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Debates about democracy are everywhere. Extremists, whether on the streets of Washington or Brasilia, perpetrate violence under the banner of democracy. But what do we mean when we talk about democracy?

���ҹ����� | Haub Environmental Law Professor , published in the Villanova Law Review, provides an analytically useful model of democracy that legal scholars can rely on when thinking about democratic institutions while at the same time championing an optimistic vision of democracy that can sustain constructive self-governance into the future.

Building this year’s story for the documentary has been a months-long process. From research in MCA 601: Industry Theory and Practice to witnessing the coopers’ (cask and barrel-makers for the uninitiated) work first-hand, the crew has been writing the story in a captivating and accurate way.

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The post-production process has required the brainpower of the entire crew. As most of the interviews conducted in Spain were in the native language, it was up to our Spanish-speaking students, Fiona Torres Moino, Dennis Bogdanowizc, and Lorenzo Osorio, to translate and verify what each person said accurately.

“I spent hours working with the editors translating the interviews from Spanish to English,” said Assistant Director Fiona. “It was arduous for me because of the Andalusian accent of the interviewees. But in the end, when we got to see the rough cut, it all made so much sense and the story is looking amazing.”

Watching the story come together, reworking it, and then seeing how much better the final product was through the collaboration of the story team was really gratifying.

The story team worked alongside the translating students to identify the key points in the story—tradition, family, and the future. The script became a puzzle that took countless hours and reviews to fall into place. The transcripts were scoured, and the best soundbites were extracted to accompany our plot. Under the direction of Professor Maria Luskay, EdD, we all pitched and wrote voiceover segments to accompany our story, which are to be voiced by Professor Andres Villagra.

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Rachel Hutchings, head of social media and active on the story team, stated “Watching the story come together, reworking it, and then seeing how much better the final product was through the collaboration of the story team was really gratifying. I’m really proud of the way we crafted the narrative and I think it will affect our audience the same way getting an up-close look at the cooper tradition in Spain affected us.”

The editing team has been working hard, working in tandem with the scriptwriters to make sure everything looks and flows as intended. Their job to balance the audio and visual aspects of the documentary is crucial in conveying the feel and direction of the story. The editors have been working on all things visual since January; lower thirds, graphics, openings, and more, and are finally able to place them in the project.

All in all, every student has been wearing multiple hats and working hard to make sure the documentary is produced perfectly, from start to finish. Our pace is stellar, moving into the final weeks before our premiere on May 2.

Stay tuned on all of our to get more behind-the-scenes scoop on post-production insanity!

Hosseini has served in high-level leadership marketing and communications roles in the public and private sectors

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Zachariah “Zach” Hosseini, a communications and marketing expert with a unique combination of business, higher education, and public sector experience, has joined ���ҹ����� as the chief marketing officer and vice president for University Relations.

Hosseini joins ���ҹ����� from Johnson & Johnson, where he led communications for the company’s global life sciences incubator JLABS, and its venture capital arm JJDC. Prior to his time at the healthcare giant, he served as associate vice chancellor at Rutgers University where he shaped the global brand and reputation of Rutgers’ Big Ten campus in New Brunswick, N.J., as well as its academic health center, Rutgers Health. Before that he held communications roles at the New Jersey Office of the Attorney General.

In making the announcement, ���ҹ����� President Marvin Krislov cited Hosseini’s broad background in the private and public sectors and his experience elevating global brands.

“Zach’s accomplished career in communications and marketing will be a significant asset to ���ҹ�����,” said President Krislov. “His experience, background, and leadership will play an important role in helping to further communicate the University’s message of Opportunitas, or creating opportunities for students, to a global audience. We are pleased that ���ҹ����� will be able to benefit from his insight and expertise.”

In his role, Hosseini will be a key member of the president’s leadership team and will oversee the marketing, communications, and government affairs teams for the University and its campuses in New York City, Pleasantville, and White Plains. He began April 15, 2024.

Hosseini is joining ���ҹ����� at an exciting time. The University is undergoing a more than $200 million transformation at 1 ���ҹ����� Plaza, its central building in lower Manhattan, to include new academic spaces, a modernized residence hall, and a new state-of-the-art Performing Arts Center. It also comes as the Elisabeth Haub School of Law at ���ҹ����� was ranked the No.1 school in the country for environmental law by U.S. News & World Report for the fourth consecutive year, and as the school in May will be graduating its first class from its newest school, the Sands College of Performing Arts, among many other successes.

“It’s an honor to work with President Krislov to champion such a great institution,” said Hosseini. “���ҹ����� means so much to so many because it accelerates the lives and careers of its students, creates transformative experiences for them, and enhances the wellbeing of the communities it serves.

Hosseini graduated from Northeastern University with a Bachelor of Arts in journalism and a minor in international affairs. He has won numerous awards, including awards from The Academy of Interactive and Visual Arts, the Council on the Advancement and Support of Education, The Collegiate Advertising Awards and The Educational Digital Marketing Awards.

About ���ҹ�����

Since 1906, ���ҹ����� has been transforming the lives of its diverse students—academically, professionally, and socioeconomically. With campuses in New York City and Westchester County, ���ҹ����� offers bachelor, master, and doctoral degree programs to 13,600 students in its College of Health Professions, Dyson College of Arts and Sciences, Elisabeth Haub School of Law, Lubin School of Business, Sands College of Performing Arts, School of Education, and Seidenberg School of Computer Science and Information Systems.

The initiative aims to cultivate a genuine interest and deep appreciation for public service among ���ҹ����� undergraduate students.

���ҹ����� was recently awarded a $25,000 grant from the to establish an undergraduate fellowship to create the next generation of leaders working on the governance of New York City waterways.

The funds are from The Teagle Foundation’s Education for American Civic Life initiative and will provide support for faculty in the development of an undergraduate fellowship program, “The City and the Sea: A New York City Fellowship in Civics and Public Service.” The fellowship will be a combination of two courses and an internship experience.

In partnership with the Helene T. and Grant M. Wilson Center for Social Entrepreneurship, the Dyson College of Arts and Sciences departments of Public Administration and Political Science, and the Center for Community Action and Research, the program will connect students with New York City public offices and community organizations and develop their understanding of the city around them, while engaging them through texts, history, and ideas.

“We are proud of ���ҹ�����'s rich history of social responsibility, civic engagement, and community,” said ���ҹ����� President Marvin Krislov. "The incredible program created from the Teagle Foundation Grant will further support our students and their work on civic leadership and engagement, government and governance, the politics and policies of New York City, and leadership skills and career tools."

The fellowship program aims to provide students with hands-on experience in civic leadership and engagement. In fact, students will gain valuable knowledge of municipal government, governance, and the politics and policy of the city. Additionally, the program will equip students with essential leadership skills and practical career tools. As a result, it will allow students to develop a deep sense of place in the Lower Manhattan context of ���ҹ�����’s campus, as it relates to the water and the waterfront environment.

“We are grateful for this opportunity to learn from The Teagle Foundation’s mission and work to elevate the civic objectives of liberal arts education,” said Rebecca Tekula, PhD, executive director of ���ҹ�����’s Wilson Center for Social Entrepreneurship and Professor and chair of Public Administration. “This new fellowship will equip our students to think deeply about difficult issues in our community while empowering them to explore a civically engaged life and a public service path.”

���ҹ����� will draw upon its strong connections with neighborhood organizations and agencies, as well as its partnerships with key stakeholders along New York Harbor, to offer a comprehensive program. Furthermore, the fellowship program will conclude with a full-time summer funded fellowship placement working in a government agency or partner organization that is working on issues related to the water and the waterfront.

The supported planning year will allow ���ҹ����� faculty to develop the framework of the program and engage students in discussions surrounding the concept of civic engagement within their local community. The initiative is led by Professor Tekula Ph.D., executive director of the Wilson Center for Social Entrepreneurship, and chair of Public Administration; director of the International Disarmament Institute and professor of Political Science, Matthew Bolton Ph.D., professor of Public Administration; Gina Scutelnicu-Todoran, Ph.D., clinical associate professor of Public Administration, Ric Kolenda Ph.D., director of the Center for Community Action and Research, Heather Novak, MPA, and communications and events manager of the Wilson Center for Social Entrepreneurship, Adrian Rivero.

“���ҹ�����’s downtown campus is located on an island in an archipelago at the nexus between a great river and the Atlantic Ocean,” said Professor Bolton. “At this time of rising seas, civic education must take seriously the fact that our politics are shaped by and shape the waters that surround us.”

“Receiving this grant from the Teagle Foundation is a great honor but also an attestation of ���ҹ�����'s commitment to educating the next generation of public service leaders,” said Professor Scutelnicu-Todoran. “The grant will allow our students to be part of a fellowship program in civic engagement and leadership through a rather unique educational experience that integrates competencies in liberal arts and professional degrees with experiential learning opportunities. I am extremely fortunate to be part of this transformative learning opportunity for our students and faculty members.”

This program seeks to foster an interest in and appreciation for public service, at the local level where the decisions made can significantly impact their individual lives. These efforts will be integrated with various initiatives at ���ҹ����� to enhance strategies for student success and experiential learning. These initiatives are implemented by various ���ҹ����� departments implement within broader systems of support and a commitment to the liberal arts.

About ���ҹ�����

Since 1906, ���ҹ����� has been transforming the lives of its diverse students—academically, professionally, and socioeconomically. With campuses in New York City and Westchester County, ���ҹ����� offers bachelor, master, and doctoral degree programs to 13,600 students in its College of Health Professions, Dyson College of Arts and Sciences, Elisabeth Haub School of Law, Lubin School of Business, Sands College of Performing Arts, School of Education, and Seidenberg School of Computer Science and Information Systems.