Pathways to Finding Your Passion and Voice through Writing: DJ Schier (Public Relations, '11) and Spencer Morgan (History, '08)
Wednesday, October 23 and Thursday, October 24
Bio: DJ Schier (Public Relations, ’11, minor in Leadership Studies) currently serves as the Dean of Students at Villa Maria College in Buffalo. DJ is a lifelong learner who is strongly committed to and passionate about education and leadership development. Over the past 12 years, DJ has been working in higher education at Buffalo-area colleges, such as Niagara County Community College and Medaille University. He earned his B.S. in Communication and Public Relations from SUNY Fredonia in 2011 and served as the Senior Class President. DJ went on to earn his M.S. in Higher Education and Student Affairs Administration in 2013 from Buffalo State University. DJ currently serves as a member of the Alumni Association Board for SUNY Fredonia and has served on several other boards, including serving in Executive Board positions for the College Student Personnel Association of New York State, Inc., or CSPA-NYS, a statewide higher education professional development organization.
Bio: Born and raised in WNY, Spencer Morgan is a native of Allegany, NY. He is a 2008 graduate of SUNY Fredonia earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in History with a minor in American Studies. During his time at Fredonia, Morgan interned at the local Darwin R. Barker Historical Museum which was his first experience in a professional museum setting and ultimately influenced him to enter the field of museums.
For graduate school, he was accepted to and attended Buffalo State College (now Buffalo State University). As a former RA at SUNY Fredonia serving Chautauqua Hall and University Commons, Spencer soon also found himself employed as an Assistant Hall Director, working and living at the University at Buffalo while attending grad school at Buffalo State. In 2011 he earned a Master of Arts degree in History with a Concentration in Museum Studies.
As an intern and volunteer, Morgan found himself at the Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural National Historic Site, the Burchfield Penney Art Center, the Historical Building at the Erie County Fairgrounds, and the Steel Plant Museum of Western New York where he became the museum’s inaugural Curator. In the years following the 2007-2008 financial crisis, Spencer supported his career as a museum curator by working part-time at Frank Lloyd Wright’s Graycliff and waiting tables.
Following this period, he served as the Director of Development and Marketing at the Buffalo Niagara Heritage Village (the former Amherst Museum), Grants and Special Events Coordinator at Villa Maria College, an Associate Director of Development at SUNY Fredonia where he worked in major/planned gifts and affinity giving at the Fredonia College Foundation, Director of Development at the Buffalo Zoo, and as Executive Director at the Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural National Historic Site in Buffalo, NY as of April 1 st . Spencer has served on a number of boards including the Erie County Historical Federation, Citizens Advocating Memorial Preservation, the Lackawanna Historical Association, the 1891 Fredonia Opera House, the Pinehurst Beach Preservation Society, and the Association of Fundraising Professionals WNY Chapter.
As a Charlton Scholar, he has attended both the SUNY Council for University Advancement annual statewide conference and AFP’s international ICON conference. During his time employed at Fredonia, Morgan was lucky enough to also attend the Council for Advancement and Support of Education Summer Institute in Educational Fundraising at Dartmouth College. He has served as a guest speaker, guest curator, and guest lecturer on several occasions. In 2013, Morgan published his first book focused on the history of steelmaking in WNY. He has earned a Paralegal Certification from the University at Buffalo, an Advanced Certificate in Nonprofit Management from Empire State College, and recently completed the Not For Profit Management Program through the Harvard Business School Club of Buffalo. In 2020 Spencer became 1 of just 8,000 professionals across the globe to earn the CFRE credentials through Certified Fund Raising Executive International. With a career spanning over 15 years, he has raised millions of dollars for local institutions and nonprofits and has experience in nonprofit management, development/philanthropy, museum operations, board governance and development, strategic planning, events management, grant writing and administration.
Topics: nonprofits, museums, history, board governance, fundraising & grant writing
Making a Life in Music
Jeff James ('91 Communication: Media Studies) and Anthony Casuccio ('91 Sound Recording Technology)
Thursday, April 11 and Friday, April 12
About Jeff James...Communication: Media Studies '91
A&R Director - Legacy Recordings esteemed catalog division of Sony Music Entertainment
With over 25 years of dedicated service to the company, Jeff has played a pivotal role in curating retrospective and archival projects that celebrate the timeless music of iconic artists. Notably, he was instrumental in the success of the chart-topping hit “Higher Love” by Kygo x Whitney Houston.
Jeff's extensive portfolio includes collaborations with a diverse array of legendary artists such as Whitney Houston, Luther Vandross, Earth, Wind & Fire, *NSYNC, Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, Alicia Keys, Fiona Apple, Cyndi Lauper, TLC, Usher, Backstreet Boys, Jennifer Lopez, John Legend, Shakira, Depeche Mode, and P!nk.
Jeff's exceptional skills in broadcast, print media, and media communications seamlessly transitioned into a flourishing career in the music industry. He embarked on his journey by working in the mailroom at the legendary hip-hop label Profile Records, eventually finding his way to the esteemed A&R Team at Sony Music Entertainment.
Jeff James embodies the spirit of dedication and passion for music, making him a distinguished alumnus of the State University of New York at Fredonia, and a shining example of what can be achieved with a strong foundation in communication media.
About Anthony Casuccio...Sound Recording Technology '91
Music Industry Veteran, Author and Educator
Recruited by Reader’s Digest with production at BMG studios to join their record label (largest independent label in the world) as a producer. In the 9 years working in New York City, Anthony worked with major record labels producing, mixing and remastering over 450 albums (some receiving RIAA gold record status) from great artists like Tony Bennett, Roy Orbison, Linda Ronstadt, Glenn Miller, Les Paul and Johnny Cash.
Anthony joined Sony Music’s Redband Broadcasting in San Francisco to build and run their audio production department where he lead the construction of three studios and built a team of audio experts. There he engineered/produced live music mixes for their Music Backstage show featuring major label artists including the platinum selling group Lifehouse, Kasey Chambers, Eliades Ochoa (Buena Vista Social Club) and Victoria Williams and Mark Olsen (Jayhawks) and Chuck D. He also did location recording for other life style programming with famous guests like Joyce Carol Oates, David Sedaris, Joan Chen and Joe Satriani.
Anthony wrote and taught the music business curriculum for the non-profit Bayview educational center in San Francisco (to inspire and educate underserved youth and adults to become more productive citizens and to improve the quality of life for themselves and their community by providing education in arts, culture and enterprise).
Making a Life in Music
Thursday, April 11
11:00 a.m.-12:20 p.m.
A&R Presentation Session
Thompson Hall, Room W101
3:00-4:30 p.m.
Music Industry Resume Writing & Development
Thompson Hall, Room W101
6:00-9:00 p.m.
School of Business: Music Industry Master Class with Jeff James & Anthony Casuccio
Thompson Hall, Room W101
Friday, April 12
9:00-11:00 a.m.
Making a Life in Music: Master Class with Jeff James & Anthony Casuccio
Mason Hall, Rosch Recital Hall
1:00-1:50 p.m.
Writing Professions in Music & More!
Fenton Hall, Room 2164
4:00-5:30 p.m.
Careers in Music - Employer Panel
Thompson Hall, Room W101
Making a Life in Music
SPONSORS:
Carnahan Jackson Humanities Fund of the Fredonia College Foundation ◆ Faculty Student Association
Fredonia Alumni Association ◆ School of Music
SERIES PARTNERS:
Alumni Affairs ◆ School of Business ◆ Career Development Office ◆ English Department
Center for Innovation and Economic Development ◆ Honors Program ◆ Undergraduate Admissions
RESIDENCY PARTNERS:
Center for Innovation and Economic Development ◆ English Department ◆ HAIL! Fredonia Records
Music Industry Program ◆ School of Business ◆ School of Music
All events are free!
Living in History
Thursday, March 30, to Saturday, April 1, 2023
With Alumni Rebekah Denz (History, ’19; minor: Museum Studies; Fredonia Honors Program) and Megan DeJoe (History, ’19; minor: Museum Studies)
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Rebekah Denz participated in the Fredonia Honors Program and graduated with a Bachelor’s in History. She started her postgraduate career as a Document Custodian Reviewer at M&T Bank. She relocated to Washington, D.C., in the Fall of 2020 to transition into her current role as a Records Management Analyst in the White House Office of Records Management. She is currently enrolled in the University of Maryland’s Master of Library and Information Science program.
Megan (Buchholz) DeJoe graduated with a Bachelor’s in History, and she is currently an educator and the Floor Staff Lead for the Sloan Museum of Discovery and Longway Planetarium. She also works as a Collections Specialist in archives at Kettering University. Megan has experience in both nonprofit and for profit worlds including volunteering and working in different museums for the last 6 years. Megan has a passion for learning and sharing history.
SPONSORS:
Carnahan Jackson Humanities Fund of the Fredonia College Foundation ◆ Faculty Student Association ◆ Fredonia Alumni Association
SERIES PARTNERS:
Alumni Affairs ◆ Career Development Office ◆ English Department◆ Honors Program ◆ Office of Undergraduate Admissions
ADDITIONAL RESIDENCY PARTNERS:
American Democracy Project◆ Communication Department ◆ History Department ◆ Museum Studies ◆ Reed Library Distinctive Collections and Archives
Writers @ Work: An Alumni Writers-in-Residence Series
Panel Discussion: Creating a Compassionate Well with Empathy in Action
Followed by a reception and book signing of the lead panelist's book, "The Double Bottom Line: How Compassionate Leaders Captivate Hearts and Deliver Results," the panel will bring together a variety of leaders to share their insights on how compassion plays a role in leadership skills.
Lead Panelist:
- Donato Tramuto, author, global health activist, and philanthropist
Guest Panelists:
- The Honorable Doug Essek, Mayor of the Village of Fredonia;
- The Honorable Wilfred Rosas, Mayor of the City of Dunkirk;
- Mike Tramuta, Life Coach
- Stephen H. Kolison, Jr., Ph.D., President of SUNY at Fredonia
- (Moderator) Paula Peters, Associate Professor and University Faculty Senator
Tramuto is widely recognized for his commitment to social change and transformational leadership in healthcare innovation. He has received numerous awards for his commitment to social justice including the prestigious Robert F. Kennedy Ripple of Hope award in 2014 and the RFK Embracing His Legacy award in 2017. Tramuto is also the Founder and Chairman of The TramutoPorter Foundation and Health eVillages, which advances young people’s rights to education and healthcare access and combats human rights violations. He is the author of two books, including his most recent book, “The Double Bottom Line: How Compassionate Leaders Captivate Hearts and Deliver Results.” Tramuto has received Honorary Doctorate Degrees from UMass at Lowell, Lasell University, Thomas Jefferson University, St. Joseph’s College, and Regis College.
SPONSORS:
Faculty Student Association ◆ Carnahan Jackson Humanities Fund of the Fredonia College Foundation ◆ Campus Life ◆ Student Association ◆ Steinberg Endowment ◆ Office of the President
SERIES PARTNERS:
Alumni Affairs ◆ Career Development Office ◆ English Department ◆ Fredonia Honors Program ◆ School of Business
ADDITIONAL RESIDENCY PARTNERS:
Campus Life ◆ Fredonia Honors Program ◆ Office of the President ◆ Student Association Recognized Groups
From Superfoods to Superheroes: Alumni Jakera Cooper Willis and Jordan Willis
April 20–23, 2022 – Jakera Cooper Willis (Psychology, '15) and Jordan Willis (Visual Arts and New Media, '14)
FEBRUARY 7th-8th, 2022: My Radiant Journey: Service Through Science — A Chemist's Perspective
Featuring Dr. Lori Ana Valentín
OCTOBER 14-16, 2021: Finding the Truth: Careers with the FBI
Featuring Deneen Hernandez and Lisa Mapes Matsumoto
APRIL 8-10, 2021: Be the Change: Young Alumni Changemakers
Featuring Zachary Beaudoin, Justin Cunningham, and Jakera Cooper-Willis
MARCH 4-6, 2020: Be the Change: Shaping Success in the Workplace and Finding Your Passion
Featuring Josh Schneider
NOVEMBER 7-8, 2019: GRAMMYS Spotlight: Alumni on Writing Your Way in the Music World
Featuring Anthony Cassuccio, Kent Knappenberger, and Nannette Knappenberger
SEPTEMBER 19-21, 2019: ALUMNI AT WORK: CAREER TIPS AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
APRIL 4-6, 2019: YOUNG ALUMNI SHARE TIPS ON ACHIEVING SUCCESS FOUR YEARS OUT
Los Angeles Times Journalist and Alumnus Scott Martelle (Political Science, 1984) to Discuss the Role of a Free Press in the Trump Era (March 24-26, 2019)
On March 24-26, the State University of New York at Fredonia welcomes back alumnus and Los Angeles Times journalist Scott Martelle (Political Science, 1984) for “Skipping through Chaos: Journalism in the Trump Era,” a three-day residency highlighting the role and importance of an aggressive press, especially in the Trump era, as well as the art of writing books of history through a journalistic prism for a general audience. These events are cosponsored by the Writers@Work Alumni-in-Residence Series and the Department of History.
Martelle, who is an editorial writer for the Los Angeles Times, has written about capital punishment, climate change, immigration, gun policy, and some labor issues. Before becoming an editorial writer, he spent more than three decades in newsrooms with assignments ranging from local features to three presidential campaigns to post-war Kosovo. Martelle is also the author of six history books, including William Walker’s Wars: How One Man’s Private American Army Tried to Conquer Mexico, Nicaragua, and Honduras (Chicago Review Press, 2018).
A 1984 graduate in Political Science from the State University of New York at Fredonia, Martelle was the editor-in-chief of The Leader. Martelle was already working as a journalist during his teens for the Wellsville Daily Reporter. After college, he worked as a journalist in Jamestown and Rochester then Detroit, Michigan, before moving to California in 1997 to write for the Los Angeles Times.
All events listed below are free and open to the public.
On Sunday, March 24, at 4:00 pm in the Williams Center room S204ABCD, Martelle will engage in an open dialogue entitled “An Enemy of the People” about the role and importance of an aggressive press, especially in the Trump era. Martelle, who will be introduced by Sean Kirst (English, 1981) and joined by Elmer Ploetz, Associate Professor of Journalism, will take questions from the audience.
On Monday, March 25, there will be a student-writing workshop in McEwen 106 (Story Lab) from 3:00-4:20 pm where Martelle will discuss the craft of writing and different techniques to rely on in hard news stories, features (long- and short-form), and opinion pieces.
On Tuesday, March 26, from 8:30 to 9:20 am in Fenton 127, campus and community members can join Martelle for a light breakfast as he reads the day’s headlines and opines on them.
Martelle will also offer two open-office hours, giving campus and community members the opportunity to speak with him in a smaller setting, on Monday, March 25, from 12:00-1:00 pm in Thompson E329 as well as Tuesday, March 26, from 2:00-3:00 pm in Fenton 127. Students will have a chance to speak with Martelle one-on-one, and are welcome to bring current projects for feedback.
On Thursday, November 8, through Saturday, November 10, 2018, former U.S. Ambassador James B. Foley was in residence at Fredonia giving a series of free public events entitled “Peace Through Speech: Dialogues Around Sustainable Justice.” His visit is organized by Writers @ Work in collaboration with Fredonia Convocation, the Department of Politics and International Affairs, the American Democracy Project and the Fredonia Democracy Initiative.
With over thirty years of service with the U.S. Department of State and various overseas diplomatic initiatives, including posts as the U.S. Ambassador to both the Republic of Haiti and the Republic of Croatia, as well as Senior Coordinator, Iraqi Refugee Issues, Foley brings a wealth of knowledge and experience in the art of international negotiation and mediation. Students looking towards a future in international affairs and members of the community interested in gaining a new perspective on U.S. foreign policy found Ambassador Foley’s information to be invaluable.
September 20-22, 2018: Working for Nonprofits
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Thursday, September 20
7:00–8:00 p.m.: “Advancing the Common Good: Working for Nonprofits” (Panel Discussion with Rich Ryan and Heather McKeever)
Refreshments will be served. Location: Fenton Hall 105
Friday, September 21
9:00 a.m.–12:00 noon: Mini-Intensives on Nonprofit Writing.
These free workshops are open to students only. Location: Williams Center S204ABC
9:00–10:00 a.m.: Heather McKeever, Writing for Nonprofits: From the Desk of the Executive Director”
Explore the art of persuasive writing, how to tell a story, and make “the ask.” McKeever will also address the importance of stewardship and cultivation and building relationships through personal notes, as well as the simple act of saying thank you to build lasting donor support.
10:00–11:00 a.m.:
The 37,000 square-foot museum delivers an interactive exhibit experience for visitors through more than 75 exhibits and archival pieces, as well as innovative programming to cultivate future writers, directors, and performers. Ryan will focus on utilizing comedy writing – either his own or from others – to make the case for financial support of the National Comedy Center.
11:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m. Carol Pulver, “The Art of Writing SOPs [standard operating procedures]"
Learn about the great need for technical writers with this competency. Pulver will discuss the significance of each section of Frontier Science’s SOP template, guidance in completing the template, as well as the interesting issues that had to be resolved in order to finalize the template. A brief overview of clinical trials and the importance of SOPs in conducting research, along with explaining why SOPs are essential to software development and validation, will also be included.
12:00–1:00 p.m. Appearance on High Noon Friday (WDVL, 89.5 FM; WCVF, 88.9 FM)
Ryan and McKeever will be interviewed on the campus student radio station.
Second Annual "Four Years Out"
April 5-7, 2018
Four successful alumni from the Class of 2014 will return to Fredonia to discuss their post-graduation paths and share tips about professional writing, especially social media, at the second annual Four Years Out residency, from Thursday through Saturday, April 5 to 7, as part of Writers@Work: An Alumni Writers-in-Residence Series in collaboration with the Convocation Committee.
Over three days packed with talks, class visits, a hands-on workshop and informal conversation, Erin Dorozynski, management development program coordinator at GEICO in Buffalo; Sylvana Dussan, social media coordinator at the National Governors Association in Washington, D.C.; Courtney Gfroerer, coordinator of public relations, marketing and communication projects at Elderwood Administrative Services, Buffalo; and Patrick Kennedy, communications director for New York State Assembly Member Monica Wallace (D-Lancaster), will share their post-graduation journeys.
Each will explore how their own experiences, both in and beyond classrooms at Fredonia, prepared them for success in their respective fields. Special emphasis will be given to the strategic use of social media – and the importance of professional writing more generally – in a variety of corporate and public sector occupations.
This year’s alumni contingent reflects the broadest range of majors and careers in the history of the Writers@Work series, which has brought 15 alumni writers to campus since 2016.
All events listed below are free and open to the public.
Schedule of Events:
Thursday, April 5, from 7–8 p.m.
How to Succeed Four Years Out: Advice from Recent Alumni
In this public talk, Alumni will discuss their post-graduation paths and take questions from the audience. Emphasis will be given to writing for social media and other print and online spaces.
Location: Science Center, Room 105 (Kelly Family Auditorium)
Friday, April 6, from 2–3 p.m.
Social Media Workshop: How to Craft a Successful Social Media Strategy
In this students-only writing workshop, alumni will discuss the role of social media in their professions and share tips for crafting a successful social media strategy. Students interested in writing for other media are encouraged to attend as well and pose questions during the Q & A.
Location: Fenton Hall, Room 127 (English Reading Room)
Friday, April 6, from 3–4 p.m.
Gab & Grab: Open Office Hours with Young Alumni and the Career Development Office
(Cosponsored by the Career Development Office)
In this event cosponsored by the Career Development Office (CDO), grab a slice of pizza and have an informal conversation with these young alumni and with the CDO about how to land your first job out.
Location: Fenton Hall, Room 127 (English Reading Room)
Saturday, April 7, from 1–2:30 p.m.
Ask the Alumni: The Value of a Fredonia Degree in the Professional World
Prospective students and their families can ask these young alumni about their experiences at Fredonia and the value of a Fredonia degree in the professional world.
Location: Steele Hall Fieldhouse
March 22 - 24, 2018
featuring Sarah T. Schwab, NYC-based playwright and filmmaker and Brian Long, NYC-based film and theater producer
November 9 - 13, 2017
featuring Wendy Corsi Staub, New York Times-bestselling author and Lucia Macro, a HarperCollins executive editor
October 12 - 14, 2017
featuring Jim Ranney, Communications Director for NYS Senator Patrick Gallivan
April 7 - 8, 2017
Class of 2013 Young Alumni featuring Keah Brown, Christina Stock, Ethan Powers, and Kelley Lord
February 19 - 20, 2017
featuring Mark Anthony Neal, Duke University Professor
November 3 - 5, 2016
featuring Phil Zimmer, Local Historian and Author
Thursday, November 3
Writing History for a Public Audience and Specialty Magazines
Knowing who our audience is when we write is extremely important. The audience we are writing for can shape our choice of subject, the questions we ask about that subject, and the story we ultimately tell. The papers and essays we write for our classes are almost always intended for an academic audience, for those who have degrees in History or who are pursuing degrees in History. How is writing History for a general audience different from writing for an academic audience? This workshop will explore techniques and strategies for writing for a general audience, using Phil Zimmer's unique PHD (Personalize - Humanize - Dramatize) approach.
English Reading Room | 4 - 5:30 PM
Friday, November 4
Working with Editors | Student writing workshop
Topics at this workshop will include: "how to pitch a story idea to an editor, the use of gentle persistence, how to get a busy editor to respond to a query, and ways of identifying his/her specific writing style preferences. Methods for stretching a writers comfort zone would be included as well."
Fenton Reading Room | 3 - 4:30 PM
Saturday, November 5
Veterans Panel Moderated by Phil Zimmer and Greg Peterson
Fredonia Technology Incubator | 11 AM
October 10, 2016
featuring Gina Browning, Director of Public Relations at SPCA Serving Erie Country
Monday, October 10
3 PM- #WeDon'tTalkAnymore (So Let's Write Better)
A writing workshop open to all students.
Williams Center S204AB
7 PM I'm Not that Great Out Loud... But, Boy, Can I Write!
A public talk on where writing can take you.
Kelly Auditorium | Science Center
April 7 - 9, 2016
featuring Sean Kirst, Author & Journalist
Thursday, April 7
7 - 8:30 p.m. : "A Story Becomes a Story Becomes A Story'
Join Sean Kirst to hear how a Dunkirk childhood and the State University of New York at Fredonia education led to a career as a storyteller, columnist, and author. Q&A after.
Refreshments provided.
Location: Jewett Hall 101
Friday, April 8
3 - 4:30 p.m. : "Seeing the Stories Around You"
Writing workshop.
Location: Williams Center G103B
Saturday, April 9
2 - 3 p.m. : "Local History: How Dunkirk/Fredonia Changed Mark Twain's Life" with Q&A after.
Refreshments served.
Location: Fenton 105
Read a short interview with Sean Kirst on pages 6-7 on the April 2009 English department newsletter.
Watch Sean's TEDx Syracuse University Speech: "At the lighthouse: why I tell stories"
February 3 - 5, 2016
featuring Randy Cronk, Founder of greatwriting, LLC
