D.J. Higgins, a filmmaker and assistant teaching professor of film/video and music at Penn State Schuylkill, has directed and produced award-winning films, including his feature film "The Documentary," which won The Mike Vezza Experimental Award. Additionally, he is leading a community course on mental health in cinema, fostering dialogue on social issues. Higgins’ work in teaching, filmmaking, and local arts underscores his influence in both education and the arts.
Inspired by her Scottish heritage and a popular television show set during the Jacobite Rebellion of 1745, Valerie Schrader, associate professor of communication arts and sciences at Penn State Schuylkill, embraced the opportunity to turn an academic paper into her first published monograph and discovered new creative capital along the way.
Catherine Fiorillo, associate teaching professor of theatre and speech at Penn State Schuylkill, has written, produced, and starred in a short film in collaboration with director David “DJ” Higgins, assistant teaching professor of film/video and music. “Sanitize This!” has earned 15 awards thus far and premiered locally on Thursday, May 20.
The cast and crew of "Sanitize This!" convened for a private premiere of their short film at the Emmaus Theatre on Thursday, May 20, 2021. Pictured from left to right: Timothy Ring, Alex Hille, Jackie Fiorillo, Catherine Fiorillo, Ashely Reinhard, Evan Stutts, Stefan Fulton, Justin Fiorillo, and David "DJ" Higgins.
Valerie Schrader, associate professor of communication arts and sciences, will present a webinar on June 29, exploring her new book project, “Public Memory and the Television Series ‘Outlander.’”