Rachel Vitello
Equinox Staff
Keene State College Associate Professor of Film Studies Jonathan Schwartz died last week after a struggle with cancer. Schwartz had been teaching at KSC since 2008. The news of Schwartz’s death was shared to the KSC community on Tuesday Oct. 9 in an email to all students and staff.
Schwartz is remembered as a professor who was passionate about his work and his students. Schwartz was an award-winning filmmaker, winning a Whiting award for his research on experimental non-fiction films.
KSC senior and film major Rory Knox had Schwartz as a professor for his film production class. His class was the last class to have Schwartz as a professor, as his last semester teaching was spring 2018.
Knox said, “He really taught me to not doubt myself when I’m making films. He basically taught me to just be fearless and to not have any doubts about my own work and to really produce to the best of my ability without worrying about what the reaction of others will be.”
Knox also said that future film students will miss out on having a professor who would have their best interests in mind, “They’re going to miss a very passionate professor, someone who really cared about his students. He would be very encouraging. He would always tell me how great of a student I was and how much he liked my work.”
KSC President Melinda Treadwell said that Schwartz’s death is a great loss to the community. “Brilliant, kind, incredible, and just a huge loss… I can’t put it into words just this is a tragic loss for the art community and the film studies department. He was just a remarkable, complicated, incredible guy, and very talented.”
“I’m going to miss walking into class and him giving me a big smile and asking how it’s going. He would always get my spirits up,” Knox said.
KSC is currently planning a campus celebration of Schwartz’s life. Once plans are decided the information will be communicated to students and faculty who would like to participate.
Schwartz set up a trust for his son, Henry. If you would like to donate, checks can be made out to The Henry Levi Schwartz Trust and mailed to Tessa Carpenter , 58 Grove Ave., Brattleboro VT 05301.
Rachel Vitello can be contacted at
rvitello@kscequinox.com
