Sheila V. Evans

The impact of CCNY on my life is endless. It's an excellent historical school with ten Nobel Prize Winners, celebrated alumni, a stunning campus, and diverse students. The education programs acknowledge the teacher also as a learner. I learned that EDU courses teach not how to teach, but how to learn. A dean told me to take education courses as electives because if your chosen field is slow to hire, you can always work as a substitute teacher. Subs are always needed, and it's helpful to have education courses on your transcript. I met the film chair at the School of Visual Arts, or the SVA, when I was close to getting my master's. When he learned that I was getting my master's, he said he might have a position for me in teaching 'Acting for Animators.' I had never held a full teaching position because I am primarily a professional actor. Still, I related to animation because such a large percentage of it is directed toward children. I had loads of experience with children while subbing. I taught 'Acting for Animators' at the SVA for 14 years while also working in local travel and tourism. While touring is not schooling, it is educational. I know that having a master's from CCNY prompted the film chair at the SVA to offer me a teaching position. I have gotten a great deal of mileage from a CCNY master's. I even taught at CCNY. I taught a 'Beginning Acting' class as an adjunct in the Department of Theatre when my schedule permitted. Professor Hubert Dyasi was instrumental in my enrolling in the master's program. He selected my paper from the Workshop Center's Summer Institute in Science summer intensive out of 300 papers to present to the New York Academy of Sciences. The other important professor in my story is Professor Beverly Falk. She is an inspiration. She was my professor during a year-long thesis class. She could not have been more fascinating or supportive. She told me I have a voice as a writer. She is still teaching at CCNY and I'm still in touch with her.