PROFESSOR, MEDIA & CULTURAL STUDIES
DEPT. OF COMMUNICATION, FILM, & THEATER
ALLEGHENY COLLEGE
BOX 45. 520 NORTH MAIN STREET
MEADVILLE, PA 16335
EMAIL: iroy@allegheny.edu
As a Liberal Arts Media & Cultural Studies Professor :
I'm an advocate for interdisciplinary thinking, a fan of lifelong inquiry and community- engaged learning, a global explorer, and a communication strategist.
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Click here to learn more about the Immunity is Community Health Fair coming up on
01 April 2023.
Click here to explore the work done by students in Cohort IV (2020-23) of the Global Citizen Scholars Program at Allegheny College.
MY EDUCATION
B.A & M.A
(English Lit.)
Bombay University, India
M.A. & Ph.D (Communication)
Annenberg School for Communication at the
University of Southern California,
Los Angeles
Media & Cultural Studies
Nation Branding
Postcolonialism & Globalization
Diversity & Social Justice
Integrated Marketing Communication & Storytelling
Digital & New Media Trends
You can listen to Ray Colabawalla and Hunter Goerman discuss their summer research experience on an episode of the "Gator Tails' podcast series, here.
"Disruptive Learning and An Ethics of Sustainable Development: The Case of an SDG-Themed Community Engaged Learning Cohort for Future Leaders," co-presented with Dr. Caryl Waggett, Allegheny College, USA (17 June 2022) at the 5th World Symposium on Sustainable Development at Universities.
Our presentation used the case study of an undergraduate first-year cohort of Allegheny College Global Citizen Scholars studying SDG 5 (Gender Equality & Women’s Empowerment). During the COVID lockdown, these students participated in a virtual community-engaged learning initiative developed in collaboration with the community partner (Women’s Services Inc.). While most higher education initiatives use the SDGs in courses oriented towards global problem-solving, our case study explored how the SDGs can provide the foundation to build more inclusive partnerships, framed by an "ethics of care," between academic institutions and community partners.
Spring 2020: Students in my Branding and Storytelling course had been collecting stories for a blog that would showcase Allegheny College student life when COVID-19 changed everything. Online classes, social distancing, quarantines, and shutdowns became our new reality. Out of this chaos we created "Gator Quad" and @gatorquad -- virtual quadrangles or gathering spaces that we associate with the vibrancy of campus life, and where current Gators and alum shared their unfolding experiences.
In 2009, I partnered with a department faculty colleague, the Allegheny College Student Government, and a dedicated group of student ambassadors. We brought together departments and offices across the Allegheny College campus to produce an entire year's worth of inspirational programming, educational and outreach efforts.
Click HERE to see the highlights from the 2009 annual theme efforts (Adobe Reader needed):
Click here to see the student work from the EXL 300 (Cross-Cultural Learning, Theory & Practice) course for study away/abroad designed and taught by me from 2005- 2013.
In summer 2024, I hope to take students on another study abroad summer Global Learning seminar to Kenya, Africa.