{"id":213626,"date":"2021-01-07T10:09:51","date_gmt":"2021-01-07T15:09:51","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/newscenter\/?p=213626"},"modified":"2021-01-15T10:24:32","modified_gmt":"2021-01-15T15:24:32","slug":"universitys-new-brand-elevates-the-student-experience","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/newscenter\/2021\/01\/07\/universitys-new-brand-elevates-the-student-experience\/","title":{"rendered":"University\u2019s New Brand \u2018Elevates\u2019 the Student Experience"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Brandon Vargas knows what it\u2019s like to be told something is off limits. \u201cDefinitely in my life,\u201d says the Montclair State junior, \u201cthere has been someone who says, \u2018Oh, you can&#8217;t do that. Or you&#8217;re not that good.\u2019 That always motivates me to do it and to do it better than I did before.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Vargas, a Family Science and Human Development major, focuses on social justice and diversity in urban education. He spent the fall as a student teacher of third graders, adapting lessons moved online because of the pandemic as part of the Newark Teacher Project.<\/p>\n<p>He is one of nine students and alumni chosen to represent the University in a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=33kGxrwDcao\">new marketing video<\/a> that shows the world Montclair State\u2019s values: empowering, welcoming and committed to excellence.<\/p>\n<h2>Watch the Video<\/h2>\n<p><iframe title=\"Video: Elevate Your Tomorrow\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/33kGxrwDcao?feature=oembed\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen style=\"width: 500px; height: 281px; border: 0px solid #000;\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>During the course of the filming, Madeline Kollegger, a graduate student in Earth and Environmental Science, found herself knee deep in water waiting for noisy jets and leaf blowers to pause to address those who say:<\/p>\n<h2><strong><em>\u201cThere are more important things to worry about.\u201d<\/em><\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Kollegger studies how coastlines change over time, measuring the sediment deposited before a river flows into the ocean. She believes that changes to the environment pose an immense and impending risk to all communities. \u201cBy understanding, preserving and restoring our natural spaces we will also protect those human populations who are most at risk,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_213628\" class=\"responsive-image-holder wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"mlt-responsive-image\" data-original-image=\"\/newscenter\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2020\/12\/102120_2382_Video-BTS-scaled.jpg\" src=\"\/responsive-media\/cache\/newscenter\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2020\/12\/102120_2382_Video-BTS-scaled.jpg.0.1x.generic.jpg\" alt=\"Madeline Kollegger, a graduate student in Earth and Environmental Science\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Madeline Kollegger, a graduate student in Earth and Environmental Science<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The video shows Rebecca Monsanto framed by the purple glow of LED lights using a microscope in a science lab. As a sophomore Molecular Biology major, she is working to become a pediatric plastic surgeon despite those who tell her:<\/p>\n<h2><strong><em>\u201cDon\u2019t get any big ideas.\u201d<\/em><\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>\u201cI plan to travel the world to where my help is needed,\u201d Monsanto says, \u201ctrying to find rare cases, special cases where I can help the most children.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Monsanto, like other students and alumni who talked about their dreams and experiences in making the video, says she identifies with the can-do spirit of the video&#8217;s final line: \u201cWe were too busy to listen.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_213629\" class=\"responsive-image-holder wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"mlt-responsive-image\" data-original-image=\"\/newscenter\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2020\/12\/102220_3552_Video-BTS-scaled.jpg\" src=\"\/responsive-media\/cache\/newscenter\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2020\/12\/102220_3552_Video-BTS-scaled.jpg.0.1x.generic.jpg\" alt=\"Rebecca Monsanto, sophomore, Molecular Biology\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Rebecca Monsanto, sophomore, Molecular Biology<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2><strong><em>\u201cYou won\u2019t make the grade.\u201d\u00a0<\/em><\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>\u201cWhen people tell me it\u2019s not possible,\u201d says Vargas, the future teacher, \u201cI see it as motivation.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Social-distancing measures and other safety precautions were followed during the filming by University Communications and Marketing and its creative agency partner, EFK Group in Trenton. The students and alumni were each filmed individually, and for most, it was their debut in front of a camera.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cMy motto is always do what you&#8217;re afraid of,\u201d Monsanto says.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cOn the acting experience, I\u2019ll just say it highlighted that I should stay in my current profession,\u201d jokes Keisha Hutchinson \u201902, a partner with KPMG. \u201cBut it was great to get out and do something different.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2><strong><em>\u201cDon\u2019t be so bossy.\u201d<\/em><\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Hutchinson credits her career success to Montclair State University. She earned a BS in Accounting and Finance and says it was through the on-campus recruitment that she was able to have an interview and a job offer before graduation. \u201cMontclair State provided the foundational skills necessary and also emphasized the importance of building my personal brand in order to succeed in business,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_213630\" class=\"responsive-image-holder wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"mlt-responsive-image\" data-original-image=\"\/newscenter\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2020\/12\/102120_1076_Video-BTS-scaled.jpg\" src=\"\/responsive-media\/cache\/newscenter\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2020\/12\/102120_1076_Video-BTS-scaled.jpg.0.1x.generic.jpg\" alt=\"Keisha Hutchinson \u201902, a partner with KPMG\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Keisha Hutchinson \u201902, a partner with KPMG<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2><strong><em>\u201cYou will never make it to the top.\u201d<\/em><\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>It took a number of takes before Jasmine Metellus, a senior Business Administration major with a concentration in Marketing, could deliver her line in time with the closing of elevator doors. \u201cThe crew was patient and kind,\u201d she says. \u201cIt was like, wow, I&#8217;m the superstar for once.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Metellus adds, \u201cIf it wasn&#8217;t for Montclair, I would not be the student leader, the leader in general, that I am. I graduate in May and I feel like Montclair State has really prepared me for the future.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2><strong><em>\u201cDon\u2019t tell stories.\u201d<\/em><\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>As a Television and Digital Media major, the filming felt natural for junior Dana Fields. \u201cI wasn&#8217;t nervous to be in front of the camera mainly because I&#8217;ve been taking so many production classes to the point where I am comfortable behind and in front of the camera.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>She\u2019s overcome a series of obstacles to get to that point, and the script especially resonated. \u201cMy dad is a perfect example of being told, \u2018No, you&#8217;re not good enough.\u2019 His dream was to be on TV, like me, but he didn&#8217;t have the support in his corner like I have. He gave up on his dream, but when I told him I wanted to go into the TV production and entertainment industry it brought tears to his eyes. He told me, \u2018I can give you the support that I never got when I was your age.\u2019 I\u2019m blessed.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The new institutional brand identity \u2013 called \u201cElevate\u201d \u2013 is being launched after a comprehensive discovery process, says Joseph Brennan, vice president for University Communications and Marketing.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe asked hundreds of our students, alumni, faculty and administrators what makes Montclair State such a special place. They talked about the University\u2019s commitment to student success, its pursuit of academic excellence, and its welcoming and inclusive spirit. We hope that our new branding conveys the authentic nature of this amazing institution,\u201d Brennan says. \u201cOur agency partner, The EFK Group, tested four different concepts for the video, and our students picked this one by a wide margin. I think it really speaks to how tenacious and hard working they are.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2><strong><em>\u201cGet with the program.\u201d<\/em><\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Carlos Martinez, a graduate student in the new MS in Computational Linguistics program, is interested in developing computational tools for little-known languages. His goal is to create voice applications for Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant for Garifuna, a minority language spoken by fewer than 200,000 people, mostly in Honduras, Guatemala and Belize, and the native language of his parents. \u201cI imagine a future where I can say, \u2018Hey Alexa, please speak to me in Garifuna. Tell my child a story in the language of my people.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n<h2><strong><em>\u201cDon\u2019t play games with me.\u201d<\/em><\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>\u201cI&#8217;m trying to prove to myself that I can play to the highest level,\u201d says Chisom Onyewuenyi, a sophomore majoring in Exercise Science. \u201cThis is just the start.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>In the video, Onyewuenyi dribbles a soccer ball up and down the field, demonstrating her skill as a right forward for Red Hawks soccer. \u201cI felt like I was doing fitness tests all over again. I loved every second of it.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_213631\" class=\"responsive-image-holder wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"mlt-responsive-image\" data-original-image=\"\/newscenter\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2020\/12\/102220_3290_Video-BTS-scaled.jpg\" src=\"\/responsive-media\/cache\/newscenter\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2020\/12\/102220_3290_Video-BTS-scaled.jpg.0.1x.generic.jpg\" alt=\"Ben Kusik \u201920, Visual Arts\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Ben Kusik \u201920, Visual Arts<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2><strong><em>\u201cDon\u2019t draw on the walls.\u201d<\/em><\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Ben Kusik \u201920 took a circuitous route from training for the Navy SEALs to community college to finally finding a home as a Visual Arts major at Montclair State. \u201cI knew art was risky as a major choice \u2013 because everyone told me \u2013 but I just felt at home in art studio classes,\u201d he says. His confidence grew during an internship with the University\u2019s Summer and Winter Sessions, where he created digital art of places on campus for social media.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cMy path was a combination of help from people along the way, support from family and friends, and pursuing things most people don&#8217;t go after,\u201d Kusik says. \u201cBut it has been one of learning in all sorts of ways and growing to trust and believe in myself.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Story by Staff Writer\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/profilepages\/view_profile.php?username=lehrenma\"><strong>Marilyn Joyce Lehren<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<h2>Watch the Behind the Scenes Video<\/h2>\n<p><iframe title=\"Video: Behind-the-Scenes: Making of Montclair State&rsquo;s New Brand Video\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/lemkvaKNGZw?feature=oembed\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen style=\"width: 500px; height: 281px; border: 0px solid #000;\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>You may also like:<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/newscenter\/2020\/08\/20\/seeing-campus-differently\/\">Seeing Campus Differently<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/newscenter\/2019\/08\/19\/billboard-stars-light-up-new-jerseys-roads-and-trains\/\">Billboard Stars Light Up New Jersey\u2019s Roads and Trains<\/a><\/p>\n<script type=\"text\/javascript\">\n\/\/ Output tags as a list for Google Analytics custom dimension\nwindow.MSU_TagList = [];\n<\/script>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Video highlights students\u2019 passion and grit, disproving those who say it couldn&#8217;t be done<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":213700,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[4,117,10],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-213626","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-communication-and-media","category-graduate-school","category-university"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/newscenter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/213626","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/newscenter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/newscenter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/newscenter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/6"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/newscenter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=213626"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/newscenter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/213626\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":213725,"href":"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/newscenter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/213626\/revisions\/213725"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/newscenter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/213700"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/newscenter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=213626"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/newscenter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=213626"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/newscenter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=213626"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}