Graduate and Professional Studies Fall 2024 Newsletter

As we look back on the Fall 2024 semester, there are many graduate students, programs, and faculty achievements to celebrate. Thank you to everyone who made the end of 2024 memorable.

Program Spotlight: Journalism and Media Innovation

The Emerson College Journalism and Media Innovation Master of Arts program is truly unique. The fully online, asynchronous program offers a comprehensive journalism education for the 21st century. It allows students to shape the way they fit classes and study time into their lives. The program, which welcomed its first cohort of students in 2024, gives graduate students the opportunity to learn about every aspect of journalism, media, and communication. Because it’s a flexible online program, students can choose electives in publishing, creative writing, data visualization, streaming news documentaries, and more. Since it has this incredible flexibility built into the system, students from all over the globe learn from top faculty and are able to be part of the Emerson College Community without relocating to Boston.

Meet Azeta Hatef

When Emerson began looking for the right leader to help launch this new graduate program that focused on journalism and innovation, they knew they needed more than a talented journalist and scholar. They wanted someone who understood the challenges and the possibilities that new technology was bringing to the age-old practice of journalism. Selecting Azeta Hatef, to be the Chair of the newly revamped Master of Arts in Journalism and Media Innovation, seems to be a perfect choice. Hatef’s background is rooted in research and an understanding of global media systems, ethics and representation in journalism. Looking at journalism and how minoritized groups are represented in media and pop culture have been an interest for her. Understanding how media affects individuals and communities and how people see themselves represented in news coverage or in popular culture.

Working with other journalism faculty, Hatef has been able to help launch this truly unique and forward-thinking degree program. Its first cohort of students has begun to gain valuable knowledge and work on projects to advance toward their degree. The program’s students come from a wide variety of backgrounds and diversity in terms of interest, according to Hatef. “We have some folk who have been doing this for 20 years. They’re looking to really develop some new skills and kind of think about how the industry is changing. Then we have some folks who are like, this is my first journalism class.”

Why Emerson?

When asked why she thinks Emerson’s Journalism and Media Innovation MA program is a good place for graduate students. But Hatef wasn’t able to pinpoint just one reason! She says it’s not only Emerson’s tradition of guiding student journalists into incredible writers who find work in many fields. It’s also because Emerson is great at helping students develop the critical skills they need to produce powerful journalism. “When we think about the innovation part of it, it’s not just ‘you want to do broadcast. ‘But it’s like, oh, here’s broadcast, here’s visual, audio, print, whatever it is that you’re interested in. We have the tools, resources, and faculty to support students who are interested in how to tell these stories.”

Program Highlights

Those accepted to the Journalism and Media Innovation MA program learn from award-winning faculty. They are experts in topics like multimedia journalism, data visualization, and media entrepreneurship. Those with an undergraduate degree in journalism, or professionals with five years of journalism experience, can waive four credits. Therefore, students may complete their graduate degree in one year full-time or two years part-time, saving time and money. Career changers, journalists growing their opportunities, and anyone interested in doing the important work of journalism will benefit from the program’s flexibility. Each student receives one-on-one mentoring several times a semester from a professional in the field. In addition, these mentors also help students with career advice and help them put into action what they’re learning in the classroom.

Student Spotlight: Samantha Perry, Political Communication, MA, December ’24

Samantha Perry always knew that politics was her passion. She earned her government degree at Franklin & Marshall University and interned for a member of Parliament in London one summer. Samantha grew to love the dynamic, fast-paced environment of creating and enacting policy. Samantha, known to her friends as Sammi, decided pursuing her master’s in political communication at Emerson College would help her build her confidence in communication and better understand the opportunities in politics. Those efforts earned her a coveted internship working for a Commonwealth of Massachusetts State Senator in the gold-domed State House that overlooks Boston Common.

Perry left sunny southern California to come east for college and play division three tennis as an undergraduate, majoring in government. Learning the basics and the dynamics of the American government system, as well as other governments, ignited a spark and desire to learn even more.

While in her undergrad program, she applied and was accepted into a summer program abroad. As a result, that summer experience changed the way she thought about politics. While there, she was accepted as a student intern for a member of Parliament in London. This opportunity taught her more about the parliamentary form of government. This experience helped her realize her goal of working in a political office. Perry loved the exciting energy of the environment. The internship also helped her understand exactly what part of politics she liked and excelled at. She realized that political communication was one aspect of working in government. Even better, she had an affinity for and it came naturally. She began to consider what she might do after completing her bachelor’s degree. Ultimately, she realized that pursuing a master’s might help hone her skills and offer her more opportunities in the field.

Choosing Emerson

After researching, Perry learned that Emerson College had one of the top three master’s programs in political communication. She was able to speak with Emerson faculty and talked to Dr. Payne, the chair of the department.

“Looking back, being in my last semester of my master’s degree program, I feel it was one of the best decisions of my life,” Perry said. “I’m very happy that I did it.” Perry even got to play a fifth year of tennis as a graduate student on Emerson’s women’s tennis team.

In addition, as a degree candidate in the program, Perry took advantage of the campus’s proximity to the Massachusetts State House. She had the opportunity to interview for an internship with State Senator Jamie Eldridge.

“I really love what he stands for,” Perry said. “He works on criminal justice reform. He works on environmental reform and health care reform.” As an intern in the Senator’s office, Perry was also able to work closely with his Chief-of-Staff and Directors. She helped with research for the senator’s initiatives on criminal justice reform.

Sammi’s Advice

When asked about advice she would offer anyone considering the political communication master’s degree program at Emerson College, she says, “It’s really important to talk to people there. [Applicants] should not be afraid to talk to the professors at the school… I would say talk to everyone, look at everything. And then talk to someone like me. Someone who can tell you what the social aspect is like, what the community, vibe, and environment are like.” Perry’s decision to attend graduate school came after she reached out to multiple Emerson professors to speak about the program.. “I fell in love with them [the professors]… And regardless, I don’t even feel like I need to talk about how awesome the program is. It shows for itself.”

Graduate Student Achievements!

Tariq Karibian – Creative Writing, Fiction, MFA, Dec ‘26: Publications and forthcoming work (poetry and fiction): “When Melons Turn to Blood Oranges” in The Rising Phoenix Review; “We Wait for Rainwater” in Oxford Magazine (Issue 52); “The Well and the Grove” in Phoebe Journal (Issue 53.3); “Memory Bank” forthcoming in Waxwing Literary Journal (March 2025).

Katya Zinn – Creative Writing, Poetry MFA, May ‘27: Katya won an Independent Publishers Book Award for her poetry collection.

BC Reynolds – Creative Writing, Nonfiction MFA, May ‘26: Rumpus recently published BC’s essay “The Tiny Thing Inside Me.”

Charlize Guerra – Publishing & Writing, May ‘25: Charlize has been working an Editorial Internship for Harvard Education Press and an Editorial Internship for The Horn Books Inc this semester.

Tim Donahue – Creative Writing MFA, ‘26: Tim’s story “Lady English or The Body Herself” was published in The Words Faire Literary Magazine. Half and One Magazine also published his story “Exits.”

Mahdokht Molaei – Film & Media Art MFA, May ‘28: Writing, Directing and Acting in Iran’s Cinema.

Payton Conlin – Creative Writing, Fiction MFA, May ‘25: Payton’s flash fiction piece “Mourning Meeting” is being published in an upcoming issue of The Other Journal. She wrote and workshopped this story in Peter Shippy’s Short Prose course.

Vivian Walman-Randall – Creative Writing, Fiction MFA, December ‘24: Vivian launched a new independent press called Fork Apple Press with Emerson alums Katie Mihalek and Nico Léger.

Emily Borges – Communication Sciences and Disorders, August 2025: Emily earned IRB approval for her graduate thesis.

Scott Pomfret – Creative Writing, Fiction MFA, May ‘25: Scott was published in Westchester Review in October, His story “Trouser Fruit” was published in Bookends Review.

Robin Van Impe – Creative Writing MFA, December ‘24: Robin was recently chosen as a finalist for the Arts & Letters Unclassifiable Contest. Her short story Ten Letters Across, appeared in the Eunoia Review, and her flash pieces You Can Come Out Now and Tiny Baby Teeth recently appeared in BULL. She became a 2024 finalist of the Arts & Letters Unclassifiable contest with three blended flash pieces. One of those pieces recently made the shortlist for the Smokelong Grand Micro Contest.

Tushar Gidwani – Film & Visual Art MFA, May ‘26: Tushar’s script, “Bombil Fry: Sunsets Limited, Cigarettes Pivoted & Sambal Swallowed” was shortlisted by Netflix for Tasveer’s Film Fund this October. This was one of 9 selected projects, out of a pool of nearly 400+ scripts and finished projects. A series of production houses have expressed interest in funding the film. Rickshaw Films’ Writer’s Room selected Tushar to participate over September-December 2024. “Rickshaw” is an incredibly selective writers cohort featuring South Asian screen and script writers based in the US. This was their 6th Writer’s Room cycle.

Zenia deHaven – Popular Fiction Writing and Publishing MFA, Dec ‘25: Zenia published several fiction and non-fiction pieces this semester. Her fantasy piece, “Guard Dog,” won Page Turner Magazine’s “Untimely Portal” flash fiction contest. Stork Magazine published Zenia’s short story, “What Waits in the Woods?”, in its newest edition on December 16th. NoVA Prism’s The Lantern magazine published her critical essay about queer safe spaces in the South, “The Necessity of Pink Pony Clubs.” Lit Shark Magazine published her essay “The Crime of Existing,” which explores the unfair treatment of stigmatized animals.

Katherine Murray – Popular Fiction Writing and Publishing MFA, May ‘26: Bloomsbury published Katherine’s chapter, Female Millennial Rage: The Weaponization of Cottagecore, in The Literary Taylor Swift: Songwriting and Intertextuality (Oct 2024).

Daniel Melin – Popular Fiction Writing and Publishing MFA, Dec ‘24: Daniel completed his MFA thesis and program with a 4.0 GPA. Additionally, one of his short stories, “Gunslinger,” earned the Runner-Up Page-Turner Prize from the Popular Fiction Awards earlier this year. Page Turner Magazine accepted the same story for publication in its upcoming issue. Daniel also received a promotion and pay bump in his current full-time position after completing the master’s degree. All really great and exciting things happening at once!

Kamia Spalding – Speech@Emerson MS, December ‘24: Kamia was the graduation speaker at the Graduate Hooding ceremony held on 12/15/24 at the Boston Convention and Expo Center. She accepted a job offer at a private practice for pediatrics that will begin in January.

Ashley Abitz – Creative Writing MFA, Dec ‘26: Ashley’s published poem appeared in The Dew Drop Literary Magazine.

Sammi Perry – Political Communications MA, Dec ‘24: Sammi worked for Senator Jamie Eldridge this fall, completing two major projects for him. The first was a project for Incarcerated Persons suffering from mental health issues in solitary confinement. Sammi was able to present a policy proposal to the senator while utilizing the EPI program right at Emerson. She also conducted a Community Outreach Project about how community outreach can achieve collective action . She presented her findings to the senator and many key advocates for different bills looking to encourage community outreach within policy.

Asya Partan – Creative Writing, Nonfiction MFA, May ‘26: Asya’s review of Aleksei Navalny’s memoir, Patriot, was published in The Rumpus on December 10, 2024.

Jasmine Basuel – Creative Writing, Fiction MFA, Spring ‘25: Jasmine had two short fiction pieces published. “Fish” in Bodega Magazine and “Dinner with Enya” in The Core Review.

Nina Zehri – Film and Media Art MFA, May ‘25: Nina’s short film “Beep Test” was selected and premiered at the Tasveer Film Festival in Seattle, which is the only Oscar qualifying festival for South Asian films in the world. It was also selected for GRRL HAUS Best of 2024 Festival. Nina was also interviewed as a selected filmmaker. The film was made during an advanced directing class at Emerson.

Kat Ogden – Writing for Film and Television MFA, May ‘25: Kat’s Seattle based fantasy short story THE SEASON OF THE DEAD GIRL debuted in GRIMOIRE: A GRIM OAK PRESS ANTHOLOGY. The book sold out the first weekend of its official release and is available as a digital book. Grim Oak Press has a history rooted in charitable giving (see more here). In that spirit, Grim Oak Press donated a digital copy to Brandon Sanderson’s Lightweaver Foundation. All digital purchases benefit charity.

Jonaz McMillan – Film & Media Arts MFA: Jonaz’s published a book last summer. He also worked on two films that are being screened at Sundance.

Arlyn Miller – Speech@Emerson, Dec ‘24: Arlyn had been offered multiple jobs before graduating and chose a position in her field that works best for her family.

Gwendolyn Mintz – Popular Fiction Writing and Publishing MFA, Aug ‘25: Gwendolyn received an award from the Women/Barbara Deming Memorial Fund and was a 2024 writing grant finalist

Adam Swanson – Creative Writing, Nonfiction MFA, May ‘25: In October 2024, Adam hosted the Sitka Center for Art and Ecology’s “The Art of the Word: A Celebration of Literature Reading” in Otis, Oregon. The reading featured acclaimed writers Omar El Akkad, Demian DinéYazhi’, and Lidia Yuknavitch. Swanson is the Sitka Center’s Literary Arts Fellow. There, he hosts writers on Sitka’s campus and curates new titles for Sitka’s Hale Reference Library.

Farewell from the GSA Representative, Robin Van Impe

Dear Graduate Students,

As the end of my Graduate Student Representative era approaches, I was asked to write a few words of wisdom.

For the past two-and-a-half years, I’ve had the privilege of interacting with many of you as I have processed grants and organized professional development and social events for graduate students. I started this job when the pandemic was still in full swing, and—believe it or not—we had to get tested every week. The effects of this on the graduate experience were obvious: a lot of us did not feel like there was a community for grad students at Emerson. We felt that there was no basis for social interaction. We felt alone. If you had to experience grad life at Emerson during that time, I am sorry the pandemic robbed you of a vital part of graduate school: interaction with your peers.

While there’s always room for improvement, I believe that during the years I’ve overseen the GSA, we’ve established something exceptional. We’ve bounced back, and we’ve bounced higher. Seeing people come together again was such a relief for me. Especially as an international student pursuing a degree in the U.S. It is something I will never take for granted: the ability to convene in person. Whether it is through a book club discussion, an end-of-year party, a picnic, or a meeting with free food, I am incredibly grateful to be able to host these things for people.

Graduating is an exciting time for most, but for most international students I have met over the years, this is the scariest moment in their US journey. With January approaching, we are all moving into volatile times. The only thing we can do is be there for one another.

I have met many people who have stated that your fellow students are your competition. I couldn’t disagree more. We are your network, your friends, your biggest supporters. The people who will get you a foot in the door are not the senior-level executives that come to Emerson as a speaker one time. Your biggest resources are the people who were by your side during this entire experience, who understand your struggle, who know you deserve a shot.

My advice to everyone: reach out. Don’t be afraid to ask for a chance; don’t be afraid to ask someone if they need one. Don’t be afraid to give freely, if you can.

It’s been my pleasure working with all of you. I hope to see you again in the future. (I’ll be in Boston, so sign me in as a guest if something fun is happening.)

Warm regards,

Robin Van Impe

Graduate Student Representative

Robin Van Impe

Q&A with outgoing GSA Rep Robin Van Impe

Those of us who’ve worked with Robin in the Office of Grad Studies and the graduate students who have had the pleasure of working with her in the GSA, have come to know Robin’s creative, professional and studious side. But, we thought it would be fun to find out more about Robin’s lighter side! She generously shared her thoughts on these burning questions!

First Impressions

Grad Studies: Thinking back when you first arrived here, what were your first impressions of the city, and what did you think was weird or funny about Boston?

Robin Van Impe: Um, I remember that I really hated it. I think the first semester I felt very lonely and isolated because I felt like I hadn’t really found my friends. While I met people and made connections, I hadn’t really found the friends that I thought I would remain friends with. I think that got better after a little bit and that’s when I started to feel like more at home, and that I wanted to stay here. But yeah, at first I didn’t really like it that much.

GS: What was something that you found funny or interesting or strange or something you hadn’t seen before or heard before?

RV: Well, I found out through Shaylin about the fluffernutter thing, which I had never heard of before and it sounds disgusting. Also, not that I’ve not seen this before, but I find it very strange that people wear so much college merch, especially to class or just not to the gym. So that’s always been interesting.

Personal Interests

GS: You are a fiction writer. If you could be a fictional character, who would you be?

RV: That’s easy. I think I would be Jo March from Little Women. I think that’s someone that I relate to. But then simultaneously, I would also be Amy because I would be the annoying one, the writer, sitting in the attic by herself at the same time.

GS: You love shopping for vintage clothes. Where are your favorite places to shop and which store did you find your most valuable pieces?

RV: I really like the Boomerangs in Central Square, which closed, but now is taken over by a new company. So they are reopening it again. And I really like the Garment District and like the pile that they have there. But also, for the best thrifting, you would have to go out of the city to get some cheaper options. Although if you’re lucky, I guess you can find some things.

I think the best thing that I found was the sweater I wore yesterday. Boston and Cambridge have a lot of these vintage pop-up markets. Though they are usually pretty expensive, they have nice stuff sometimes. I did buy, like, an Irish vintage knit sweater there for, I think, $20. That was probably worth a hundred dollars. If you went to Ireland to buy an authentic sweater, you’re paying over one hundred dollars. I also found great stuff in the garment District pile for $3.

The Emerson Experience

GS: What was your favorite class while you were a student at Emerson?

RV: I think there are two of them. One was the writing for the Boston Globe class with Susanne Althoff. It gave me practical skills and experience, and I actually got to publish something in the Globe because of it. Which is a great step in your career as a writer to have something affiliated with a name like that. Then I think my second favorite class was Mako Yoshikawa’s Craft of the Contemporary Novel class. In my opinion, it was one of the only classes to connect the practicalities of what I wanted to do as a writer with contemporary literature. I feel like there are a lot of lit classes that have interesting topics but in the end they’re not making me a better writer as much as that one did.

GS: What advice would you give an international student arriving in Boston for the first time?

RV: It’s really hard. Return. Abort. Abort mission. No. I think to plan ahead, a long time ahead, is important. Also, try to get internships while you’re still in school, because that’s when they don’t have to sponsor you or anything, and you still have a lot of time left. And by getting those internships while you’re still in school you get a better chance of getting another job after.

Rapid Fire Questions!

GS: Give us a one word response to this quick list of your favorites. Favorite bookstore?

RV: Brookline Booksmith.

GS: Favorite restaurant?

RV: Tora Ramon

GS: Favorite coffee shop?

RV: That’s a hard one. Andala Coffee House.

GS: Where’s that?

RV: It’s in Cambridge. It’s really nice to have a lot of Syrian and Palestinian food and little sweet treats. And their interior is really nice.

GS: Favorite library?

RV: I think the Cambridge Public Library’s central location, because it looks like the Boston Public Library, but there’s fewer people.

GS: Favorite club?

RV: ManRay

GS: Favorite bar?

RV: Rebel Rebel in Bow Market!

GS: Favorite neighborhood?

RV: Inman Square, but honestly all of Cambridge.

“Thank You” Graduate and Professional Studies Interim Dean Kimberly McLarin

Professor Kim McLarin completed her term as Interim Dean of Graduate and Professional Studies at the end of this Fall semester. Kim’s appointment as Interim Dean began under Interim President William Gilligan on January 1, 2022.

During her “time in the chair,” she led Emerson’s launching of two new graduate programs (Business of Creative Enterprises and Digital Communication Leadership). She refocused the mission of Emerson’s graduate journalism program to meet the needs and standards of the newest generation of journalists. Kim was also instrumental in the creation and development of the Transformational Leadership Fellowship.

About Professor McLarin

Professor McLarin authored three critically-acclaimed novels, several essay collections and the bibliomemoir James Baldwin’s Another Country: Bookmarked, Womanish: A Grown Black Woman Speaks on Love and Life. Her latest essay collection, Everyday Something has Tried to Kill Me and Failed, was awarded with honors at the Massachusetts Book Awards in September. She was awarded a Live Arts Boston grant from The Boston Foundation in 2021.

Her award-winning essays and reporting have appeared in the New England Review, The Sewanee Review, The Sun Magazine, The Root, Slate, The Washington Post, The New York Times and many other publications. Her short fiction has appeared in Confrontation, Solstice, Callaloo and other publications. She is a former staff writer for The Associated Press, The Philadelphia Inquirer and The New York Times.

Professor McLarin also has regularly appeared on the Emmy-Award winning show Basic Black, Boston’s long-running television program devoted to African-American themes, which airs on WGBH-TV. She holds a BA from Duke University and is a graduate of Phillips Exeter Academy.

Becoming Dean

When McLarin was first approached to take on the work of Dean, she was hesitant. Her passions are teaching and writing, and she claimed spreadsheets were not her forte. Despite her protests, she took on the role and excelled. Soon her natural leadership skills became a source of inspiration for fellow faculty, staff and graduate students. Her qualities of being a thoughtful and deliberate teacher and writer informed her leadership style and the job of Dean seemed to come naturally to her.

Professor McLarin will return to teaching in the Department of Writing, Literature and Publishing and in the Emerson Prison Initiative.