Those who are elementary education majors must also major in fine arts to fulfill the dual-major requirements in the School of Education. Freshman Matthew Thornton of Oak Ridge, NJ, learned of Rider's theater arts program during the summer of 1999 as a high school senior enrolled in the Governor's School of the Arts at the College of New Jersey. Rider's Miriam Mills, an adjunct assistant professor in theater, serves as director of the Governor's School's theater program. Since acting and directing make me feel so good, I want to help other students who desire to become actors. Rider's program places emphasis on the right things.
Faculty members emphasize how theater is important in other aspects of life.
Most actors, for example, will not have difficulty making a boardroom presentation or memorizing lines for a deadline. After all, opening night is opening night. When she attended the Governor's School of the Arts and visited Rider for an open house in the summer of 1998, she instinctively knew that Rider is where she would enroll. During open house I saw Patrick Chmel, chairman of the fine arts department, direct a rehearsal for the production, Love Rides The Rails , and I thought it was awesome. This past fall, Donohue co-directed the fine arts department's The Improv Show , Laughingstock 2000.