus, Ohio. 

His biggest tip to current students sounds a lot like advice he might have followed when his career was just getting started. 

“Be as open-minded, flexible and realistic as possible,” Marchand said. “And I think what will happen is that you’ll focus on what is the actual work you want to do, and you’ll go do that work, and find success.” 

Newhouse Students Capture Excitement and Intensity of Empire State Winter Games

It was a tiring yet rewarding weekend for the nearly two dozen Newhouse School students who covered the Empire State Winter Games (ESWG) in Lake Placid, New York in early February. ESWG is the largest Olympic-style multi-sport winter event for amateur athletes. 

Twenty-two undergraduate and graduate students traversed the slopes of Whiteface Mountain, took in sled hockey games in Tupper Lake and worked early mornings and late nights to provide comprehensive coverage of the Games and its nearly 2,500 athletes through photography, videography, social media posts and website management. 

a photographer stands on a snowy mountain and takes a picture during a ski competition
Photography junior Arthur Maiorella photographs alpine skiers at Whiteface Mountain. (Photo by Justin Dalaba)
a photographer stands above a luge track and captures a an athlete going down the track
BDJ junior Robbie Munch films luge racers at the Mt Van Hoevenberg Sliding Center. (Photo by Seth Gitner)
a photographer takes pictures of the opening ceremony of the empire state winter games in a hockey area full of people
MVJ student Theoplis Stewart II (center) photographs the Empire State Winter Games opening ceremony while PR graduate student Abbie Kludt (left) captures video for the Games’ social media channels. (Photo by Justin Dalaba)

Picture Perfect Games 

With SONY-sponsored cameras in hand, 11 photographers captured everything from bobsledders barreling down the Mt. Van Hoevenberg Sliding Center tracks to the championship hockey games at the Herb Brooks Arena where the 1980 “Miracle on Ice” event transpired four decades ago.

two people in winter gear hug each other and smile
Nordic skiers Talia and Reid pose for a portrait during the 2024 Empire State Winter Games In Lake Placid, New York. (Photo by Surya Vaidy)

The staff edited and captioned hundreds of photos daily before uploading them to the ESWG media website to be picked up by news outlets throughout the Northeast. 

“It was just so nice to be back in such a beautiful place like Lake Placid,” said Surya Vaidy, a graduate student in the multimedia, photography and design program who was participating for the second year. “The best part was just getting the chance to photograph future championship athletes.” 

In between sporting events, Vaidy found time for his side project called “Faces of the Games,” that captured athletes and their families between games, races and events. 

“I got a great set of photos that I think were evocative,” Vaidy said. “And I hope that the athletes and other people will think so, too.” 

A luge racer prepares to head down a track
A luge racer prepares to head down the track at the Mt. Van Hoevenberg Sliding Center. (Photo by Nina Gerzema)
Athletes race to the finish line of a Biathlon competition
Athletes race to the finish line of the Biathlon Super Sprint Final at Mt. Van Hoevenberg. (Photo by Sadie Jones)
a person lights a cauldron at the empire state winter games opening ceremony
The cauldron is lit during the 2024 Empire State Winter Games Opening Ceremony in 1980 Herb Brooks Arena. (Photo by Matt Hofmann)

Nonstop Action

Working alongside the photographers, four videographers had the task of capturing ESWG athletes in motion.  

Patrick Smith, a graduate student in broadcast and digital journalism and part of the sports media and communications track, rose before the sun to get video of daily skiing competitions. 

“Going up there was so much fun,” Smith said. “I learned a whole lot that I didn’t know about videography. Whether you’re a photographer, videographer, content creator, or producer, you gain so much from this experience.”  

a participant in a biathlon shoots a gun
The 2024 Empire State Winter Games Biathlon. (Photo by Theoplis Stewart II)
people mountain bike in a snowy forest
Winter bikers race across the Dewey Mountain Recreation Center course. (Photo by Joohee Na)
a cross country skier skis at night
Sharon Crawford skis the nighttime orienteering event at the Cascade Welcome Center. (Photo by Justin Dalaba)

Keeping Things Running

Once the opening ceremony concluded on Thursday night, there was non-stop action on the slopes, snow and ice. Five public relations majors kept up with the results, posting on the ESWG and Newhouse Sports Media Center social media accounts while also writing press releases and daily newsletters for the games. 

“For someone like me who wants to go into sports and social media, this experience has been really great,” said public relations graduate student Katie Miller. “I just feel like the immersive part of this trip is going to lead to a lot of growth.” 

With the students getting to put time into writing and social media, the three days served as a great taste of what a career in sports and public relations will be like. 

an ice skater twirls in the air
Abigail Marlow from Niagara University Skating Club performs her figure skating routine. (Photo by Diana Valdivia)
a hockey player gets fired up
A Saugerties player gets fired up for 10U Squirt hockey game. (Photo by Cole Meredith)
two skiers race down a mountain
William Swain leads Gabriel Kean during a snowcross race at Whiteface Mountain. (Photo by Arthur Maiorella)

Traversing Mediums

As a digital producer for this trip, I  witnessed firsthand just how hard all of these students worked as I constantly shuffled their edited footage and photos onto our ESWGMedia.com website nightly. 

From a public relations perspective, it was impressive how the entire team was prepared to write or post on social media at a moment’s notice while also helping to tell the stories of participants involved in the games. 

I — along with professors Seth Gitner, Jon Glass, and Jordan Kligerman — just tried to keep it all going. In the end, I think we earned a spot atop the medalist podium when it comes to making the most of the Newhouse School experience.  

three young skiers cheer on a teammate
Super G alpine skiers cheer on their teammate Piper Dock of West Mountain Racing at Whiteface Mountain. (Photo by Ania Johnston)

Jonathan Kinane is graduate student in the broadcast and digital journalism program at the Newhouse School.

LA Story: New Space, Sports Program Expands Experiences in Los Angeles for Newhouse Students

A celebratory toast and ceremonial cutting of a ribbon marked the formal opening of the new home of the Newhouse School’s program in the entertainment capital of the world.  

the exterior of a glass enclosed office building in Los Angeles
The new North Hollywood home of the Syracuse University Dick Clark Los Angeles Program. (Photo by Rich Prugh)

Joined by family members of the late Dick Clark ’51, students, faculty, staff, leadership, alumni and friends gathered to dedicate the new Syracuse University Dick Clark Los Angeles Program location in the North Hollywood district of Los Angeles. Newhouse LA will be based in the University’s new home. 

The gleaming new space housed in the shiny, glass-enclosed office building is the result of an extraordinary gift from the Kari and Dick Clark Foundation to significantly expand the University’s presence and impact in the entertainment field. 

“We’re celebrating a truly transformative, generous gift from the Clark Family, so that’s number one,” said Robin Howard, director of the Newhouse LA program. “What the gift allows us to do is really provide expanded programs, to be very creative with the programs that we offer now, to offer students from the school the most robust, experiential learning opportunity that we possibly can. That’s what we’re celebrating today.” 

a person stands at a podium and speaks
Newhouse LA program director Robin Howard gives remarks at the new building dedication. (Photo by Rich Prugh)

The new location is a hub for all things Syracuse in Los Angeles and offers Newhouse LA students a fresh space filled with innovative classrooms, offices, studios and more. It’s a short walk to the Metro station, and a bustling neighborhood filled with restaurants, theaters and housing options, adding to the student experience. 

three people stand together with their arms on each others shoulders and smile
Newhouse LA student Dhani Joseph (center) celebrates with fellow students Owen Tindall (left) and Luke Backman (right). (Photo by Rich Prugh)
two people stand and smile together
Two students celebrate during the building dedication. (Photo by Rich Prugh)

Students in the Newhouse LA program take classes taught by entertainment industry experts while also getting valuable experience through internships and networking events.  

“By coming out to Los Angeles, [students] are not only able to take courses that relate to their own industry, as well as what’s happening here in L.A., but they are also exposed to wonderful job and internship opportunities that often lead to full-time jobs after graduation,” said Newhouse School Dean Mark J. Lodato

a group of people stand and smile at a ribbon cutting ceremony
From left, Anna Proulx, director of the College of Visual and Performing Arts Program, LA Semester; Robin Howard, director of the Newhouse School Program, LA Semester; Newhouse School Dean Mark Lodato; Cindy Clark ’86; RAC Clark; Provost Gretchen Ritter; College of Visual and Performing Arts Dean Michael Tick; John Sykes ’77, president of entertainment enterprises for iHeartMedia; and Joan Adler, assistant vice president of regional programs in Los Angeles. (Photo by Rich Prugh)

The Spring 2024 semester also marks the launch of the Newhouse LA sports media communications program. The program provides production and marketing classes tailor-made for students working to become sports media professionals. It will also offer internship opportunities at a sports media company.  

two people stand together and smile
Newhouse Dean Mark J Lodato is all smiles with Newhouse LA program director Robin Howard. (Photo by Dhani Joseph)

The sports media communications program is open to broadcast journalism, public relations or television, radio and film majors. The goal is to expand access and connections in Los Angeles to a new set of Newhouse students.  

For broadcasting and digital journalism junior Vincent Zakian, one class alone made the cross-country trip more than worth it. He’s taking a sports production class at Newhouse LA with Jeff Proctor, a veteran sports media producer.  

“We’ve gotten a lot of great experiences,” Zakian said. “Professor Proctor has introduced us to [a lot of] different people that can help us in our careers. That’s been amazing. It’s been really career focused which I appreciate.” 

Dhani Joseph is a junior in the broadcast and digital journalism program at the Newhouse School

For Newhouse Professor Sean Branagan, ScreenME-Net Summit in Estonia Marks Culmination of Fulbright Work

Sean Branagan, director for the Newhouse School’s Center for Digital Media Entrepreneurship and an adjunct professor of communications, reflects on his trip to Tallinn, Estonia.

In September 2023 I traveled to Tallinn, Estonia, to deliver a keynote talk at the ScreenME-Net Summit on Media Entrepreneurship. ScreenME is an international network of universities across Europe that aim to improve research into and teaching of entrepreneurship for the screen media industry. For me, my time at the summit was the culmination of two years of collaboration and building programs. 

I received a Fulbright Grant in late 2021 to work with Estonian universities in the ScreenME network cultivating media entrepreneurship programs. In May and June of 2022, I completed that work in the capital city of Tallinn, conducting student meetings, workshops, presentations to faculty and a conference in the heart of Tallinn’s startup scene with my sponsor, Dr. Ulrike Rohm of Tallinn University’s Baltic Film and Media School (BFM).

a person stands on a stage and smiles while giving a talk
Sean Branagan giving his keynote speech in Tallinn, Estonia. (Photo courtesy of Sean Branagan)

Estonia is a small country with a reputation for being the most digital country in Europe, and it has a robust startup economy with more “unicorns”—startups with billion dollar valuations—per capita than any other country! For me, there was no better place to work and promote media entrepreneurship. 

In the midst of it all, I fell in love with Tallinn: A picture postcard city with a pristine, medieval Old Town along with palaces, churches and architecture from the Russian Empire—mixed with grey, utilitarian Soviet buildings—renewed and reborn by the robust Tallinn art community.

That summer in Estonia was seminal for me. I long understood how the media entrepreneurship I teach my students at the Newhouse School can empower creative people, but I also saw how it can be an economic driver and purposeful in a community that rallies around it.

I left Tallinn in 2022 with opportunities to connect activities there to U.S. media and startups. When I returned in this past fall, it really was the pinnacle of two years of work helping BFM and the other ScreenME universities understand how we teach entrepreneurship as a creative endeavor at Newhouse and why it fits creative students in all their schools. 

A white sculpture that spells out the name "Tallinn" which is the capital of Estonia
“In the midst of it all, I fell in love with Tallinn: a picture postcard city with a pristine, medieval Old Town along with palaces, churches and architecture from the Russian Empire, mixed with grey, utilitarian Soviet buildings — renewed and reborn by the robust Tallinn art community,” said Branagan. (Photo courtesy of Sean Branagan)

During my keynote, I jumped around the stage with excitement about all the technologies and new developments creating opportunities for the creator economy and media entrepreneurs. I talked about our terrific, talented and successful Newhouse students and young alumni who are off building this future. I presented one slide that compared today to 2007 when the iPhone and many technologies and digital services were launched; so many technologies and services have disrupted and shaped all forms of media and I think the media industry is ready for disruption again. 

At the summit, I met researchers, faculty and administration from more than eight universities across Europe —all starting or wanting to start media entrepreneurship programs for their creative students. All were interested in what we’re doing at Newhouse. 

Our discussions, which included possibilities of student exchange programs, collaboration on research and possibly running simultaneous virtual classes in Syracuse and in locations across northern Europe, made me eager and excited for the future.    

Sean Branagan is the director for the Newhouse School’s Center for Digital Media Entrepreneurship and an adjunct professor of communications.

Newhouse Alumna Honored with Academy Award Nomination for Producing Film “Nimona”

When film producer Karen Ryan ‘06 heard the science fantasy graphic novel “Nimona” was being turned into an animated film in 2018, the Newhouse television, radio and film alumna left Disney Animation, where she had worked for 11 years, and moved across the country to produce the film with Blue Sky Studios.  

a person stands on a red carpet with the word "Oscars" behind their head
Karen Ryan (Photo courtesy of Karen Ryan)

After a series of unforeseen challenges worthy of its own movie—including Blue Sky shuttering its doors in 2021 and the team thrown into a desperate mission to save “Nimona”—the film was finally released last year on Netflix. The hard work paid off: Ryan and her fellow producers earned a nomination for Best Animated Feature Film at the 2024 Academy Awards. It’s Ryan’s first nomination.

The Oscars will be awarded Sunday in Los Angeles.

How did it feel to be nominated for an Academy Award for “Nimona”?  

It was pretty wild, because of what it took to get this movie made. This has been, for me personally, a six-year project. This movie has gone through multiple studios-we were shut down and canceled at one point-so the fact that we were able to bring the movie back without compromising any of the things we wanted in it and see it embraced with an Academy Award nomination felt great. It was awesome. 

What were some of the challenges you faced when producing “Nimona,” especially after the closure of Blue Sky Studios in 2021? 

This movie was tricky. It was the hardest project I’ve ever been a part of and the challenges were just getting the film to the screen. So there’s all the typical challenges that come with animation when you want to push the medium. And then [Blue Sky Studios] closing was just heartbreaking. We were all family over there. We had this film “Nimona,” which was such a special project at Blue Sky. And then all of a sudden, in this one phone call, it’s “Everything’s gone, but we have these reels. What are we gonna do?” We just spent every minute after that trying to find a way to save the movie. So we went around Hollywood, we played it for everybody we could, and Megan Ellison at Annapurna Pictures saw it and supported it immediately. We got her to fund it, Netflix wanted to distribute it and everything just kind of changed from there. We got to make the film that we wanted to make. 

How did you get the opportunity to be a producer on the film? 

I was working at Disney Animation where I was for 11 years, and I heard about “Nimona” being made at Blue Sky Studios. A good friend of mine, Patrick Osborne, was the director at the time. So I knew him, I knew of the graphic novel and when the opportunity came up they called me. They needed a producer and I just couldn’t pass it up. So, I left and went over to Blue Sky. 

a group of people stand in front of a screen that says "Nimona" and hold champagne flutes
Ryan (first row, second from left) and the “Nimona” team celebrate a screening of the film. “I also hope it makes people get to know each other a little bit more and not judge people so quickly by what we assume they are,” Ryan said of the film. (Photo courtesy of Karen Ryan)

What does “Nimona” mean to you and what do you hope audiences take away from it? 

I love Nimona. That character is the reason I came to the story. What I think is so special about her and the first thing that really got me is that she knows who she is and she doesn’t want to be somebody else. She just wants people to see her for who she is and to feel loved and accepted that way, and I think that is very relatable and a story we don’t really see much, especially with female characters. So, this movie was our love letter to people who feel like an outsider or like they don’t belong. To people who watch the movie, I hope they’re entertained because I think it’s hilarious and I love this film. I also hope it makes people get to know each other a little bit more and not judge people so quickly by what we assume they are. There’s space for everybody and you shouldn’t have to compromise to be able to find a community.  

What opportunities did you take advantage of as a television, radio and film student at Newhouse? 

I think, for me, I really wanted to work in production. I wanted to make films, and we had a lot of opportunities to do that at [Newhouse]. I took the production track, even though we didn’t have it [at the time]. I took every production class I could. At colleges like Syracuse, try all of it. Do the story you were not sure about because this is your time to experiment. When you get into the workforce, you’re mostly working on other people’s stuff for a long time. So, if you have a crazy idea and you want to make it, do it.  

What advice do you have for current Newhouse students looking to be a film producer? 

I think there’s so many different tracks. There’s no one way to do it, but the more you kind of let your path wander and go towards what excites you in the moment, I think that’s how you build experience that leads you to producing. So, if you want to be a producer, get to know how movies are made, understand the story process and understand the medium in which you’re working. If it’s live action, who’s your creative team? How do you work with the cinematographer? How do you get a director’s vision on screen? In producing, you’re responsible for the entire thing, so it’s not just the money, it’s not just the delivery or selling the movie. So, you really have to understand as much of it as you can and I think that makes the better producers.

Samantha Rodino is a sophomore in the television, radio and film program at the Newhouse School.

Graduate experience from undergraduate experience

Jalyss Agosto headshot
Jalyss Agosto

Graduate school is a unique and challenging academic experience that is completely different from the undergraduate experience. While both share the common goal of advancing education, the mentality and expectations of graduate school sets it apart in several ways. One of the main differences is the depth of study. In undergraduate programs, students typically follow a broad curriculum, covering various subjects to obtain a well-rounded education. However, graduate programs focus on a specific field and hands-on experience. This allows students to dive deep into their chosen area of study, gaining expertise and a better understanding of the subject matter that they will experience in the real world. 

The structure of graduate programs is also different. Instead of a fixed set of courses, graduate students often have more flexibility in tailoring their curriculum to align with their research interests and career goals. Graduate students are expected to take more initiative in their learning, engaging in critical analysis, independent research and often collaborating within different networks. Hands-on experience plays a central role in graduate education. While undergraduates may engage in research projects, the depth and difficulty of graduate work is more intense. Graduate students are expected to contribute original ideas to their field, carry out the work and present their findings to employers. The pursuit of a master’s degree involves a significant commitment to perseverance, creativity and often long hours in the library. 

Additionally, the relationship between faculty and students is more collaborative in graduate school. Professors often serve as mentors, providing guidance to students in their academic pursuits. This close interaction fosters a sense of community and intellectual exchange, with students actively participating both inside and outside the classroom. The assessment methods in graduate school also differ. While undergraduates are commonly evaluated through exams and coursework, graduate students are primarily assessed based on the projects they present. 

Overall, graduate school demands a higher level of commitment, critical thinking and self-directed learning compared to the more structured nature of undergraduate education. The atmosphere of graduate school is more focused and career oriented. Many graduate students pursue advanced degrees to enhance their professional prospects, and graduate programs often incorporate opportunities for networking, internships, and collaboration with industry partners. 

Jalyss Agosto is a graduate student in the broadcast and digital journalism program at the Newhouse School.

A Guide to Acing a Portfolio Review

Surya Vaidy headshot
Surya Vaidy

Being in a visual communications graduate program certainly comes with its own set of unique stresses. There are production deadlines for photo and video projects, professional practice classes to complete and plenty more. Graduate school is supposed to be rigorous. However, out of all those things, I found none to be more stressful than the portfolio review at the end of the semester. Now, for those of you reading who may not know what a portfolio review is, for the visual communication students, it’s a collection of your best work — photos, videos or short films, designs — and should be indicative of your growth through the semester. Collecting and editing your best work though, is easier said than done.  

There are so many things to consider when you are preparing for a portfolio review, especially if you want to make the most out of your time presenting. It is, after all, a time to receive constructive critique and see where you may need improvement. It brings up all sorts of questions about which work to include. In an effort to pass on the tips and notes that were given to me, I’ve compiled four best practices to make sure you are more prepared when presenting your portfolio!  

  1. Keep it short and sweet: This is super important, but at the same time deceptively hard to do. Ensuring that you keep to a concise time is essential for allowing the people reviewing your portfolio (faculty, mentors, peers, etc.) to have enough time to digest what you’ve presented and offer a response regarding what they observed. I highly recommend writing a simple script or a set of bullet points about each major work in your portfolio. Doing so keeps you on track with time and helps with keeping your presentation’s information organized. 
  2. Introductions are very important: At the start of presenting your portfolio, you’ll want to give reviewers a quick insight into who you are and what you do. Give brief insights into your background and what your work focuses on. It helps reviewers get a sense of who you are as a creative and can help contextualize your work. 
  3. Always edit down: This is perhaps the most time-consuming part of preparing for a portfolio review, and it’s something I still struggle with today. Editing your work down to your best work is difficult because it’s your work. There’s always a feeling of wanting to share all that you’ve made, but that’s not conducive to an effective presentation of your work for review. Keep in mind: quality over quantity. In preparation, invest time into selecting what you think is your best work. Be broad and go with your gut in your selection. Then, ask your peers and teachers for their initial thoughts before a full review. Taking their opinions into consideration, create a more critical edit, making sure to that you stay concise while still showing off the breadth of work you’ve made.  
  4. Practice makes perfect: Trying to wing a presentation on the fly is never a good idea. I mentioned earlier that having notes or a script can make it easier for you to organize your thoughts and talk about your portfolio. This is certainly the case, but you still need to practice the delivery of your presentation. The necessary pacing and any adjustments you need to make will become apparent when you practice out loud. Ask your peers to listen to you before you have to officially present and time yourself! Making sure you know what you want to say inside and out is a great way to set yourself for a great presentation.  

Surya Vaidy is a student in the multimedia, photography and design master’s program at the Newhouse School.