TCNJ

8 SCHOOL OF THE ARTS AND COMMUNICATION Assistant Professor David Vickerman won the 2015 American Prize in Conducting in the "Band/Wind Ensemble" category. A judging panel selected him based on a videorecording of him conducting The College of New Jersey Wind Ensemble performing The Alcotts by Charles Ives and Hammersmith by Gustav Holst. The ensemble itself was recognized in the "Band/Wind Ensemble Performance" division, placing third. However, it was the only honoree in that category to be comprised solely of undergraduates. (The other recipients had graduate students performing in their ensembles.) The American Prize, a national competition recognizing outstanding recorded performances, has been awarded annually since 2009. All American A CURTAIN CALL Dean John Laughton will make his curtain call in December, bringing to a close a 40-plus year career in education, the last seven of which have been at TCNJ. Laughton will leave behind a significantly expanded and more culturally connected School of the Arts and Communication. He was integral to a number of initiatives, such as establishing the TCNJ Center for the Arts, upgrading Kendall and Mayo concert halls, and transitioning interactive multimedia into a more expansive program. With his commitment to building community engagement, Laughton has also developed partnerships with community organizations like Trenton Thunder Baseball, Boheme Opera New Jersey, Roxy Ballet, Young Audiences New Jersey, and the New Jersey State Museum. While Laughton, a classically trained clarinetist, looks forward to performing and tackling new social justice issues in the coming years, he is proud of the work he has done at TCNJ. "My time at the college … has given me the opportunity to work with an engaged faculty, dedicated administrators, and a community of students who exhibit enthusiasm and excitement for making a difference in the world," Laughton said. "In addition, I've had the opportunity to help develop programs that connect to the community and to engage the arts and communication with important issues of social justice and entrepreneurship. For this, I am extremely grateful." 2 "Best Undergraduate Paper" awards (a tie) 4 Years in a row TCNJ students have taken top honors 7 Papers presented 35 Student co-authors BEST IN SHOW The communication studies department shined at the 20th annual conference of the New Jersey Communication Association, where TCNJ students presented original research. A by-the-numbers look at TCNJ's participation in the event:

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