Welcome to our new “Rowan Commuter” series, where we take an inside look at the lives and experiences of Rowan University commuters and how their overall college experience is without living on campus.
In this video, Edelman College of Communication and Creative Arts double-major Kayla Santiago talks about how she balances a busy schedule with being a commuter student here at Rowan.
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Video by:
Tom Copsetta, radio/TV/film graduate
Welcome to our new “Rowan Commuter” series, where we take an inside look at the lives and experiences of Rowan University commuters and how their overall college experience is without living on campus.
In this video, Geology major James Milward talks about how he balances Rock Climbing Club and spending time with his group of Geology majors with being a commuter student here at Rowan.
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Video by:
Tom Copsetta, radio/TV/film graduate
Today’s story is from Tom Copsetta, a recent graduate of the Ric Edelman College of Communication and Creative Arts. Tom, a radio/TV/film major from Gloucester County, NJ, is a Nintendo enthusiast and digital content contributor for Rowan Blog.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons for the Nintendo Switch is a huge videogame that came out in late March and is now the second-most sold game of the year so far. For more information about Animal Crossing, you can read our article that goes more into detail about the game here.
For those of who have already been playing, we’ve gotten together and designed some Rowan University merchandise that you can download and wear in game! The only requirements are a Nintendo Switch online subscription, an internet connection, and the Able Sisters’ shop to be unlocked. If you haven’t yet, you can figure out how here.
To download our merchandise, you will have to enter Able Sisters (open between 9 a.m. and 9 p.m.) and go to the kiosk in the back right corner, as shown above. Once you enter the custom design portal, choose the option to look up a creator using their creator ID. This is the easiest way to access all of the Rowan merchandise at once, since it is all posted under my account. My creator ID code is “MA-7146-2960-9228”.
These are all of the available designs! I hope you check them out and consider giving them a try. Have a wonderful time designing your island!
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Story by:
Tom Copsetta, radio/TV/film graduate
Today we feature senior Nicole Byrne, a psychology major and neuroscience minor from Brick, New Jersey (Ocean County) who used to walk to campus everyday from her home she called “Lil Bed.” She originally transferred from Stockton University.
Please tell us about your favorite moment with a faculty member or a favorite experience in one of your classes? My favorite experience with a faculty member during my time at Rowan was being Dr. Martinez’s learning assistant (LA) for an entire semester. I had her as a professor and I loved how she taught. When I became her LA, our relationship expanded to something more. She was there for me through graduate school applications and through bumps in the road. I learned so much from her and I am beyond grateful for the relationship we established. She was a mentor that listened to me whenever I needed it. I loved hearing her hilarious stories about her kids and she loved my crazy stories about my family. It was an amazing experience to be able to open up to my professor.
What was your favorite or most meaningful personal moment at Rowan? I was able to volunteer and be a ref at the Unified Sports this last semester. I had a blast. Being able to hangout and ref my favorite sport was one of the most memorable moments that I was able to receive while my time here at Rowan. The Green Team thought I was hilarious with the random and weird moves I would do with the basketball during time outs. It was the purest and the most fun I have had in a long time!
What are your career aspirations and how did the people or programs at Rowan help to support you with those aspirations? I was fortunate enough to be a student researcher at Rowan University’s Schizophrenia-Spectrum research lab. My fellow classmates, graduate students and Dr. Dinzeo taught me so much and helped me realize that I have a passion for research. I wouldn’t have gotten the necessary tools to get into my dream graduate program if it wasn’t for that lab and the members in it. They will always have a special place in my heart!
Do you want to give a thank you shout out to your family, friends, advisors or mentors? I want to give a HUGE shout out to my little sister Brittany who is still at Rowan University and my other sister Chelsea who has inspired me every single day. I want to thank my friends, teammates, my “B-Town” longtime friends and Jeremy Brown. Without the love and support they all give me each and every day, I wouldn’t be where I am today!
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Today we feature Ciani Eugene, a Health and Exercise Science major and Psychology minor from Mount Holly, New Jersey (Burlington County) who transferred from the University of Maryland. After the transfer, she commuted to Rowan University. 
Please tell us about your favorite moment with a faculty member or a favorite experience in one of your classes. My favorite experience in one of my classes was when I realized there are other students just like me! I had just started the fall semester and I was pregnant. I was nervous people would not want to be friends with the “pregnant girl.” That was not the case at all! Everyone was so excited for me to have my son and always looked out for me. Interestingly enough, another student walked into the class, sat next me, and she was pregnant too! We were due five days apart and she ended up becoming one of my closest friends at Rowan! Love you Autumn and Halo!
What was your favorite or most meaningful personal moment at Rowan? My most meaningful personal moment at Rowan was being chosen to speak at commencement. Even though I won’t be able to give my speech in person, Rowan made sure my speech was heard anyway. They featured my speech on the CSM [College of Science and Mathematics] and SPH [School of Health Professions] students’ awards and recognition page. It is such a nice feeling when others recognize the hard work and dedication you put into obtaining your degree.
What are your career aspirations and how did the people or programs at Rowan help to support you with those aspirations? My career aspirations are to become an occupational therapist. Before I transferred to Rowan, I didn’t know anything about occupational therapy. I thought I wanted to become a physical therapist. After taking the course “Foundations of Human Performance in Clinical Settings,” I learned about occupational therapy and realized it was my dream career. I even completed a 400-hour internship shadowing a phenomenal occupational therapist, who taught me so much.
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Meet Leann Carlson, a recent graduate, studio art major and art history minor from Vineland, New Jersey (Cumberland County) who commuted during her time as a student here at Rowan University. Rowan Blog featured Leann after her semester abroad on a prestigious art scholarship.
Please tell us about your favorite moment with a faculty member or a favorite experience in one of your classes. My favorite memories in the classroom were when the printmaking students would have Dusk ’til Dawn every semester. It’s one night where we students stay in the building from 6 p.m. – 6 a.m. and make art/prepare for finals. We take a big group picture at midnight and I always had a great time participating in it.
What was your favorite or most meaningful personal moment at Rowan? The most meaningful moment to me during my time in college was the opening reception night of my senior thesis exhibition. I spent the entire day setting up for it and so many of my friends, family and faculty members came out to support me. It made me feel really loved and I’ll honestly never forget it.
What are your career aspirations and how did the people or programs at Rowan help to support you with those aspirations? I love being an artist so much, and there’s so many different things that I want to do throughout the course of my life with it. One thing, in particular, is that I’d like to work for a museum and become a curator. I realized this through my job at the Rowan University Art Gallery, where I got to work behind the scenes and learn the ins and outs of how a gallery operates.
Do you want to give a thank you shout out to your family, friends, advisors or mentors? I’d really like to thank all of my close friends, my dad, sister, my aunt Leslie, my uncle Dewey and my Grandmom. I also want to thank my bosses at the Gallery, Mary and Jillian, my advisor and print professor, Dave Vaccaro, and my professors, Doc Appelson, Dr. Adelson, Adam Gustavson, Amanda Almon, and children’s book author, DyAnne DiSalvo! I feel so blessed and loved. You have all had such a positive impact on my life as an artist and as a person in general. Thank you so much for everything!
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Rowan Blog produced this video pre-quarantine.
Join us as we visit a meeting of the student-run Rowan University Anime Club.
You don’t even have to watch anime to join Anime Club, which its members describe as “inclusive,” “open” and “accepting.” Students with little to advanced anime knowledge will find a community here.
Anime Club meets in Robinson Hall.
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Video by:
Nicole Cier, senior writing arts major
Tom Copsetta, senior radio/TV/film major
Music by:
Bianca Torres, junior music industry major
Welcome to our series to give you a glimpse into Rowan University, our campus culture, and the lives of our students, while we’re practicing social distancing to protect society from the spread of COVID-19. Today’s story is from Tom Copsetta, a senior isolating from his house in Gloucester County, NJ. Tom is a Radio/TV/Film major.
With coronavirus taking the world by storm, especially the state of New Jersey, we’ve all been stuck inside for almost a month now and will continue to be until further notice. With the case numbers rapidly growing at an exponential rate, no one knows for sure when we will be able to safely return back to our normal schedules.
For many students, their normal hobbies and day to day activities are no longer an option during the lockdown. So, without being able to work or partake in those hobbies, many of us are bored. Very bored. However, with the convenient release of Nintendo’s newest installment in the Animal Crossing series, “Animal Crossing – New Horizons,” millions of players across the globe are staying entertained and keeping their minds busy while at home.
New Horizons, only available on the Nintendo Switch, has been the saving grace for many of us (including myself), as the game takes you out of our world and places you in your very own, where you team up with the infamous Tom Nook to turn a deserted island into a resident’s paradise. Up to 10 computer residents get to embark on the journey with you to create the perfect island with your own creative taste.
Animal Crossing is the type of game you can get lost in all day long. As soon as you start, you are presented with just a few of the many past times the game has to offer: fishing, bug-catching and crafting. This is only scratching the surface of what you can spend hours upon hours enjoying in Animal Crossing. It’s almost like a second life, where everyone has hobbies. You can create custom designs and share them with the world, design your island any way you like, create the perfect interior to your home, or even my personal favorite, breeding flowers. There are so many ways to get lost while playing and have a great time.
This is the first release of an Animal Crossing game since New Leaf back in 2012, which lead to many fans becoming beyond eager to play this new release. With Coronavirus taking over, what better time is there than now to kick back and develop your island.
A great feature Animal Crossing has to offer is the 8-person online multiplayer functionality. You can have up to 7 other friends join your island to show them around, play games, trade items and much more. Because of this, thousands of players have set up huge trading forums online and have established what we call the “Animal Crossing Black Market,” which has been around since multiplayer began in Animal Crossing Wild World for the original Nintendo DS. More alive than ever, this fanbase-established market has been the source of many players creating beautiful islands very quickly.
Animal Crossing is a game meant to provide players with an outlet, a tool for relaxation/stress-relief, and especially meant to be played at your own pace. Now we are already a month into the release, and it’s already given players a lot more than just a fun game to play. Animal Crossing is a way to stay connected with your friends, hang out with them, or even make new friends during this rough time we are all going through. I have personally been working on video guides and posting them to YouTube to try and help the community, and have already made countless friends doing so. It’s also given me plenty of things to do to keep myself busy, such as creating my own animated intro for the guide videos with a special Animal Crossing theme to it. If you haven’t yet, I highly recommend investing in this game to supply yourself with endless hours of fun during this long period of time we’re all stuck inside.
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Story and images by:
Tom Copsetta, senior radio/TV/film major