Alyse is an award-winning documentary director and producer whose work marries artful filmmaking with rigorous journalism. Her films have been featured on HBO, Netflix, FX, HULU, VICE, CBS, CNN, and The New York Times. She studied history at the University of Virginia and earned a Master’s in Journalism and Documentary filmmaking from New York University. She’s currently an Assistant Teaching Professor of Journalism and Media Studies at Rutgers’ School of Communication and Information.

Project Title: Digital Minds Production Course

This project integrated the Rutgers Democracy Lab’s theme, “Inspiring Democratic Engagement,” into the core Digital Media Production course for Journalism and Media Studies majors. Students will learn journalistic and technical skills while reporting local stories about civic and political participation. Through structured class activities exploring the role of the press, local field reporting, and 2–3 produced video assignments, the course connects democratic theory to lived experience and encourages students to become active, curious storytellers.