Students & Faculty
Students
O’marah Abdul started as a Business major but soon realized her true calling and has been studying Photojournalism at MCC for the last two years. She enjoys reflecting on the human condition through her camera lens. Her love for art extends to other disciplines as well. Through painting and sketching both physically and digitally, O’marah successfully creates complex worlds between the observer and her work.
Bernard Alexander is a Political Science major in his second semester at MCC. Born and raised in Rochester, he jumped at the opportunity to research and learn more about his historic birthplace and the groundbreaking activists that graced this city. An intern for Senator Samra Brouk, Bernard has a deep commitment to the betterment of his community and works tirelessly with his team to help the Senator in any way they can. Bernard enjoys reading political theory, traveling, and gardening in his free time, focusing on building self-sustainable gardens to last him through the spring and summer months.
Bethany Couture is a Visual Communications student with a concentration on Photography at MCC. After MCC, Bethany plans on continuing her education at RIT, attaining a BFA degree in Photographic and Imaging Arts, with an advertising photography option. She is also a mother of three children and a volunteer photographer for the grassroots organization Citizen Action, photographing demonstrations requesting NYS to pay the promised Foundation Aid to Rochester City School District.
Ruth Dalton is a Tlingit Alaskan Native American and is currently a Global Studies major at MCC. She is to receive her associate’s degree from MCC in the fall of 2021. She plans to further her studies by attending the University at Buffalo in the spring of 2022 to achieve a bachelor’s degree in Political Science with an International Politics and Asian Studies concentration. During her study abroad in Taipei, Taiwan, in 2017-2018, she was inspired to further her studies in East Asian politics, culture, and language. During her studies at MCC, Ruth has been a part of the Indigenous Peoples of Americas Club, Chinese Culture Club, and Model United Nations, and is proud to have been a part of this event for MCC’s Institute for the Humanities.
Nicole Doughty is a Liberal Arts major in the School of Social Sciences and Global Studies, currently finishing her last semester at MCC. She plans to transfer into a political science, philosophy, or pre-law bachelor’s program this coming fall. During her time at MCC, Nicole has been both a participant and leader of many campus organizations, including the Politicos (MCC’s political science club), Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society, and MCC’s Debate Team. Nicole is thrilled to bring her political science knowledge and student leadership experience to the 2021 Institute for the Humanities project, Culture, History & Memory: Bridging Rochester’s Past & Present.
Jahfeieth Elliott is a Rochester-born photographer who is currently in the Photography program at MCC. He in is his second year at MCC and has plans to continue the study of photography after his program at MCC is complete. He became interested in photography in his high school years as a means of documenting life around him while making permanent memories with family and friends. In his personal work, he explores documentary photography, fine art photography, and street photography by capturing the environment in whatever way he find creatively interesting. He seeks to be a voice for urban communities by bringing forth compelling images and stories of people who are otherwise unnoticed in traditional media. He wants to thank MCC for giving him this amazing opportunity to be a part of this project and looks forward to graduation in spring 2021.
Marisol Morales is a second-year Global Studies major at MCC set to graduate in spring 2021. After graduation, she plans to pursue a bachelor’s degree at SUNY Albany. She previously worked as a member of MCC’s Model United Nations team. Being a part of the LGBTQ+ community, she hopes to bring a queer perspective to discussions of politics and global issues while also uplifting the voices of fellow BIPOC in the community. Outside of the academic world, she spends her time writing original fiction, writing music, and trying out new recipes in the kitchen.
Megan Reilly is a Visual Communications major at MCC. She was born and raised in Rochester, New York. From a very young age, she has been passionate about art and knew she wanted to make an impact on the world. Her goal is to travel the globe taking photographs and capturing different cultures. Much of her personal work focuses on her love for nature and the unknown.
Melissa Tylock is a VCO2 major with a concentration of photography, and she is expected to graduate in May 2021. During her time at MCC, Melissa has been awarded The William H. Lagerway and Faith Prather Endowed Scholarship for Students in Photography. In addition, her piece “Life During Covid” has been selected to represent MCC in the 35th League For Innovation Art Competition. After graduating, Melissa plans to continue her education at University at Buffalo. Melissa feels incredibly grateful to have been a part of this project, it has been an experience she won’t forget, and she hopes to do similar work in the future.
Faculty
Jasna Bogdanovska is an Associate Professor of Photography at MCC, as well as a professional visual storyteller, creative director, and avid traveler. As an educator, Bogdanovska has taught classes in Iceland and has created numerous international collaborations for her students with students in Taiwan, Brazil, and Canada. She has given lectures at various conferences, workshops, and universities around the world. As a photographer and filmmaker, she is a recipient of American Advertising Awards and was awarded SUNY Chancellor’s Grant for Innovative Study Abroad Programs. Her artwork has been shown nationally and internationally in solo and group exhibitions. Most recently she has been selected as the 2021-2022 Internationalization Fellow from Cornell University’s South and Southeast Asia Programs. Bogdanovska has been Artist-in-Residence at Gullkistan Center for Creativity in Iceland and Centre d’Art I Natura in Spain.
Joseph Scanlon, Ph.D., is an Assistant Professor of Political Science at MCC. Scanlon received his doctoral degree from the Northern Illinois University School of Public and Global Affairs. His teaching and research interests include American Government, Comparative Politics, and International Relations, with a specialized research interest in the global politics of sport. Scanlon is also the coordinator of The Democracy Commitment at MCC. This initiative promotes civic engagement, participation in civic education, and meaningful democratic practices such as deliberative dialogues. Scanlon is an active participant in MCC’s Collaborative Online International Learning initiative. Students in his International Politics course are currently collaborating on a project with students at Universidad Simón Bolívar in Venezuela.
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