MEET OUR ALUMNI
Dustin LaValley is the author of ‘BEETLES.’
Graduate’s writing is more than an ‘Escape’
Dustin LaValley is the author of his own destiny.
A 2009 SUNY Adirondack graduate, LaValley has been an accomplished screenwriter, author and comic book creator for more than a decade.
“I was selling screenplays, books, comic books, consulting for televisions and editing for independent publishers before my two-year degree was complete,” LaValley said.
A native of Plattsburgh, he has worked as a writer for Showtime’s “Ray Donovan” and “Escape at Dannemora,” and his screenplays have received numerous awards, including Best Drama at the 2018 West Coast Film Festival and an IMDb Independent Short Films Award in 2014.
LaValley credits Professor Emeritus Paul Gallipeo with helping him unlock his talent and find his voice as a writer.
“Dr. Gallipeo noticed my enthusiasm for written assignments and urged me to pursue creative writing exercises that would turn into my first professional sales,” said LaValley, who lives in the southern Adirondacks.
LaValley recently published the hardcover comic “BEETLES!” in the United Kingdom. The story is an homage to the 1950s big-bug and atomic test films, according to the author.
“Much of what Dr. Gallipeo taught me about writing atmosphere is what made this comic script stand out to the publisher and snagged me a contract,” he said.
Carmel Harwood credits the SUNY Adirondack Creative Writing program with helping her develop realistic career objectives.
Young writer balances career, creativity
Carmel Harwood is a human resources professional by day and a writer by night.
Harwood, who graduated in May from SUNY Adirondack with a degree in Creative Writing, lives in Tennessee and works in Georgia as a recruiter for Hanwha Q-Cells, the largest solar manufacturing facility in the Western Hemisphere.
“The SUNY Adirondack Creative Writing program gave me a very realistic look at what it means and takes to be a successful writer. It is not the norm for writers to be instantly successful. It takes consistent work, networking connections and perseverance to achieve publication,” said Harwood.
Although Harwood has dreams of becoming a published author, she also enjoys her day job.
“I would like to establish a steady working career, quite possibly in human resources, that would allow me to write regularly and publish my creative works,” she said.
She credits the faculty at SUNY Adirondack with giving her the foundation she needs to be successful.
“My professors were able to instill both optimism and realism in their lessons, which I truly appreciate,” she said.
MEET OUR FACULTY
Distinguished Professor of English Lale Davidson works with students on a writing assignment.
"We are one of the few community college Creative Writing programs with a visiting author program integrated into the degree program. Every year we have a few startlingly talented student writers — usually autodidacts — who inspire the entire class to engage in creative thinking more seriously and yet more playfully at the same time." — Lale Davidson, distinguished professor of English
CENTER FOR READING AND WRITING
The Center for Reading and Writing is located in the library in the Scoville Learning Center.
Demand for tutoring center continues to grow
In the age of emojis and text messaging, SUNY Adirondack’s Center for Reading and Writing is helping students find their words.
The language lab, located on the main floor of the library in the Scoville Learning Center and at the SUNY Adirondack Saratoga Tutoring Center, gives students the opportunity to work with tutors at any stage of their reading or writing project – from understanding an assignment and brainstorming ideas to proofreading the final draft of a written paper.
The center, which is also open to faculty and staff, has become a popular resource, according to Khristeena Lute, assistant professor of English and CRW director.
“We’ve gone up in foot traffic about 30 percent just since the Spring semester,” Lute said.
The facility, which promotes the skills needed for college-level learning, is so well utilized that Lute suggests students make an appointment to assure they get the help they need.
“The CRW is essential to students because it provides another space and environment in which to learn, in addition to the classroom,” she said. “As writers, we all benefit from different perspectives, and the CRW’s tutors can help meet that need — whether it’s a creative piece or a an academic paper. We greatly enjoy the one-on-one sessions with our clients and seeing them grow into their roles as academics and writers. “
MEET OUR FACULTY
Stephanie Drotos is assistant professor of English and a reading specialist at SUNY Adirondack.
