Spotlight on Alums

Dear Alumni and Friends,

As dean of the College of the Arts, it is my pleasure to welcome you – our valued alumni – to Inspiration, our electronic newsletter. It’s been an exciting year in the College of the Arts, as you may see evidenced throughout these pages.

In future issues, we look forward to including news and opportunities for our alums as well spotlighting the accomplishments of our alums. Scroll down to see what just a few of you have been up to lately.

Our alumni are part of our extended family. We are proud of your accomplishments and all that you do.

We hope you enjoy this newsletter and that you will stay in touch, as we hope to remain in touch with you.

With best wishes,

Geoffrey W. Newman,
Dean, College of the Arts

P.S. Let us know how you are doing. We also welcome feedback on this newsletter, including future content you’d like to see. Click here.

Alumni On the Move . . .

Art & Design Alums

VINCENT J. NARDONE,(’61) and MIKLOS L SEBEK (’78), two distinguished MSU artist Alumni are currently showing in the Tycoon Art Gallery~ Realism to Abstraction, February 1 – April 30, 2009 in Point Pleasant, NJ. For additional information call Vincent Nardone, 732-223-4462, or vinart @optonline.net.

LESLIE ALFIN (MFA ’06) is now a faculty member at Parsons School of Design, New York, NY and has participated in the group exhibition “In/Formation” in BRIC Rotunda Gallery, Brooklyn, NY.

ASHA GANPAT (MFA ’05), an independent curator, is currently seeking artist submissions for an exhibition “Lilliput” at Walsh Gallery, Seton Hall University and is a participant in India Pop, Gershwin Hotel, NY and in “Resistance”, 14^th Annual Book Arts Symposium, Newark, NJ.

TONI-LEE SANGASTIANO (MFA ’04) is a full-time professor at Champlain College, Vermont and is one of the leading sideshow banner artists in the United States, having three banners in the Coney Island Museum.

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Broadcasting Alums

NICOLE WHETSTONE (’07) Nicole has spent the past year working full time for MTV Networks. There she worked as a PA on MTV Cribs season 15 as well as MTV’s new hit movie, The American Mall. She is currently the AP for the latest season of MTV Cribs and is looking forward to doing many new and different things in the field.

MIMI BAGYINSZKI (’03) Mimi was promoted to Production Coordinator at Inside Edition.

MATT BERNALDO (’93) In April 2008, Matt was promoted to Assistant News Director-Interactive for Waterman Broadcasting in Fort Myers, FL, handling all aspects of the company’s websites and new media plans. He also won the regional Edward R. Murrow Award for Best Website with www.nbc-2.com

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Music Alums

GREGORY PERKINS (B.A., Music Therapy ’08) has accepted a full-time position at Matheny Medical and Education Center, Peapack, NJ.

BASSOONIST JEREMY FRIEDLAND (BMus, Performance ’08), a student of Harry Searing, was accepted with a full scholarship to Yale University to study for a Masters Degree with Frank Morelli in performance.

The Messian series performed by alumna and renowned organist GAIL ARCHER (’73), was hailed as One of the “Best Classical Moments of 2008” -Time Out New York, December 18, 2008.

Our 2007-08 Music Education graduates are teaching throughout the state…

KRISTEN BUNGERT – K-8 instrumental/general; Spring Lake Heights Public Schools

KRISTEN CIAMBRONE – Strings; Frelinghuysen Middle School, Morristown Public Schools

ASHLEY DAVIDSON – Newark Public Schools

JOE EVELAND – Newark Public Schools

MEG FRANK – P-3 general music; Memorial School, Maywood Public Schools

TIM GALAN – Elementary Instrumental; Newark Public Schools

LA’TOYA GREEN – McKinley Elementary School, Newark Public Schools

RAUL HUAMAN – Guitar and strings; JFK High School, Paterson Public Schools

ELLIS JASENOVIC – High school instrumental; JFK High School, Paterson Public Schools

JON KINNE – High school instrumental; Rutherford Public Schools

JEANNINE MURRAY – General music, Englewood on the Palisades Charter School

ARIEL OCASIO – Instrumental; Eastside HS, Newark Public Schools

ANDREA REIMAN – Elementary general music; Rahway Public Schools

JASMIN YOO – General music; Westwood Public Schools

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Theatre & Dance Alums

NICOLE SMITH (07’) graduated with a BFA in Dance, Summa Cum Laude. In the spring of 2008, she was honored to join the MSU dance faculty, and in May 2008 was part of Dance New Amsterdam’s first “Choreolab” in May 2008. An active company member of Donna Scro-Gentile/Freespace Dance since September 2007, Nicole also currently dances with Pascal Rekoert’s company, Flexicurve, and works on the Production team at Dance New Amsterdam. While a student at MSU, Nicole was the recipient of the Department of Theater and Dance’s Choreographic Excellence Award in 2005 and 2007, as well as the Linda Roberts Outstanding Senior Dance Award 2007.

DONNA SCRO GENTILE (91’) received a 2008 Fellowship from New Jersey State Council on the Arts, for excellence in choreography. Currently on the dance faculty at Montclair State University where she graduated Magna cum Laude with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in dance, Donna is committed to bringing dance to local communities and has created choreography to inspire young artists. Regionally her work has been commissioned by Montclair State University, Montclair High School, Ridgewood High School, and Steffi Nossen School of Dance in White Plains, NY.

BARBARA SHOLZ MCCARTHY (’71), performed her cabaret act at Sesame in Montclair on January 22 and February 12. Barbara and her husband Patrick are active members of the Montclair community.

JOE BLACK (’72), and his wife Kathy produced My Favorite Animal, at the 45th Street Theatre in New York City in November. Joe and Kathy produce theater in Dallas, TX.

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Communication Studies Alums

SUSAN L. MARTIN (’95) earned a Master of Arts Degree from Seton Hall University in Corporate and Public Communication in 2000 and worked in publishing for about two years before entering the world of Corporate Communications. Susan has worked at several companies, such as Prudential’s in-house advertising agency, Global Public Relations and Lockheed Martin, where she won several industry awards from Public Relations Society of America, International Association of Business Communicators, and Jersey Shore Public Relations & Advertising Association. In the last two years, Susan has worked as the Communications Manager for Lockheed Martin, the number one defense contractor in the world.

WILLIAM “BILL” BATES (’68) After graduation, Bill completed an MS in Speech Pathology from Purdue University and spent two years in the US Army. He then began working as a Speech Pathologist for the Missouri Dept. of Mental Health in 1972 and retired as Executive Director of the Rolla (MO) Regional Center for Developmental Disabilities in 1998. In April 2006, Bill became the “Morning Mayor” of Rolla, Missouri, hosting a morning information, news, and talk show on KTTR AM-FM, part of the Results Radio Group, serving central Missouri.

LARRY KALB (84’) After serving a two-year term as Montclair State College’s First Graduate Assistant in Sports Information, Larry did freelance work for the Associated Press (sports), USA Today, and placed a story in the Sports pages of The New York Times about the 1984 NCAA World Series. He then embarked on an 8 1/2 year career with the Boy Scouts of America, enjoyed an almost 9-year career with the Ocean County Board of Social Services as a Welfare Case Worker and was recognized by the State of New Jersey Department of Human Services for 100% correct casework management. He has also served as a certified Athletics (XC, T/F, RW) Competition Official for USA Track & Field (organized governing body for the Olympics)/New Jersey Association and has worked many track and field meets for Montclair State University, New Jersey Athletic Conference, NJAIAW XC Championships, NCAA Divisions I/III Athletics Championships, and more.

Prior to graduating AMY MELISSA YOUNG (’07) worked for Johns Hopkins as a Site Director at their Marine Sciences site (at the College of Notre Dame) and then became the Director, of Student Activities at Berkeley College in September 2007.