Alumni, students, faculty, and staff came together at Homecoming on September 27 to film a conversation between Emmy Award-winning broadcaster Steve Adubato, PhD, and Montclair State University President Jonathan Koppell. The two-part discussion premiered on “Think Tank with Steve Adubato” and is now available to stream digitally.
Think Tank with Steve Adubato tackles broader national policy issues impacting New Jersey and the tri-state region. The program questions the nature of political discourse and the role of government, higher education, the impact of technology, changes in healthcare, the future of energy, and media leadership.
The conversation between Adubato and President Koppell covered topics ranging from the importance of bold leadership to the state of American media to the role of Universities in fostering a civically engaged populace.
Adubato graduated from Montclair in 1980, majoring in Political Science. “It was a pleasure to speak with President Koppell on campus for Homecoming about the pressing issues facing colleges today, including balancing safety, free speech, and academic freedom, navigating the use of artificial intelligence, the role of college presidents in these challenging times, as well as the role of independent media in preserving our democracy,” said Adubato. “It was great to return to my alma mater and talk with President Koppell about these very important topics.”
Students from Professor Stuart MacLelland’s Art & Cultural capstone production class directed and served as crew for the program. They worked closely with Professor Vernard Gantt and the PBS Team for the taping.
Chloe S. Swift ‘22, lead producer of One-on-One with Steve Adubato, served as the lead producer of the production. Swift graduated from Montclair with a BA in Television and Digital Media from the College of Communication and Media. “I truly enjoyed returning to Montclair State University to produce two live-to-tape specials of Dr. Adubato and Dr. Koppell,” said Swift. “I feel incredibly blessed for the foundation Montclair’s curriculum, professors, and support staff created for my professional career. I am excited to share this piece with everyone who could not be there in person to witness it.”
The collaboration between students, faculty, staff, and alumni created a dynamic learning environment that blended creativity, mentorship, and professional expertise. Together, this diverse team formed a vibrant experience that culminated in a polished and compelling production. Doing so during Homecoming made the experience even more meaningful as it celebrates shared traditions and reconnects generations of the Red Hawk community.
Watch Part 1 and Part 2 of the conversation today! The programs are also available on SteveAdubato.org, Steve Adubato’s YouTube channel, MyNJPBS.org, Thirteen.org, the Thirteen Explore app and the NJ PBS app.
