Interdisciplinary Humanities Program on the History and Culture of Paterson

FAIN: AC-264090-19

Felician University (Lodi, NJ 07644-2198)
Sherida Yoder (Project Director: July 2018 to November 2022)
Julie A. O'Connell (Co Project Director: December 2018 to November 2022)

The development of an interdisciplinary and place-based humanities minor that focuses on the writers, musicians, and artists of Paterson, New Jersey.

The IHP-Prism Paterson employs immersive place-based learning to engage 1st generation/at-risk college students in the study of humanities disciplines by focusing on Paterson's important writers, musicians and artists. Creating new experiential courses in the humanities that reflect Felician University's 1^st generation students' identities will increase student engagement, improve skills, enhance retention, and build connections between the city and the University, while enriching humanities learning.

Associated Products

ENG335 Community Writing: Great Falls revised syllabus (Course or Curricular Material)
Title: ENG335 Community Writing: Great Falls revised syllabus
Author: Dr. Julie O'Connell
Abstract: Course: ENG 335: Community Writing: The Great Falls, 3 c Semester: Fall 2020 Each of us is a member of a variety of communities (neighborhood, workplace, house of worship, team, town, state, country, world, just to name a few). We navigate these communities daily: transitioning between them and often defining ourselves by them. Writing gives all of us an opportunity to extend audience outside of the traditional and sometimes constricting academic context. Community Writing promotes citizenship. In general, the course is theme based depending on the instructor’s preference. Themes might include economic inequality, race, gender, the local food revolution, climate change, human suffering, immigration, homelessness, prisons, etc. Over the course of the semester, students read the perspectives of a variety of thinkers (social scientists, biologists, educational theorists, journalists, citizens, etc.). Texts are posted in the Brightspace shell for the course. The class assumes a workshop format with in-class discussion and regular reading and writing assignments outside of the classroom. Students write papers and keep a weekly journal. For this particular class, students conduct interviews with individuals from  Paterson. They complete a variety of research and writing tasks that may include articles, interviews, profiles, histories, reports, fact sheets, reviews, and web-based writing of use to audiences outside of the University. Some of the writing for the course will be published and distributed to a much larger audience and to different kinds of readers than the student is accustomed to, allowing them to experience how their writing affects the community.  In addition to making a difference in the community, the course aims to make impressive additions to students' résumés and, in many cases, help them obtain internships and other work opportunities for the future.
Year: 2021
Primary URL: http://N/A
Audience: Undergraduate

ART245 Computer Imaging: Prism Paterson (Course or Curricular Material)
Title: ART245 Computer Imaging: Prism Paterson
Author: Prof. Michael Kyklewicz
Abstract: • Course (number & name): ART-246-R Computer Imaging: Prism Paterson • Semester: Fall 2020 This course is dedicated to image construction and manipulation. Students will begin to work with traditional art materials, moving on to experiement and elaborate within the digital realm and finally realizing their completed project in printed form. •
Year: 2020
Audience: Undergraduate

Art Exhibition for Hamilton Fest (Exhibition)
Title: Art Exhibition for Hamilton Fest
Curator: Prof. Michael Nyklwicz, Carolyn Brown, Denise Womack
Abstract: Students and faculty exhibited their photographs from ART246 and commented on it for online art show as part of Hamilton Fest sponsored by the Paterson Performing Arts Development Council.
Year: 2020
Primary URL: http://fb-PPADC-Hamilton Fest-art exhibit.html
Primary URL Description: Facebook online Hamilton Arts Fest art exhibition

Online Panel Discussion of The Art of the Choreopoem (Public Lecture or Presentation)
Title: Online Panel Discussion of The Art of the Choreopoem
Abstract: Online panel discussion of the art of the choreopoem "For Colored Girls" sponsored by the Paterson Performing Arts Development Council
Author: Dr. Sherida Yoder
Author: Dr. Sherida Yoder, Denise Womack, and others
Date: 5/14/2021
Location: online
Primary URL: http://fb--art of choreopoem.html
Primary URL Description: Facebook: Sherida Yoder, Facebook: Paterson Performing Arts Development Council

Community Writing Interviews for StoryCorps (Conference Paper/Presentation)
Title: Community Writing Interviews for StoryCorps
Author: Dr. Julie O'Connell, Dr. Sherida Yoder
Abstract: Interviews posted by students and faculty in ENG335 on StoryCorps.
Date: 4/27/2021
Primary URL: http://https://storycorps.org/stories/?location=new-jersey&s=paterson+NJ
Primary URL Description: Collected interviews posted to StoryCorp. Interviewee: Sherida Yoder, interviewers: Community Writing class students

Website for Prism Paterson program (Web Resource)
Title: Website for Prism Paterson program
Author: Prof. Michael Nyklewicz and students
Abstract: Media materials, course descriptions, program description on Prism Paterson website
Year: 2020
Primary URL: http://fad.cc/PrismPaterson/
Primary URL Description: website for Prism Paterson

Proposal for Panel Presentation on Community Writing (Conference Paper/Presentation)
Title: Proposal for Panel Presentation on Community Writing
Author: Drs. O'Connell, Yoder, Abbey, McParland
Abstract: Proposal is description of a panel presentation on how Prism Paterson NEH grant funded courses uses community-engaged pedagogy and multimodal literacy to transform marginalized communities for change and social justice.
Date: 4/28/2021
Primary URL: http://https://communitywriting.org/conference-on-community-writing/
Primary URL Description: Webpage announcing the conference for the Coalition for Communitiy Writing

Paterson: Texts and Contexts (Course or Curricular Material)
Title: Paterson: Texts and Contexts
Author: Dr. Robert McParland
Abstract: This course of the history and literature of Paterson includes a summary of the fiction, non-fiction, oral, and journalistic materials that constitute a living history of this city.
Year: 2021
Audience: Undergraduate

Prism Paterson: A Counter;Narrative (Conference Paper/Presentation)
Title: Prism Paterson: A Counter;Narrative
Author: Dr. Sherida Yoder
Author: Dr. Kristen Abbey
Author: Dr. Julie O'Connell
Abstract: Panel discussion by three professors at Felician University on how they taught the arts and humanities by creating three courses focusing on writers and spaces and places in the city of Paterson, New Jersey.
Date: 10/21/2021
Conference Name: Conference on Community Writing, George Washingto University

Literary Paterson, New Jersey (Web Resource)
Title: Literary Paterson, New Jersey
Author: Sherida Yoder (administrator)
Abstract: Facebook community for posting and discussing the literature associated with and inspired by Paterson NJ.
Year: 2021
Primary URL: https://www.facebook.com/groups/219887353480985
Primary URL Description: Facebook page with posts and images from works by writers associated with Paterson NJ

Travel Writing Syllabus (ENG131) (Course or Curricular Material)
Title: Travel Writing Syllabus (ENG131)
Author: Dr. Kristen Abbey
Abstract: Description of course focusing on creative travel writing based on visits to Paterson, NJ.
Year: 2021
Audience: Undergraduate

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