Dyson College of Arts and Sciences

D Y S O N Y E A R I N R E V I E W 2 0 2 2 – 2 0 2 3 20 Pace University's Bachelor of A s in Writing for Diversity and Equity in Theater and Media, housed in the Dyson College of A s and Sciences, has received a two-year, $609,000 grant from The Edmond de Rothschild Foundation that continues the organization's suppo of the program. The only program of its kind in the tri-state area, the BA in Writing for Diversity and Equity in Theater and Media is one of Dyson's newest programs. Led by Dyson College Assistant Dean for Diversity and Equity in the A s S. Brian Jones, MA, the major provides a unique oppo unity for students who wish to develop their own voices as writers through the lens of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) to produce content for film, television, theater, streaming, and narrative gaming. Highlights from 2022–23 Broadway Shows As a coho , students in the program a end Broadway and off-Broadway shows, develop new skills in master classes and workshops, and tour theaters in the city. This year, students saw Moulin Rouge!, Topdog/Underdog, Ain't No Mo', The Piano Lesson, and New York, New York. Following the shows, they debrief and dig into the productions from a DEI lens. Service Day Students in the program are provided oppo unities to engage in social justice and DEI outside the classroom, encouraging them to produce authentic creative content and develop their voices as citizen a ists. This spring, students took a trip to Queens to volunteer with a food pantry, handing out groceries to people who needed them. The coho met in the morning to discuss service and the implications of service and debriefed on the day over lunch. The experience gave the students something to think critically about, to build on, and to put their writing, theory, and coursework into perspective. Edmond de Rothschild Foundation Suppo s the Writing for Diversity and Equity in Theater and Media BA "I have always thought I wanted to work for a big writing company or theater company. But I have always had to ask, do they produce the things that I want? Do they produce the shows or the movies that I can see myself being a pa of in any way? And usually, I have a tough time answering that question. I don't want to form my a to fit in a place that does not belong to me. I would rather create my own." —Dreana Henry '26 "I think about those li le kids who probably have not seen themselves onscreen, onstage, in literature, or anything with identity and all its facets, including race, ethnicity, culture, sexuality, etc. To be able to think that with this program, I can give that experience to more kids, it just warms my hea and keeps me going." — Cambria Kylinn Ma in '24 "As a person of color and someone who wants to work in film and theater and media, and as someone who writes, it's really impo ant to me to have diversity and equity at the forefront of my work. I am someone who wants to get the most out of my education, so ge ing real- life access [to contacts in the industry] while also seeking a degree was impo ant to me." —A'ishah Muhammad '25 News & Notes EYE ON ARTS

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