By: Livia Lazzaro
Do students really know which direction their academic careers will turn when they first start college? Kevin Huang (’15) certainly couldn’t even imagine that one day he would be attending graduate school. Yet, only seven months after graduating from The College of New Jersey with a major in Communication Studies, he has been accepted into the Johns Hopkins Master’s Degree program in Film and Media Studies and will start in Spring 2016.
Kevin started his undergraduate career as a Business major in 2010 at Rider University, but quickly found himself uninterested in the curriculum. Upon transferring to TCNJ in the spring of 2012, still a Business major, he worked hard by taking summer courses to catch up and earn all the credits he needed to graduate. It took some soul-searching for him to realize that his true passion was Communication Studies.
The transition to Communication Studies major was smooth as he diligently took courses in the Radio, TV, and Film track. There he flourished, never regretting the decision to change majors. “It was an enormous relief to finally have my interests and studies parallel so closely,” said Kevin.
He is grateful for the guidance he received from Professor Lorna Johnson-Frizell and for everything he learned in Professor Brook Mailhiot’s classes. But one faculty member in particular had the most impact on the development of his academic career. “Terry Byrne was without a question the biggest help and influence. I was in his Film & Society and Senior Practicum classes, and he gave really helpful advice to everyone who sought it. I never even considered the avenue of graduate school until he brought it up during class,” said Kevin.
Kevin also landed his first internship at Wheelhouse Creative in New York City by connecting with a guest speaker, Communication Studies alumna Melissa Virzi (’12), who gave a talk in Professor Byrne’s class.
Professor Byrne was elated when he shared Kevin’s news with all the faculty. “I was really pleased to hear from Kevin about Johns Hopkins. The faculty in the department always encourage students to think about graduate school and it’s good to know that this encouragement works. Kevin is an exemplar of many of our majors who have excellent writing and thinking skills—two of the most important things we teach.”
Indeed, Kevin is just the latest in a long line of Communication Studies alumni who have gone to Johns Hopkins right after TCNJ. Yvonne Lachmann Sprow (’03) earned her Master of Science in Public Health (MSPH) at Johns Hopkins. Upon graduation, Yvonne joined Burson-Marsteller, one of the leading public relations firms in the world, where she is now the Director of the Health Practice division. Tom Hipper (’07) earned his MSPH at Johns Hopkins and Master’s Degree in Health Communication at Penn State, and now is the Program Manager of the Center for Public Health Readiness and Communication at Drexel University. Tom also teaches courses as an adjunct professor at TCNJ and Drexel University. Katie Ward (’12) earned a MSPH at Johns Hopkins and was hired by Hopkins itself after she graduated. Jordan Kohn (’14) was accepted at Johns Hopkins after a stellar undergraduate career in which she conducted research, presented at conferences world-wide, interned in South Africa, and published articles and book chapters. Jordan is expected to earn her MSPH in the spring of 2016.
Going back even further, Dr. John Pollock, co-chair of the campuswide Public Health Major Task Force, which will launch a Public Health major at TCNJ in fall, 2016, fondly remembers Spiro Yulis, TCNJ alumnus ’90, (now Senior Vice President and Managing Partner, Phoenix Marketing Solutions, a full service healthcare communications company), the first TCNJ Communication Studies student to attend Johns Hopkins to study public health. “I suggested we take the train to Baltimore to speak directly with professors I already knew. We did that twice, and I introduced Spiro to professors and colleagues I had known for many years.”
Students who get accepted into Johns Hopkins are truly extraordinary. But Dr. Pollock believes there is another reason the university keeps accepting TCNJ graduates even though its policy is to only admit students with several years of work experience. “Personal friendships and colleague connections can make a difference,” says Pollock, referring to the firm and lasting relationships Communication Studies faculty have fostered with Hopkins over the years.
As for what the future will bring for Kevin Huang, he says he really isn’t sure. “It’s Johns Hopkins so I know I’ll have to be on top of things” he said, adding that he’ll continue to build on his technical knowledge and hands-on experience in the Film and Media Studies program. “After graduate school I’m hoping that the connections I’ll have made there will open up some great avenues in the workplace.”