October 22, 2024

Faculty & Staff 

Art & Art History professor Jen Blazina's work was included in the Glass 52 International at Habatat Detroit Fine Arts Gallery, Detroit, MI. She created a large installation of 8 purses out of glass and gems. Jen' work is also included in Tg: Transitions in Kiln-Glass with the Bullseye Projects Gallery in Portland, OR. The exhibition will run until 2025. In this exhibition she is displaying 3 new works of art which combine, glass and screenprinting. Jen's work is included in the group exhibition One of a Kind, 34th Anniversary Exhibition at Kittrell Riffkind Gallery in Dallas, TX. Jen also is displaying a series of new glass and bronze sculptures centering wildlife in an exhibition called Fall Castings: Jen Blazina and Deanna Clayton, at Trifecta Art and Design Gallery in Lexington, KY​.

Associate professor of Art History Delia Solomons was awarded the University of Pennsylvania's Wolf Humanities Center Regional Faculty Fellowship for 2024-25.

Neville Vakharia, PhD, associate professor of Arts Administration, is the co-editor of the new Oxford Handbook of Arts & Cultural Management, published by Oxford University Press. The book is a first-ever comprehensive survey of the field of arts and cultural management research addressing contemporary issues.

Associate teaching professor of Digital Media Tony Rowe co-authored a history chapter in the new peer-reviewed book Fifty Years of Dungeons & Dragons from MIT Press. Tony also presented a set of guidelines and principles for video game research and archival as "A New Charter on the Preservation of Digital Game Heritage" at the Media, Arts and Design (MAD) Conference 2024, co-hosted online by Drexel and University for Continuing Education Krems in Austria.

Last spring, assistant professor Laura-Edythe Coleman took Museum Leadership students to attend Museum Advocacy Day to meet with their senators and congressional representatives. In May, Professor Coleman was recognized as one of the most-read authors for Wiley. Her work was published in Curator: The Museum Journal for her article “Official response to the Russian war crimes in Ukraine.”

Digital Media assistant professor Dr. Ari Gass’s theater company, Obvious Agency, was awarded a New England Foundation for the Arts Touring and Creation Grant for Space Opera, a piece of playable theatre. This $110k award will go towards a Philadelphia premiere in 2024 and a tour to DC and more in late 2024, early 2025. With Co-PI Dr. Teddy Pozo (they/them) at Occidental College, Dr. Gass was awarded the highly competitive American Council of Learned Societies Digital Justice Seed Grant for the "Trans Games Digital Zine Project." This project brings together the work of transgender, nonbinary, genderfluid, and gender non-conforming game developers, scholars, and gamers. Taking inspiration from queer and trans independent zine making cultures, this web-based publication shares interdisciplinary scholarship and public humanities work on and about the ways that trans game designers and communities of play have always shaped and continue to fundamentally shape this thriving entertainment industry.

Art History professor Pia Brancaccio presented a paper on "Revisiting the Architecture of Gandharan Stupas" at the International Symposium on the Buddhist Heritage of Gandhara, Harvard University, March 2024. Pia co-organized the International Research Workshop on "Materiality and Practice in Buddhism: Gandhara and Beyond” at the University of Toronto with the support of the Ho Foundation for Buddhist Studies in March 2024, and presented a paper at the workshop entitled "Buddhist Art, Materiality, and Mines: The Case Study of the Great Buddha at Bamiyan.” She submitted a chapter for publication on “Ellora and its neighbors: connections with cave temples in Maharashtra” in the book entitled Ellora, edited by D. Danda Klein, to be published in India by Mapin Publishing. Pia submitted a chapter for publication on “Śaiva-Buddhist Encounters in the Living Rock: Evidence from the Western Deccan Caves” in the book entitled Śaiva and Buddhist Encounters in Early Medieval India, edited by F. DeSimini and L. van den Boers, to be published in Belgium by Brepols. Pia was nominated and elected as a Representative on the Board of the International Association of Buddhist Studies.

Dr. Frank Lee, professor of Digital Media, has been offered a unique opportunity to serve as the inaugural Drexel University Presidential Fellow for the next two years. He started his position in January 2024. Frank participated in a podcast panel for Digital Citizen titled "From Players to Creators: Diving into the Video Game Industry." In June, he gave a talk at Sogang University in Seoul, South Korea as part of their Imagination Seminar Series offered by the Department of Art and Technology. He gave an invited talk at the Graduate School of Culture Technology at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST). He also spoke a at Accenture Labs as part of their Distinguished Researcher Speaker Series in July.

Assistant teaching professor of Architecture Bumjin Kim and Team (Anna Lim, Nicholas Houser, and Daniel Ortega) were selected as finalists for the Art on the Parkway juried competition, for a proposed temporary public art installation in Philadelphia’s Maja Park as part of the annual summer Oval festival. The competition was administered by the Association for Public Art and the Parkway Council.

June He, assistant professor of Product Design, published her latest book chapter in Serving the Marginalized through Design Education (Routledge): “Transformative Teaching: New Roles of Experiential Design Educators in the Post-Covid Era.” In this chapter, a paradigm shift in the role of an experiential design educator is unveiled for the post-pandemic landscape, introducing the design facilitator, design acupuncturist and design therapist. Guided by theoretical frameworks such as Empathic Design, Community-Based Participatory Design, and Equity-Centered Design, the design educator embarked on a groundbreaking pedagogical innovation journey in the spring term of 2022 within the Aging & Design course.

Professor Emeritus Blaise Tobia had photographs included in the Whitney Museum's major exhibition "Edges of Ailey."

Adjunct faculty of Art & Art History Mike Geno was commissioned to create original artwork and was featured in the Fall/Winter issue of Saveur Magazine and interviewed on their online platform, saveur.com. His painting "Wisconsin Stacks" 30x24" oil on wood, is on the back cover and included on a special bookmark as an insert in every issue.

"Modern Ritual" The Art of Mary McFadden, an exhibition in the Robert and Penny Fox Historic Costume Collection of the Antoinette Westphal College of Media Arts & Design, and the Mary McFadden Fund at Drexel University, was mentioned in an Oct. 21 Women's Wear Daily article celebrating the life of the late fashion designer. Link to story. The exhibition was also featured in an Aug. 10 Wall Street Journal review. Link to story.

Research conducted in the Antoinette Westphal College of Media Arts & Design, about the benefits of Philadelphia's Mural Arts program, was cited in an Oct. 6 WHYY story about the program's 40th anniversary. Link to story.

Katrina Johnston-Zimmerman, an adjunct professor in the Antoinette Westphal College of Media Arts & Design, was featured as a guest on the Sept. 12 episode of WHYY's "Studio 2" in a segment about the pros and cons associated with creating car-free areas in Philadelphia. Link to story. Katrina also authored an Aug. 22 Philadelphia Citizen article about ideas for a safer, cleaner and greener Philadelphia. Link to story.

The Antoinette Westphal College of Media Arts & Design's Sigma Sound Studio Archives was mentioned in an Aug. 31 Broad Street Review story about a filmmaker who is working on a documentary about the legendary recording studio. Link to story.

Andrea Modica, a professor of Photography, was quoted in an Aug. 24 The New Yorker article that features photos she took of students at her Catholic alma mater. Link to story.

Ben Kalina, assistant professor of Film & Television, was interviewed in a July 16 KYW-TV (CBS-3) story about new efforts to mitigate flooding in the Eastwick community of Philadelphia. Link to story.

The Antoinette Westphal College of Media Arts & Design was featured in a June 13 Inside Higher Ed article about expanding paid internship roles in the arts. Link to story.

Ali Howell Abolo, PhD, associate professor of Fashion Design, was quoted in a June 13 The Daily Beast article about what to wear to work and the influence of TikTok. Link to story.

Jeff Apruzzese, an assistant professor of Music Industry, was a guest on the May 16 episode of WHYY-Radio’s “Studio 2” to discuss the economics of music. Link to story

Students & Alumni

Vivian Tian, current Digital Media graduate student, was awarded the prestigious National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship. Vivian’s paper, co-written with alum Erin J.K. Truesdell and professor Frank Lee, PhD, was accepted for publication. Reference: Tian, V.K., Truesdell, E.J.K., Lee, F.J. (accepted). You Are Under Watch: Designing an Uncomfortable Pervasive Game for Critical Reflection and Player Equity. International Symposium on Electronic Art. Brisbane, Australia. June 21-29.

Erin Truesdell, (BS Game Design & Production ‘19), who recently began working with Dr. Frank Lee as a Postdoc in 2023, has accepted a position at New Jersey Institute of Technology, an R1 public polytechnic university, as a tenure-track Assistant Professor of Informatics in the Ying Wu College of Computing with a secondary appointment in the Hillier College of Design.

Alexander Beglan, a student in the Architecture program was nationally recognized by the Building Technology Educators Society (BTES) with the 2024 Ed Allen Student Award. The Edward Allen Student Award is the highest honor given by the Building Technology Educators’ Society (BTES) recognizing students–who over their academic career–have demonstrated commitment, passion, curiosity, and excellence in the integration of building technology and architectural design.

Interior Design and Architecture students participated in a workshop with the organization Disability Equality in Education. Students considered the challenges that the built environment can pose to individuals living with disabilities and discussed how to design better spaces in the future.

The Underfashion Club, an organization that supports the future of the intimate apparel industry, has awarded a total of $30,000 in tuition scholarships to Fashion Design and Fashion Industry & Merchandising students. For the 2024 fashion design competition, scholarships were awarded to Fashion Design students Dilara Altaylar, Haili Bruckner, Ellyn Park, Kaylee Wilson, and Isabella Englesberg. In the fashion merchandising competition, scholarships were awarded to Fashion Industry & Merchandising students Emme Serafino and Zetta Megenhardt.

Swati Goorha (MS Interior Architecture & Design ‘12), owner of Swati Gootha Interior Design, was featured in Business of Home for her unique work in the interior design business. Ms. Goorha was selected to participate in the 2024 Kips Bay Decorator Show House and created a space that paid homage to her personal story. Link to Article

Thom H. Wall (MS Arts Administration ‘15) was named the recipient of the American Youth Circus Organization/American Circus Educator (AYCO/ACE)'s "Innovation in Education" award for 2024. The award recognizes his significant contributions to circus education through his publishing company, Modern Vaudeville Press (MVP). Mr. Wall is an internationally touring juggler who has made a name for himself not only as a performer but also as a publisher and advocate for circus arts education. MVP has produced more than 20 titles since its inception in 2018, with four books being used as course materials in professional circus schools worldwide and two serving as textbooks in major university systems. The award will be presented at the 2024 AYCO Educator's Conference in Dallas, TX on October 19th, 2024. Link to Article.

Marina Lamphier (BS Fashion Design ‘24) was one of the finalists for the Supima Design Competition. The competition, now in its 17th year, aims to support emerging talent by enlisting outstanding graduates from top design universities across the country. Ms. Lamphier will present her final designs during NYFW, and the winner will be revealed live during the Supima Design Competition runway show. 

Allie Atkins (BS Interior Design ‘20) was recognized in Interior DesignMagazine's 30 under 30 list. Ms. Atkins is a lead interior designer at Eimer Design. Link to LinkedIn Post

Andrea Coler (BS Interior Design ‘23) was recognized in Interior Design Magazine's 30 under 30 list. Ms. Coler is an associate interior designer at NELSON Worldwide. Link to LinkedIn Post.

Margaret E. Corgnati, NCIDQ (BS Interior Design ‘19) was recognized in Interior Design Magazine's 30 under 30 list. Ms. Corgnati is an interior designer at HOK. Link to LinkedIn Post.

Morgan Immerman, NCIDQ (MS Interior Architecture & Design ‘17) was recognized in Interior Design Magazine's 30 under 30 list. Ms. Immerman is an interiors project manager at Northworks Architects. Link to LinkedIn Post.

Rebecca D. Kendra, NCIDQ, LEED Green Associate (BS Interior Design, Westphal ‘18; MS, Interior Architecture & Design ‘19) was recognized in Interior Design Magazine's 30 under 30 list. Ms. Kendra is an interior designer at Ballinger. Link to LinkedIn Post.

Chris Novak (Film & Video ’02) was interviewed in an article by Kieran Powell in Authority Magazine. In the interview, Mr. Novak shares how he blends science and art to create a conduit between the audience and the creative in the constantly evolving world of media at Eden Collective, a boutique media science firm supporting high-growth brands. Previously, he was the senior vice president of analytics at Dentsu International, one of the largest global media agencies providing comprehensive services to Fortune 500 companies. He was also vice president of analytics at Merkle, a data-driven marketing company with clients including Diageo, GSK Consumer Health, L'Oreal, Office Depot, and Nestle. In addition, Mr. Novak recently led a session at the CommerceNext annual conference on "How the Farmer's Dog reinvented their TV measurement models to accelerate their exponential growth." Link to Article.

Ashley Richardson, LEED, AP (BS Interior Design ‘21; MS Interior Architecture ‘22) was recognized in Interior Design Magazine's 30 under 30 list. Ms. Richardson is a designer at Gensler. Link to LinkedIn Post.

Anna Salvucci (BS Interior Design ‘23) was recognized in Interior Design Magazine's 30 under 30 list. Ms. Salvucci is an interior designer professional at HOK. Link to LinkedIn Post.

Telsa S. Love (BS Interior Design ‘11; MS Interior Architecture ‘12) was announced as a Ones to Watch scholar, a program initiated by the American Society of Interior Designers that is dedicated to recognizing and supporting talent and career accomplishments from interior design professionals from underrepresented populations. Ms. Love leads CosciaMoos' interior design team and is also a WELL Accredited practitioner. Additionally, she is a dedicated member of Professional Women in Construction, Urban Land Institute, NAIOP, and participated in the 2023 GPLEX Conference. Link to Article.

Etienne G. Maurice (Film & Video ‘15), son of actress Sheryl Lee Ralph, and his sister were profiled in an article for People magazine. When he was in college, Mr. Etienne was involved in two serious separate incidents in 2013: he suffered a concussion from a car crash and was shot three times during a robbery. Since then, he has opened up about the traumatic experiences and in the process of healing, he was inspired to help others. In 2015, he founded the TV and film production company WalkGood Productions, which aims to "build communities through storytelling" to raise awareness for important causes, according to LinkedIn. Five years later, he expanded the brand with the nonprofit WalkGood LA, which is a "Black & Brown-led community wellness organization based in Los Angeles." Link to Article.

Nicole L. Battestilli (MS Arts Administration ‘15) was appointed part-time executive director of the Indiana Arts Council. She will take on the role alongside her current role as City Theater's marketing director in Pittsburgh. Ms. Battestilli previously worked for the Wolf Performing Arts Center in Bryn Mawr, PA as the marketing and development director before moving to Pittsburgh in 2018. She began her career at City Theater and contracting work for many arts organizations. She is also the author of a poetry book, Yes, This is About You. Link to Article.

Courtney E. Burkarth, (Film & Video ‘11) marketing director at Dutch Wonderland and the Cartoon Network Hotel, was featured in an episode of the Delightful Destinations podcast. She has over 14 years of sales and marketing experience, including working within the tourism industry for 8 years. Link to Podcast.

Gabrielle Y. Richards (MS Fashion Design ’10) hosted the "Putting the Plus in The Fashion Inclusivity Conversation" panel at the 2024 Essence Festival. Ms. Richards is a fashion expert and body acceptance coach who also serves as the brand director of Shapermint. Throughout her career, Ms. Richards has been pushing the fashion industry into becoming truly size-inclusive and advocating for young designers and women of color. Link to Article. 

Patricia McCaul, AIA, LEED AP (BS Interior Design ‘87) was featured in an article in Textile World magazine about receiving the Drexel 100 award, which recognizes Ms. McCaul's remarkable contributions to the field of architecture and design as well as Rottet Studio's ongoing dedication to nurturing future talents through the Drexel Co-Op program. She has been with Rottet Studio since its inception in May 2008, following a 14-year career with DMJM Rottet in Los Angeles where she served as a senior associate. Link to Article.

Miya J. Benintende (Photograph ‘07) was awarded the Lindback Award for Distinguished Teachers and will receive $3,500 from the Christian R. and Mary F. Lindback Foundation. Ms. Benintende, a teacher at Edward T. Steel School, was chosen for her skill and dedication, for going the extra mile, and for creating lasting impressions on students. Link to Article.

Martina E. Crane (Entertainment & Arts Management ‘13) was featured in the "Real Humans: Alumni" series in an article featured on ClearAdmit.com. Ms. Crane is senior product manager, generative AI guild at Amazon, and accredits her position to her time at Columbia Business School where she earned her MBA. While studying at Columbia, she interned with Amazon as a product manager and received an offer to return after graduation. Link to Article.