The Spectrum

Issue date: 4/27/06 Section: Features

Media Credit: The Spectrum/ Elyse Harrell Professor James Castonguay is a well known face around the Media Studies and Digital Culture Department, known for his enthusiastic apporach to education.

Since 1999 students and faculty members of SHU have become familiar with a driving force behind the advancement, success, and development of the Media Studies and Digital Culture Department's prime mover; the Chair of the Media Studies and Digital Culture Department, Professor James Castonguay.

After finishing his Ph.D. in 1998, Castonguay was an assistant professor at the University of Michigan in communication, film, and video studies. He then came to SHU.

"I really wanted to be at a place that put teaching first and where I could work closely with students, and so I was thrilled when I was offered the position at SHU," said Castonguay.

Since his arrival at SHU he has made quite an impact on the department, students and faculty members. Such so that he was the recipient of the 2005 Dr. Marian Calabrese Final Four teaching award, that he names as one of his greatest personal accomplishments thus far at SHU.

"I was extremely honored and surprised to have received the 2005 Dr. Marian Calabrese Final Four teaching award," said Castonguay.

But, there are some students at SHU who would argue against his surprise.

"He shouldn't be shocked, he's an excellent professor. I have had two classes with him and I thoroughly enjoyed both of them. I love the way he teaches and gets you to think about different issues in the media," said Caitlin Dour, senior, Levittown, N.Y.

There are some future plans for the MSDC department. Some exciting changes and plans, as well as new courses and faculty that are soon to arrive.

"MSDC was among the first places to offer DVD authoring, and we are teaching videogame production next spring," said Castonguay.

MSDC has also begun to place a greater emphasis on students applying what they learn in the history and theory classes to their own productions. This new emphasis on applied learning or applied humanities is something that the department also looks forward to doing much more of in the future.

Joining the MSDC department next fall will be a new professor, Dr. Sara Ross.

Continued...

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