Bijan Pulley called him “a great leader.” Alexander Felix described him as “a mentor in every sense of the word.” Rochelle Estrada said he was “an essential part of my success.”
These students traveled to Midtown Manhattan on Thursday, Dec. 12, to watch the Deadline Club, the nation’s largest chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists, elect Dr. Nick Hirshon, an associate professor in the Communication Department, as its next president.
Hirshon, previously the Deadline Club’s vice president for student affairs, founded and advises the SPJ chapter at William Paterson, known as WPSPJ, which won national campus chapter of the year in 2020 and 2023. He is the first two-time recipient of the national campus chapter advisor of the year award, in 2019 and 2021.
“Dr. Hirshon is incredibly deserving of this position,” said Estrada ’24, MS ’25. “He has worked extremely hard to provide opportunities for students as the vice president, and I know he will continue dedicating himself to spreading freedom of the press and to maintain the field of journalism for other students to become future reporters.”
Freshman Julia Menn, an international student from Germany, recalled how Hirshon cofounded a nonprofit this fall that allowed her and Felix to report live from the White House on Election Day.
“Dr. Hirshon is not just a talker,” Menn said. “If he says he is going to move mountains, you’ll probably find him halfway through with a shovel in hand.”
Felix, a senior, serves as the secretary for William Paterson’s SPJ chapter. He said he found it “amazing” to see Hirshon “surrounded by people who support and trust him to lead the Deadline Club.”
“Dr. Hirshon has done incredible work for William Paterson,” he said. “However, I want to emphasize the amazing impact he’s had on students at an individual level. I’ll be honest: when I joined SPJ, I initially thought it would just look good on my resume. But it turned into so much more. It has grown my interest in journalism and helped me build both personal and professional connections while preparing me for the future.”
Estrada, a graduate student who was previously the president of William Paterson’s SPJ chapter, won a seat on the Deadline Club’s 10-member executive council, as did fellow alum Anthony Locicero ’10, a copy editor for the New York Post. Estrada won a $2,500 Deadline Club scholarship in 2024.
“Dr. Hirshon’s involvement in the Deadline Club will be a great benefit for WPSPJ,” Estrada said. “It will allow students to increase their connections with seasoned reporters and increase brand awareness for the chapter.”
Freshman Will Gifford said that Hirshon’s election would “enhance” the journalism program. “All of the connections with other journalists to learn and explore avenues in this world will be a blessing and give us more of something we need: connections,” he said.
Pulley, a junior, agreed that Hirshon’s election “shows that the leader of our chapter is doing more than just being a professor by accomplishing great things involving journalism outside the classroom,” adding that Hirshon is “always willing to help aspiring journalists be the best they can be.”
Added Menn: “I was thrilled to witness the announcement and get an insight into Dr. Hirshon’s engagement in the Deadline Club. Seeing him receive such a special recognition was inspiring and the room was filled with cheers and applause, showing how respected and admired he is on and off campus.”
Menn continued, “Dr. Hirshon’s mentorship has been indescribably beneficial for our chapter. He has an incredible knack for finding opportunities and making them happen, which has helped many of us grow both professionally and personally. For me personally, that means experiencing firsthand how Dr. Hirshon makes the unbelievable possible, like sending me to the White House as a live correspondent.”
Also in attendance on Thursday was alum Beatrice Amune ’22, MS ’23, now the university’s development and annual giving coordinator. She said Hirshon has an “exceptional ability in guidance and leadership.”
“He has tirelessly supported WP students, helping them gain a foothold in the labor market no matter what their goals and aspirations are,” Amune said. “I’m excited to see the innovative ideas and initiatives he’ll bring to the club.”
Dr. Hirshon, an alumnus of St. John’s University and the Columbia Journalism School, began his career as an intern at the New York Daily News. He earned his Ph.D. from Ohio University in the summer of 2016 before joining William Paterson University as an assistant professor that fall. He has written for the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, and the New York Amsterdam News.
Junior Safa Hassan, the Beacon’s new editor in chief, said that she thought Dr. Hirshon’s election would attract new reporters. She said Hirshon “has been able to bring me out of my shell and encourage me to use my voice.”
