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Students
Ready for the Future: The Class of 2024 Boldly Goes Forth (New York City and Pleasantville Campuses)
As the Class of 2024 prepares to cross the stage on May 20 at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, graduating students shared their plans for the future and reflected on their most memorable moments from their time at 91ÊÓƵ—from meaningful mentorship from professors to career-altering courses to unforgettable extracurricular experiences.
New York City Campus
Kelly Ann Stephen
Post-grad plans?
I will be moving to Austin, Texas, to work in Global Wealth Management for PIMCO, a global leader in fixed income investment management. After interning last summer, I realized that the job was an amazing fit for me based on skills that I learned at 91ÊÓƵ. I also plan on potentially going to law school in the future.
Why did you pursue your major/degree program?
I chose my degree in economics because of how versatile it is. Money is a major part of our world, and learning about incentives and how our economy works is crucial to understanding a big part of our society. Also, any industry can be studied through an economics lens. I personally love to look at environmental economics. I chose to pursue my master’s degree because I knew it would give me an advantage in the job market. I also loved the professors at 91ÊÓƵ and was able to complete my bachelor’s, master’s, and two minors in four years thanks to careful planning.
What were your favorite course(s) and why?
Any class with Professor Sam Baruch is such an amazing class. He teaches many of the math-based economics courses and is the best math teacher I have ever had. I also really enjoyed taking the introduction to macroeconomics and microeconomics courses, and they were a major reason I decided to pursue my degree. A non-economics course that I really enjoyed was the mock trial seminar class. I have been a part of the mock trial team for the past four years and as president and executive captain for two. The class allowed me to expand my knowledge about the federal rules of evidence and improved my confidence in competing.
Mia Lastrella
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Post-grad plans?
Immediately following graduation, I will be attending the 77th annual Cannes Film Festival with my production company, Western Star Entertainment Group, which I co-founded in January 2023. After returning, we hope to expand our slate of film and stage musical projects and grow our financial and creative reach as a company. I also plan to pursue production coordinator positions with agencies in New York and continue exploring my creativity as a writer, director, and actor.
Which faculty member(s) had the most impact on your experience?
Professor Ando Arike in Critical Writing truly inspired me at an early point when I was feeling discouraged, and taking Performing Shakespeare with Professor Sid Ray was a highlight of my AOK’s (Areas of Knowledge). Professor Chris Ramos helped me make a smooth transition into an Arts and Entertainment Management (Lubin) minor and gave me an opportunity to apply for my first film internship with my former boss and current mentor, Marisa Vitali. Within Film and Screen Studies (FSS), someone I have worked with consistently throughout my college career is Professor Gloria Vela. Not only has she believed in me, but has offered me glowing recommendations, invaluable advice, and a support system I could not have gotten through college without.
What were your favorite course(s) and why?
I really enjoyed the FSS production courses, including 16mm Filmmaking and Cinematography. I also liked the screenwriting courses (Writing on Film, Beginner Screenwriting, and Advanced Screenwriting), as well as Theories of Film. Outside of FSS, I enjoyed Performing Shakespeare and Arts and Entertainment Management.
Faith Gregory
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Post-grad plans?
I am currently enrolled in 91ÊÓƵ’s combined degree BA/MA in Psychology program, so I will be receiving my master’s in psychology next year in May 2025. I am also planning to conduct some research and work as a mental health technician at a hospital over the summer.
Which faculty member(s) had the most impact on your experience?
I am a sociology/ anthropology minor, and took Introduction to Anthropology with Professor Claire Panetta, who really impacted my experience and interest in that field and provided me with a strong foundation for conducting qualitative research. In Meaghan Brewer’s Writing About Culture: Ethnography class, I wrote a paper about Harry Styles stan Twitter and it was one of the best projects that I’ve ever done—my paper won an English Department Writing Award. Professor Sid Ray in my Performing Shakespeare class made me feel so comfortable doing something I’ve never done before: acting (and Shakespearean acting, nonetheless!). Further, Professor Christopher Godfrey, in Experimental Psychology, helped me learn many things related to conducting research.
What advice would you give students in their first and second years at 91ÊÓƵ?
Don’t be afraid to branch out and do things you’ve never done before; 91ÊÓƵ has a lot of amazing opportunities, so put yourself out there! I never imagined I would be able to conduct two grant-funded research projects during my undergraduate career, but I was able to because of the resources and Center for Undergraduate Research (CURE) that 91ÊÓƵ has. Also, don't be afraid to ask your professors about their interests and never hesitate to ask them for help or advice.
Pleasantville Campus
Nicolina Gabriella Barone
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Post-grad plans?
After graduation, I plan to pursue a writing career in the medical field, and specifically, in medical writing, copywriting, and editing. I also plan to begin submitting my novel to agents. In my sophomore year, I began drafting the first 25 pages of a novel for which I won the Billie and Curtis Fiction Writing Award, and I was later chosen for the Provost’s Undergraduate Student-Faculty Creative Award, which allowed me to complete a finished first draft of my manuscript at 65,000 words.
Why did you pursue your major/degree program?
Since I was a little girl, I have always been passionate about literature. I have also always known that my career would involve writing, but it wasn’t until my internship with WebMD that my interest in writing for the medical field solidified and proved to me that I could use my talents for the greater good. I chose 91ÊÓƵ to pursue a master’s in Publishing to widen my career path options, learn from those in the industry, and access the connections in the program.
Which faculty member(s) had the most impact on your experience? Professor Dana Cadman has played an essential role in my years at 91ÊÓƵ. We met early in my career when I was elected president of , 91ÊÓƵ’s literary and arts magazine, and as the faculty advisor, has allowed me to present my visions and gave me the space to promote the growth and success I longed for. She has also been a mentor in my writing career and has supported my novel, from being my advisor for my Honors thesis, to faculty mentor for the Creative Award. Professor JoAnn Schlesinger’s power of belief in her students pushed me to succeed, and Professors Rob Mundy, Bette Kirschstein, and Alysa Hantgan encouraged my writing in ways I couldn’t have known.
In the MS in Publishing program, Paul Levitz introduced me to the world of transmedia, and his class inspired my master’s thesis. Jessica Napp helped me overcome challenges, and I later interned with her as a publicity intern at Rizzoli International Publications. Eileen Kreit and Jennifer Romanello helped me get acclimated to being a dual-degree student, and my classroom learning with them will be indispensable for my career.
Osei Owusu-Afriyie Jr.
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Post-grad plans?
My post-graduation plans are to move back to Manhattan, work on my publication, Fountain Magazine, and find a full-time job in the journalism field. I look forward to seeing my friends again and having adventures in Brooklyn and the East Village with them, although I’m going to miss the quiet, calm atmosphere of Pleasantville.
Why did you pursue your major/degree program?
I chose to pursue my degree in Digital Journalism because I love to write, meet new people, and travel to new places. This degree was a great investment for my writing skills and personal network and has taught me so many valuable skills from audiovisual production to news editing.
What were your favorite course(s) and why?
My favorite courses were Audio Storytelling, Ethics in Action, and Principles of Forensic Anthropology. I loved going around campus interviewing students about what they were doing, and presenting my cool, wacky topics in Audio Storytelling. In Ethics in Action, I loved talking about the impact of humanity on the environment and what we can do to accomplish core humanitarian and ecological goals to make the world a better place with Professors Sue Maxam and Len Mitchell. Finally, in Principles of Forensic Anthropology, I felt like an investigative journalist on Law and Order, studying archeology for homework.
James Kennedy
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Personality and Social Psychology, BA
Post-grad plans?
In fall 2024, I will be continuing my education at the University at Buffalo, starting a five-year social-personality doctoral program, which will allow me to further my research in personality and social psychology as well as in psychophysiology.
Why did you pursue your major/degree program?
I have always been curious about the workings of physical things. At a young age, this meant tinkering with mechanisms and trying to determine what purpose items had in our world. As I prepared for college, I considered a career in architecture, as I liked to design and create; however, I realized that there was more that could be discovered, and my love of social and personality psychology stems from that. Humans are far more complex and fascinating, and I want to explore how we are shaped by our social environment and our relationships and how individuals’ emotions and goals drive their behaviors and decisions.
Which faculty member(s) had the most impact on your experience?
Professor Courtney Gosnell has taught me how to develop and conduct research as well as empowered me to run my own research projects from idea to publication. Through her mentorship, I have had the opportunity to analyze topics such as cross-political-party close relationships; social behavior in both romantic and non-romantic relations; and college student experiences, emotions, and mindfulness-based coping practices. Professor Len Mitchell has shared his wisdom through his studies in philosophy, and has furthered my education, including my research through the Society of Fellows (Dyson College's honor society). And Assistant Provost Maria Iacullo-Bird has provided me with the opportunity to present my research to a vast audience both at 91ÊÓƵ and outside at national and international conferences, as well as obtain funding to further my studies.