INFORMATION FOR
The College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences is the largest college at William Paterson University, and home to a diverse population of more than 3,000 students. Our programs provide insight into the past and explore solutions for the future, enabling our students to build their careers, pursue advanced academic studies, and empower positive change.
We offer a wide range of outstanding programs in the visual and performing arts, communication arts, and the humanities and social sciences. Students have the opportunity to work closely with a dedicated faculty of teacher-scholars including many Fulbright fellows and others of international prominence who bring real-world experience to the classroom. In our college there are extensive opportunities for artistic creation, performance, scholarship, study abroad, and hands-on learning as a part of your academic experience.
Our internship program is designed to provide career experience that helps you connect your current educational program to your future as a successful professional. Students also benefit from state-of-the-art resources ranging from HD television broadcast studios, animation and game design labs to recording studios and a social media lab, among others. They can also participate in college conferences, academic clubs, and honor societies.
We are home to a number of signature experiences that make us unique in New Jersey and to students around the nation and world, including our internationally renowned—jazz studies program and our award-winning campus radio station, 88.7 WPSC/Brave New Radio (named “College Radio Station of the Year” by the National Association of Broadcasters).
Dean, College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences
EMAIL: davisw@wpunj.edu
PHONE: 973-720-2731
OFFICE: Atrium 260
Associate Dean, College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences
EMAIL: razzorel@wpunj.edu
PHONE: 973-720-3282
EMAIL: hilld@wpunj.edu
PHONE: 973-720-3036
The Ridgewood Symphony Orchestra (RSO), ensemble-in-residence at William Paterson University in Wayne, will present classic works by Strauss and Rimsky-Korsakov during its fall concert on campus on Saturday, October 25, 2025 in the Shea Center for the Performing Arts. The concert begins at 7:30 p.m.
The world premiere of Duncan Lemay’s orchestral jazz arrangement of Antônio Carlos Jobim’s Dindi will highlight the evening, featuring soloist Chris Komer, principal horn of the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra and a renowned jazz improviser, as well as William Paterson University student soloists Sam Wagner, guitar; Zoë Vandergast, vocals; Maria Kolesnik, drums; and Eli Leder, bass.
Komer will also serve as soloist for a performance of the third movement of Richard Strauss’s Horn Concerto No. 1. The concert concludes with Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov’s vivid Scheherazade, movements I and IV, bringing the tales of One Thousand and One Nights to life. The program will be performed without an intermission.
The RSO, a regionally based, auditioned orchestra located in Ridgewood, New Jersey, and William Paterson formed a partnership in fall 2024 designed to expand WP's orchestral offerings and connect the University’s students with the acclaimed RSO organization and its member musicians.
The partnership offers William Paterson music students an opportunity to improve their instrumental skills by rehearsing and performing with a full-size, high-quality community orchestra. Students selected to participate are also performing with the RSO during their regular 2025-26 concert season in Ridgewood. Kyunghun Kim, artistic director of the RSO, serves as an adjunct professor of music at William Paterson, teaching and mentoring the students selected to participate.
Tickets for the concert at William Paterson University are $28, $18 for senior citizens and William Paterson faculty, staff, and alumni, and $8 for non-William Paterson students. William Paterson students are admitted for free. For tickets or additional information, visit wp-presents.org, or contact the Shea Center Box Office at 973.720.2371 or boxoffice@wpunj.edu.
About the Ridgewood Symphony Orchestra
For more than 80 years, the RSO has served northern New Jersey with high-quality performances, internationally renowned guest soloists, and unique education opportunities for young musicians through its Young Musicians Festival. The orchestra is focused on collectively expanding the artistic expression of its member musicians, presenting exciting and affordable concerts to its audiences, and providing impactful education experiences to all members of the community.
Kyunghun Kim was appointed Artistic Director of the Ridgewood Symphony in 2021. He frequently appears as a guest conductor with major South Korean orchestras such as the Bucheon Philharmonic Orchestra, the SungNam Philharmonic Orchestra, and the Korean Chamber Orchestra. He also serves on the music faculty at Lehman College in New York teaching string instruments, in addition to conducting the Lehman College Chamber Orchestra, and is the orchestra director of the Music and Medicine Initiative at Cornell Medical Center. He holds a master’s degree in orchestral conducting from The Juilliard School and an artist diploma in donducting from the Curtis Institute of Music.
About the William Paterson University Department of Music
William Paterson University’s Department of Music offers bachelor’s degree programs in classical performance, jazz performance, sound engineering arts, music education, music and entertainment industries, digital music creation, and popular music, and master’s degree programs in jazz performance, jazz composition and arranging, and music education. Students work directly with world-renowned faculty and perform in a wide variety of instrumental and choral ensembles, both on campus and throughout the New York metropolitan area and gain hands-on experience in its state-of-the-art music production and recording studios.
The Center for Chinese Art at William Paterson University is dedicated to preserving and sharing the artistic heritage of China and integrating its rich tradition into the University's curriculum. Students will not only have the opportunity to view Chinese art, but draw upon its philosophy and incorporate its techniques in order to participate effectively in the increasingly global world of visual arts.
Combining coursework dedicated to the rigorous investigation of art with a broad spectrum of the most current tools and technology yields artworks that push the limits of the imagination. The activities and technology at the Center for New Art support and supplement the Art Department curriculum while also extending to other departments within the University.
"At William Paterson, I had the opportunity to get research experiences during my undergraduate studies, and that's kind of rare. I also have amazing professors who push you because they want you to be successful. They really want to help--they're not just leaving you out there alone. I really like that and feel supported here."
Sidal Yurt Earned her BA in psychology at WP in 2023 and continuing for her MA and PsyD in clinical psychology International Student from Turkey
"William Paterson was such a great force and inspiration to finding what I want to do in life. It's opened so many doors for me and allowed me to see my potential. Now that I see it, I'm going to run with it."
Justyn Chapman Double Major in Popular Music Studies and Public Relations | Class of 2023
"The resources here are top notch. William Paterson has hidden gems throughout the campus and the classrooms—resources that can really help a person grow and develop, not just in academics but also in their professional life."
Hosanna Nitro Communication/ Public Relations Major | Class of 2023
"The professors here have pushed me to grow as an individual. They encouraged me to take part in class discussions and debates, helping me go from shy and reserved to someone who speaks up and is willing to challenge herself. As a result, I was able to take part in a prestigious internship for a U.S. Congresswoman, where I recruited volunteers, participated in voter turnout events, and learned a great deal about re-election campaigns. I cannot thank my professors enough."
Dhruvisha Patel Political science, litigation paralegal at DiFrancesco, Bateman, Kunzman, Davis, Lehrer & Flaum, PC | Class of 2023
