Dr. Ozgur “Oz” Akgun, a lecturer at SUNY Old Westbury for the past 3 years, has embodied SUNY OW’s inclusivity, landing him a well-deserved spot as a lecturer and the manager of the Media Innovation Center and the college’s television station (OWTV).
When Oz was asked about what first made him interested in television, he recalls, “I was not interested in television specifically, [but] I have always been interested in filming and creating content.” He continues, “When I was in college, television production was the mainstream focus, so I focused my attention on TV and advertising production fields.”
Dr. Oz’s motivation for becoming a teacher came from his parents. He says he was inspired by their teaching styles, and they became role models for him. “I saw their relationship with their students and dedication to teaching, no matter how challenging it might be… Working with young and diverse minds is very rewarding. Especially if we can make a positive change in even one student’s life.”
Akgun studied film at Istanbul University’s School of Communication. He received his Bachelor’s Degree, Masters of Arts, and Ph. D degrees in TV and film studies. Akgun received his M.B.A at the University of Texas and his M.F.A at the University of Maine. Currently, he is working on his second Ph.D. at the University of Maine.
Now, he manages the Media Innovation Center (MIC) at SUNY Old Westbury, an environment for diverse groups of students and faculty of the college to make their projects come to life. His job as the manager of MIC is to work with interns and volunteers which Dr. Oz says he loves deeply. In addition, he focuses on building a community by making off-campus connections to “bridge the professional world with academia.” He is also part of the SAM/DASNY grant, which focuses on improving the current equipment with a state-of-the-art television studio and mobile journalism technology.
However, the Media Innovation Center and OWTV have suffered from the recent COVID-19 outbreak. The pandemic negatively affected the resources that students in the communications department have access to. “Unfortunately, COVID-19 impacted MIC negatively like everything around us,” he said. “Hands-on experience is an essential aspect of the Media Production field, and our students lost precious time due to [the pandemic].”
Despite the setbacks that COVID-19 created for the college’s television station and Media Innovation Center, the department does have upcoming projects that Akgun is excited to share. The Media Innovation Center received a $1.125 million grant from the NY State and Municipal Facilities Program, which has allowed MIC to expand its interdisciplinary projects. For Akgun and his students, this means updated technology and improved teaching spaces for a more in-depth learning environment.
Akgun continues to inspire his students and works hard towards building a fulfilling environment for them. He thinks that the best advice for students pursuing a career in communications is to stay productive. “Content should be better than earlier ones.” He encourages his students to articulate and express their thoughts, and he has an open mind to learn from them as well.
