During a recent sabbatical, Moscaliuc published an article on cultural appropriations of “Gypsyness” in Critical Romani Studies and a second book of translations, Liliana Ursu’s Star and Clay (Etruscan Press). During residency fellowships at the Virginia Center for the Creative Arts and the MacDowell Colony, she completed her third poetry collection, Cemetery Ink, forthcoming from the University of Pittsburgh Press in 2021. The poems celebrate goats, black swans, centipedes, wandering wombs, succulent cherries, dismembered dolls, deep-fried brains, ink mushrooms, and people whose uprooted lives wed beauty to disaster.
She also co-edited, with Michael Waters, an anthology of poems, Border Lines: Poems of Migration (Knopf/Penguin Random House, 2020). Born out of a sense of necessity and as a response to current debates on immigration, the anthology brings together more than a hundred poets representing more than 60 nationalities.
With Poet Laureate of New York State Alicia Ostriker and translator Tess O’Dwyer, Moscaliuc also started curating “The New Colossus Translation Project,” which aims to render Emma Lazarus’s famous 1883 sonnet in as many languages as possible, and is hosted by the American Jewish Historical Society. As guest blogger for Best American Poetry, she wrote on the role of poetry in times of oppression and included tributes to American poet Gerald Stern and the late Nicaraguan poet Ernesto Cardenal. She was also poetry guest editor for the Spring/Summer 2020 issue of Epiphany, which focuses on Borders, and since January has been translation editor for the literary journal Plume.
Alena Graedon’s debut novel, The Word Exchange, was a New York Times Editors’ Choice and Paperback Row pick, and selected as a best novel of 2014 by Kirkus. It has been translated into eight languages. The New York Times describes the work as “a nervy, nerdy dystopic thriller set in New York City in the very near future,” while The Washington Post lauds it as “A sobering look at how dependent we are on technology and how susceptible we are to the distortions of language.”
Graedon has twice been a MacDowell Colony Fellow (2012 and 2017), and received fellowships at Yaddo, Ucross, The Virginia Center for the Arts, The Vermont Studio Center, and Jentel. Her nonfiction has been published in The New York Times Book Review, newyorker.com, The Believer magazine, Guernica, and Post Road among other publications.
A native of Durham, NC, Graedon is a graduate of Brown University and Columbia University’s M.F.A. program. Her work in progress includes her second novel, about female military pilots of World War II, and Survivalists, a collection of short stories about the many ways in which violence forms and deforms identity. She will be an upcoming fellow at Lighthouse Works, an artists’ residency on Fishers Island.
Dr. David M. Tripold is an associate professor of music in the Music and Theatre Arts Department at Monmouth University. He received his doctorate in liturgical studies from Drew University and a Master of Music Degree in Sacred Music from Westminster Choir College of Rider University.
Tripold has taught at Monmouth University since 1997. His research focuses on the repertoire and cultural climate of 19th-century American church music. Since coming to Monmouth University, he has taught courses in music theory, music history, music appreciation, choral conducting, group voice, music education methods, ear training, and choir. Likewise, he has conducted or trained soloists and choirs for well over 100 concerts and musical theatre productions during his tenure at Monmouth.
His most recent publication is Sing to the Lord a New Song: Choirs in the Worship and Culture of the Dutch Reformed Church in America, 1785-1860, which was published in 2012 by Eerdmans Publishing in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Tripold is currently spearheading a project on worship and music of the Reformed Church in America 1865-1929. He is specifically fond of the independent studies that focus on American church music and culture.
“I am especially proud of The Global Understanding initiative, a vital and wide-reaching entity established at Monmouth University to connect people of different ethnic backgrounds, to breach invisible walls, and to counteract insular and unfounded points of view between people of differing ethnicities,” says Tripold. “Monmouth’s work in this regard has been groundbreaking and essential to a mission of bringing about social change through cooperation.”
One of his favorite Monmouth memories was the Music and Theatre Department’s trip to England to visit London, Oxford, Bath, and Stratford-upon-Avon.
Joe Rapolla is the Chair of the Music & Theater Arts Department at Monmouth University and Director of the Music Industry Program (MBA ‘90, Monmouth). Since taking over as department chair in July of 2013, Rapolla has completely redesigned the program, helming the launch of Blue Hawk Records, a student-run record label.
In addition, Rapolla is responsible for forming innovative partnerships with organizations such as Asbury Park-based Lakehouse Recording Studios, as well as the GRAMMY Museum. Monmouth University is one of only nine universities nationwide with access to GRAMMY Museum content for educational purposes, curriculum resources, research programs, professional development seminars, collaborative marketing and promotions, project-based learning and unique student internship opportunities. These partnerships further the goal of providing students with real world experiences and hands-on projects to complement Monmouth’s comprehensive academic offerings.
Rapolla is also a marketing and strategy consultant for music, media, entertainment and consumer brands. He built and headed integrated consumer marketing departments at both Universal Music and Warner Music Group, where he successfully introduced and created direct-to-consumer marketing/CRM strategies, campaigns and platforms. Additionally, Rapolla directed all digital marketing for a video game start-up partnered with Def Jam Enterprises.
Rapolla’s work has won honors by AdAge for innovative campaign design and results, and has also been recognized by the Direct Marketing Association, which endowed him with two top ECHO Awards. Case studies of his work are highlighted in The Customer Loyalty Solution written by direct marketing pioneer, Arthur Hughes.
As a performing songwriter and producer, Rapolla has released three studio CD’s and produced dozens more, including a film soundtrack. Rapolla collaborates with top writers and artists in NYC and Nashville, and continues to perform locally and abroad.
Monmouth University is proud to announce the opening of an art exhibit celebrating Dr. Vincent DiMattio’s career as a professor in the Art & Design department. The exhibit will be on display in all three of the University’s galleries from September 4th through December 7th. This year marks DiMattio’s 50th year as a faculty member and a renowned member of the Monmouth community. DiMattio received his Master’s in Fine Arts from Southern Illinois University and his Bachelor’s in Fine Arts from Massachusetts College of Art. He joined Monmouth’s faculty in 1968, where he served as department chair and as gallery director for more than 20 years. He is credited with starting the gallery program at Monmouth University.
DiMattio has had his work shown internationally in Spain, Puerto Rico, and Mexico, and in the United States. His work has also been show in the Newark and Trenton Museums. In 1999, selections from DiMattio’s 30-year retrospective exhibit at Monmouth University were used for his first retrospective in New York City at the Susan Berke Gallery.
In 2004, he co-authored the book, The Drawings and Watercolors of Lewis Mumford with his colleague Professor Kenneth Stunkel, published by the prestigious Edwin Melon Press. In 2005, he received a grant from the Liquitex Paint Company for the completion of over 60 “tube paintings,” which led to a major exhibition at Brookdale Community College. Besides being named distinguished professor in 2013, he was also honored to have an art scholarship established in his name and having the art gallery in Rechnitz Hall named in his honor.
DiMattio is excited to be displaying his artwork covering his vast, diverse career. He is looking forward to sharing with people his appreciation for Monmouth University as a “magical place to work with students and faculty.” When asked where he draws inspiration from when producing his work, DiMattio responded with saying he does not really look to any particular source, rather that he concerns himself with getting the work done and applying the skills that demonstrate his passion. He believes that “art can be found in people.” Citing the recent deaths of singer Aretha Franklin and Senator John McCain, DiMattio admires people who can move others to engage in art and reach greater heights.
The exhibition is on display through December 7th in the DiMattio Art Gallery in Rechnitz Hall, The Rotary Ice House Gallery and the Pollak Gallery. The exhibit is free and open to the public. There will be an opening reception on Friday, September 14th from 6:00 pm – 9:00 pm
