Students
David Sullivan is one of our exceptional students in the Media Studies program. Click here to view his portfolio of work: https://sully6644.myportfolio.com/
Comm 334 is about writing for the media on deadline. Harriet Jones, the CT Mirror’s Student Voice editor, worked with the class in November. Here are links to class op-eds that the Mirror published: https://ctmirror.org/tag/ccsu-student-voice/.
Zoe Baker is on the Central swim team. She writes in “Student athletes shouldn’t play through mental pain” that she’s required to practice, lift and study. Mental counseling should be added to the requirements, she says. Mental pain is “something a bag of ice can’t fix.”
A father of three who returned to Central to get his degree, Mark Bissoni argues that “Connecticut universities should require financial literacy classes.” Mark, who works with payroll for the state, gives alarming statistics about student debt and wages in Connecticut.
Alyssa Foster explains, in “The Kids Online Safety Act is still dangerous,” why a popular bill championed by a popular Connecticut senator amounts to censorship. “Disguised as an internet safety measure,” it would block critical information from reaching kids.
Nicholas Johnson once wanted to be a teacher. But “Teachers – underpaid and under-appreciated” makes clear why students like him are turned off to teaching. And when teachers make less than it costs to live in Connecticut, it’s no wonder they’re leaving the profession.
You can’t read the first few words of Tyrek Marquez’s “Giving back after getting shot” and stop. What happened to him is horrendous. But this resilient young man responded not with anger, but with kindness. I am honored that Tyrek shared his story with the class and the Mirror.
“I am a student in college who has been diagnosed with depression and anxiety,” Gabriela Rusconi writes in “Why college students need mental health days.” She’s far from alone. Her reasonable request: “taking a day off without having to explain.”
Seventh grade isn’t too early to warn teens about social media’s dangers, writes Addison Toner in “Social media harms teens’ body image.” “Had I known what I know now about the power of social media, I believe some of my mental health issues could have been avoided.”
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Alumni
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Stephen Dexter
Central alumnus Stephen Dexter ’07 made his Broadway debut as an understudy in “The Shark is Broken,” a comedy that opened in August at the John Golden Theatre. The play explores the behind-the-scenes drama that took place during the filming of the 1975 film “Jaws.” Dexter served as understudy for three lead actors. The show closed on Nov. 19.
Off-Broadway, Dexter has performed in “Turn Me Loose” (Westside Theatre), “AZAK” (Rattlestick), and “The Last Days of Judas Iscariot” (La Mama). Dexter also toured Japan and the U.S. with the drama "Hikobae,” based on true stories of the 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami.
His television credits include recurring roles on “Evil” (CBS/Paramount Plus) and “Living with Yourself” (Netflix) and supporting work on the limited series “Dr. Death” (NBC Peacock) and “Billions” (Showtime). Dexter’s film work includes the award-winning short film “American Morning,”" which he wrote, co-produced, and starred in alongside Emmy-winner Richard Schiff.
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Nils Toledo
Nils Toledo won an Emmy with his colleagues in this category:
SportsCenter Wins Outstanding Studio Show for Second Time in Three Years; ESPN's 25th Sports Emmy in the Studio Categories
"I graduated from Central in 2013, where I got my bachelors in communications, with an emphasis in media production and minor in journalism. From there I worked at FoxCT for about a year and a half as a Video Editor, before I made my way over to ESPN, where I have been ever since.
My time at Central was great. My classes all gave me practical and Theoretical experience in the Media field. I worked in the Media Center first as a student worker, then as a UA. That experience, along with my Journalism and Comm classes with Darren Sweeney, Dr. Ritzenhoff and the rest of the communications professors (Dr. Fitzgerald, Pudlinski, and Walden all come to mind."
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Terese Toledo
Terese Toledo graduated from Central Spring 2014. I majored In Communications with a focus in Media Production & Performance. Professor Ritzenhoff took a great part in helping shape my path at Central. She continues to encourage, inspire, and support me to this day. I also had the opportunity to work under Chad Valk and Ryan Wark as a Student Media Center Tech. There I gained a wealth of experience putting on weekly studio shows, remote shoots, and edits. This no doubt helped me get an internship with the Edit Department at ESPN my final semester. My internship led to full time employment as an Associate Operator, where I had the opportunity to work as a Studio Operator and Network Control Operator before returning home to Edit. This year myself, as well as my fellow editors and producers, were awarded with the 2022-23 Emmy Award for Outstanding Studio Show - Daily for our contributions to SportsCenter.
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Daniel Herzog
"I graduated from Central in 2016, with a major focus in Media Production and Performance. I was able to learn under Professor Karen Ritzenhoff, who shaped me and also helped me through my time at Central. She always helped and guided me down the right path to achieve my goals and dreams. When I graduated, I had the opportunity for full time employment as an Associate Operator at ESPN, where I also had the opportunity to work as Studio Operator, PCR operator and finally, Edit Operator. This year, I, along with my fellow colleagues, was awarded with the 2022-23 Emmy Award for outstanding studio show Daily for Sportscenter. Without the help from Professor Ritzenhoff I would never have had the opportunity that I have now."
In 2016 I took the position as Creative Director for a marketing agency. For the next 5 years, I traveled all over the US shooting and directing lifestyle ads, TV commercials, and photo shoots. In 2020 I left the agency and took the position as Director of Marketing for software and technology company.
While working at the marketing agency, I decided I needed to create something outside of work.
The Bear's Den had been a dream, a vision that had been brewing within me for years, dating all the way back to my college days. Those were the times I had been reading any filmmaking book I could get my hands on. The one book that stood out the most to me was Robert Rodriguez's “Rebel Without a Crew.” This book not only provided a road map how to make a feature film with minimal resources, but also hammered on the concept of utilizing what is in arm's reach
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Andrew Carducci
I graduated from Central 2016 , with a major focus in Media production and Performance. I was able to learn under Professor Ritzenhoff who shaped me and also helped me through my time at Central. She always helped and guided me down the right path to achieve my goals and dreams. When I graduated I had the opportunity for full time employment as an Associate Operator at ESPN. Where I also had the opportunity to work as Studio Operator , PCR operator and finally Edit Operator. This year, I was along with my fellow colleagues awarded with the 2022-23 Emmy Award for outstanding studio show Daily for Sportscenter. Without the help from Professor Ritzenhoff I would have had the opportunity that I have now.
Rashad Frett
We are so pleased to announce, Central Film Alumnus, (09) Rashad Frett's short film, RICKY is an Official Selection within the prestigious SUNDANCE FILM FESTIVAL - 2023.