Derek DeAngelis seeks to fulfill lifelong dream of becoming comedian

Derek DeAngelis has performed several gigs, including Caroline's on Broadway and the Gramercy Comedian Club in NYC.

By Andrew Cohen
Staff Writer

Derek DeAngelis is one funny graphic design major.

While the 21-year-old senior at William Paterson University enjoys studying the arts, his real hopes and dreams lie in becoming a successful comedian and entertainer.

“Graphic design is really just something I hope to fall back on someday,” said DeAngelis. “Doing stand-up comedy and performing in front of an audience is where I really see myself being successful.”
DeAngelis is not one to simply watch his dream pass him by. After taking Fundamentals of Comedy Writing and Performance in the Communication Department two years ago, DeAngelis performed several gigs including some at Caroline’s on Broadway and the Gramercy Comedian Club in New York City.

Graduating senior reflects on five years of frustration in the Ed. Dept.

By Steve DeGennaro
Staff Writer

I look at the blue-studded gold ring with the WPU letters on one side and the BA symbol on the other and reflect on the last five years, 143 credits, good experiences, bad experiences, and wasted time in the certification program.

That was my time at William Paterson University.

I enrolled as a History major in 1998 with intentions to pursue certification in secondary education. I didn’t know what to expect in the education program for good reason—there was virtually no communication between the department and its students. The department, it appears, relays its information through the individual classes. In my case, this proved a failure.

I took Teaching as a Profession in the fall 1999 semester; I was looking forward to the class and the certification program. Since my freshman year of high school, I had dreamed of becoming a history teacher.. I was in for a rude awakening.

One would expect students to learn how to do a lesson plan, what the fundamental concepts of education are, and what to expect from the rest of the program. Instead, classes became soap opera forums. One professor spent class after class discussing his dating experiences, and the details of his divorce. I learned more about the exploits of Madonna than about the rudiments of the educational spectrum.