Lights! Camera! Action!

Montclair State is no stranger to movie and television filmings on campus. In fact, the University has earned a reputation as an “East Coast Hollywood” from professional productions that shoot commercials on campus or broadcast from the University’s newsroom, film and TV studios.

But this week, the cameras are focused on Montclair students and alumni sharing real stories about campus life, academics, service and more for the The College Tour, a Prime Video series. Montclair will be part of Season 4 on Amazon’s streaming service, IMDb TV, on The College Tour’s app (Android, iOS) and website. It will also run on Roku, Apple TV, LG Smart TV, Samsung Smart TV, Sony, Philips Smart TV, Amazon FireTV and Android TV.

Hosted by Amazing Race winner Alex Boylan, The College Tour helps prospective students around the country (and the world) travel virtually across America for an inside look at colleges and universities.

The College Tour will shoot 20 different segments for Montclair State from October 25 to November 2, each featuring a story written and told by students and alumni emblematic of the University’s soaring Red Hawks. Their stories include opportunities for internships and research in the New York City metropolitan area, and the ways Montclair’s supportive community welcomes their voices, their beliefs, backgrounds and identities.

“As New Jersey’s premier public service university, Montclair is preparing students to rise to their full potential and lead lives of purpose and meaning,” says Vice President for Communications and Marketing Joseph Brennan. “We are excited to be able to introduce a wider audience to Montclair State University on the huge platforms of Prime Video and The College Tour, greatly increasing Montclair’s presence in the college selection process.”

The College Tour was created by Boylan, Lisa Hennessy and Burton Roberts, a team of successful entrepreneurs in the TV, social media and technology space, from an idea that came from Boylan’s teenage niece. “Because of the pandemic and finances, she wasn’t able to travel to tour colleges,” he says. “So, using our skills as executive producers, we created a series inspired by her and millions of other young people who are interested in attending college.”

The College Tour’s Montclair State episode will feature authentic stories from students Ciara Allen, Hunter Ayala, Joe Baez, Jack Barteck, Givonna Boggans, Jennifer Burlage, Ray Vincent De Jesus, Anthony Gachetti, Destany George, Natalya Kozlovski, Ashon Lanada, Kaya Maciak, Sienna Grant Mitsak, Victoria Povolo, Sean Risch, Nikki-James Soto and Samantha Wilk; alumni Gian Paul Gonzalez ’07 and Sal Parrinello ’16, ’18 MBA; and President Jonathan Koppell.

The hour-long episode will begin streaming in April 2022.

Photo Gallery

Story by Staff Writer Marilyn Joyce Lehren. Photos by University Photographer Mike Peters.

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