Ariel Nicholson Murtagh

Beacon Conference 2025 (Presenter)

• Presented a research paper titled "Auteur Theory and the Essence of Authorship: A Literature Review," which was centered around film theory and varying approaches to film criticism

Outstanding Student Scholar Award

• Presented by RCC Student Involvement for academic and extracurricular achievements (2025)

Maxwell Anderson Award 

• Presented by the RCC Foundation for a literary analysis paper entitled "Esther’s Echo: Mythology and Viewing the Apparitional in Bleak House" (2025)

SUNY CASE Award- Nominee

• Twice nominated by faculty for the SUNY Chancellor's Award for Student Excellence (2025, 2026); 2026 decision pending

BoF 500: The People Shaping the Global Fashion Industry

• Selected by The Business of Fashion (BoF) for their annual list of influential figures in fashion (2018)

Film Club (Founder and President), 09/2025 to 12/2025

• Held weekly meetings centered around film discussion, education, and event planning
• Wrote and co-directed a short film that was shown to the student body
• Screened multiple films on campus
• Oversaw and advised film zine publication

Poetry Club (President), 09/2024 to 12/2025

• Planned various events, including poetry readings, workshops, and film screenings
• Facilitated a supportive and collaborative environment in which students shared original poetry

Theater (Actor), 10/2024 to 11/2025

• Performed principal roles in two mainstage campus productions during Fall 2024 and Fall 2025 semesters
• Participated in Rockland Shakespeare Company's twenty-eighth season during Summer 2025

Impulse Magazine (Editor), 09/2024 to 05/2025

• Edited writing submissions for on-campus arts magazine
• Collaborated on layout of book
• Encouraged students to submit original art and writing

Presidents Society (Student Representative), 09/2025 - 12/2025

• Served as a student body representative for internal and external relations to the college
• Participated in weekly professional development workshops with visiting guests
• Worked at various fundraising events promoting the college

Published writer of print and digital articles, including:

• Elephant Magazine, January 2024. "I'll Carry Her with Me: Ariel Nicholson on the Late Pippa Garner."
• Vogue, Condé Nast, February 2023. "Ariel Nicholson on Finding Solace in Dressing Up and Coming of Age in Fashion."
• Perfect Magazine, April 2023. "Fashion is changing, and so am I."

Worked as an actor in several projects, including:

• The Sweet East (2023) dir. Sean Price Williams
• Body Language-Vogue (2022) dir. Camille Summers-Valli
• Khaite FW21 (2021) dir. Sean Baker
• Jungle Red (2021) dir. Jeremy Scott