“An optimist is a person who sees a green light everywhere, while a pessimist sees only the red stoplight. . . The truly wise person is colorblind.”

- Albert Schweitzer (1875-1965)
Full-Time Faculty
Professor Steve Jackson is the Department's first full-time faculty member and currently its senior faculty member. With twenty years of experience as a television producer and director, Professor Jackson (or 'Peej' as the students call him) teaches creative courses in video and film production, digital photography, web design, and often teaches law, theory, or other core courses for the department. Professor Jackson is a graduate of the University of South Carolina. Professor Jackson led the design team that developed the Center for Creative Media.
Associate Faculty
Dr. Thea Harrington is the chair of English and Communication Studies, and was the driving force behind the creation of the Communication Studies program. Dr. Harrington has graduate degrees from the University of Buffalo, and can most often be found teaching speach courses. She’s lectured extensively at literature and modern language conferences across the country, and has been published in the scholarly journals Hypatia and Sophia. She’s a member of the American Association of University Women, International Association for Philosophy and Literature, and the Modern Language Association.
Dr. Amy Smith is the head of the College Honors Program and a Professor of English. Dr. Smith has a background in journalism, and assists in teaching writing courses for the Department, as well as working closely with students in the Media Writing concentration. Dr. Smith has graduate degrees from the University of Buffalo, and enjoys playing with baby alligators.
Dr. Taylor Doherty is the College's first theatre professor, and works closely with the Department of Communication by offering a variety of speech and film courses. Dr. Doherty has graduate degrees from the University of Buffalo. Taylor distinctly does not like playing with baby alligators, nor does he enjoy having his bio written by Communication Studies Professors, but he does like his picture.
Dr. Tony Hughes is a Professor of English with a specialization in film studies, and teaches many of the college's film courses. Dr. Hughes has graduate degrees from the University of Buffalo, and is the director of Hilbert’s Creative Studies Program' Hughes can talk about poetry and short fiction writing and writing strategies. He also organizes the college’s successful Visiting Artist Series' bringing to campus nationally and regionally known artists.
Dr. Charles Ernst is a Professor of Liberal Studies with a specialization in English, and teaches several sections of speach as well. Dr. Ernst also is the managing editor of the College Newspaper. A frequent speaker at various professional conferences' he’s past president and executive director of the New York State College English Association' and a member of the national College English Association and the Renaissance Society of America.
Professor Herb Kauderer is an Assistant Professor of English and also has a background in Business, and in Creative Writing. He has a graduate degree from Buffalo State College, and is pursuing another at Goddard College in Vermont.
Adjunct Faculty
Professor Jim Sturm is an adjunct professor teaching both in creative track and the organizational behavior track for the Department. Jim is a member of the American College Personnel Association and the International Leadership Association and is also Vice President of Student Life at Hilbert College

Library Consultant
Ms. Kate Maragliano received her Master of Library Science from the University of Buffalo and Bachelor of Arts, English from SUNY Fredonia. As the McGrath Library liaison for the Language & Media Arts Department, Kate works closely with Communications students and faculty. A proponent for continuous professional development (and curious by nature) she enrolled in the Communications program to see what all the fuss was about. She loves to liaison, but also likes to use various power tools and to bake scones for friends and family.
Graduate Fellows
TBA