Emerson College’s graduate hooding ceremonies on May 10 celebrated a new class of artists,writers,and entrepreneurs ready to make their mark. President Jay Bernhardt set the tone by invoking the spirit of David Bowie, urging graduates to embrace the unknown.

bernhardt quoted the iconic musician: Go a little bit out of your depth,and when you don’t feel that your feet are quite touching the bottom,you’re just about in the right place to do something exciting. He added,That’s exactly where you are now—on the edge of something extraordinary.

From Classroom to Creative launchpad

The Shubert Theatre buzzed with anticipation as School of the Arts graduates prepared for their hooding ceremony.Many already have concrete plans to launch their careers.

• Kadin Smith, who received a Master of Arts in film & Television and delivered the SOA student address, is launching his own production company. I’m excited, it feels like a satisfying conclusion on a very creative journey, Smith said. He emphasized the value of the program’s residencies in Boston and Los Angeles, noting, With the residencies in Boston and LA, there were master classes, table reads, and those set us up for the semester. I like that it is indeed concluding with this group.
• Tess Rossi, a Publishing & Writing program graduate, secured a mentorship at Penguin Random House and now works freelance. She credited Associate Professor Susanne Althoff for the exclusive opportunity. Rossi now proofreads children’s books, cookbooks, and nonfiction.
• aubrie Michaela Dickson,who earned a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing,is ready to share her thesis manuscript. It was three years of hard work and I’m happy to have a manuscript from my thesis that can be sent out, Dickson said. She also valued her experience teaching in the EmersonWRITES program, stating, It was a huge benefit for my own work, and was very inspiring from a creative viewpoint. It gets you ready for teaching creatives and how to lead workshops in the future.
• Sara Berliner, with an MA in Theatre Education & Applied Theatre, is pursuing a PhD, noting, I came to Emerson because I wanted something focused on pedagogy, and while I was here, I learned that I love research.
• D.C.Collins, a graduate of the online Pop Fiction program, believes an MFA will open doors. The program definitely made my writing stronger. I met a lot of people who can direct me in the industry on the creative and business sides, Collins said.

Education as Life Itself

Dean of Graduate and Professional Studies Jan Roberts-breslin, at both the School of the Arts and the School of Interaction ceremonies, highlighted the enduring value of education, quoting philosopher John Dewey:

Education is not readiness for life; education is life itself.

John Dewey

Roberts-Breslin acknowledged the graduates’ anticipation of life beyond homework and tuition, but emphasized Dewey’s sentiment: People who value higher education beleive that knowledge, critical thinking and cultivating an open mind leads to a possible salvation for society.

• Camillia White, who furthered her education through the Strategic Marketing program, aims to work in marketing, communication, branding, public relations, and data. I knew it was the best school for marketing communication for film, White said.
• Emily Bouchard, from the Communication Sciences & Disorder program, secured a speech pathologist position post-graduation, praising Emerson’s clinical opportunities: I really liked the clinical opportunities. I worked at the Boston Children’s Hospital [in-patient department].
• Tamar Gaffin-Cahn, an advisor in Emerson’s Career Progress Center, believes her Business Creative Enterprises MA will enhance her ability to help others. BCE combines a lot of my interests like social entrepreneurship…Creatives need to learn and understand their industries, Gaffin-Cahn said.
• Samantha Perry, who received an MA in Political Communication, credits her degree with aiding her role as a communications director for a Massachusetts state senator. It helped me prepare to do media and press releases, and really solidified my love for politics and communication, Perry said.
• Aidan Rice, a Sports Communication program graduate, aims to continue his baseball career, noting, Professors want to help you find a job and find opportunities in the sports world. Long term it might very well be writing or content marketing. he added, The program taught us how to tell good stories.