“New” Video Production professor is the most hirable man in Cabrini history

The Cabrini University communication department has welcomed back John Doyle, coined by Dr. Jerry Zurek as ‘the most hirable man in Cabrini history,’ with open arms this 2017 semester as an adjunct professor for a course in Video Production.

Doyle, a 1985 Cabrini graduate, has always had a love for video production and ultimately chose to attend Cabrini because of the then-developing video studio, and felt the need to be a part of an innovative program with cutting edge technology.

“I came to Cabrini because I loved the small atmosphere of the communication department, and the college was in the midst of expanding the department and building the studio.” Doyle said. “I loved the idea that I could be a piece of a ground-up organization. The Loquitur was winning every award imaginable, and we were diving into television and radio work.”

As a resident that lived on the second floor of Grace Hall, which is now staff offices, Doyle loved the community that Cabrini possessed with only having Grace Hall, Woodcrest, the Mansion, and the houses to reside in for on-campus housing. Graduating as an English communication and history double major with a background of religion and philosophy, Doyle loved the connection and mentorship that arose from the closeness between his professors and him along with the broad spectrum of education that Cabrini provided.

Since his graduation, Doyle has been more than just an alumnus. After receiving his Master’s Degree from Villanova, he returned to Cabrini to get his degree in Secondary Education, as well as work as a Resident Director for Residence Life on Cabrini’s campus, eventually working his way up to Assistant Director and then to Director of Residence Life.

“For a period of time I lived in the apartment right off of the entry-way in the newly-built Xavier Hall, and my wife and I had our wedding reception in the second-floor lounge.” Doyle said. “When my wife got pregnant, we were offered to move into the gatehouse right off of the King of Prussia road entrance, where we had a massive number of babysitters who would walk down from the heart of campus.”

Once it was time to move on from his position in Residence Life, Doyle started to work at a theater company and a high school, but still found time to come back to Cabrini to work with the theater department as well as teaching a creative writing course for an amount of time.

After a brief hiatus from teaching at Cabrini, he is now back to teach Video Production. “I’ve been teaching and running the video production in Norristown School District for 12 years now.” Doyle said. “When Jerry Zurek asked me to come back and teach this course I knew that it would mean a 14-hour day for me, but I walked into class and interacted with my group of students and I haven’t had anything less than a positive experience. I’m dumbfounded by the quality and commitment of the students, the extraordinary sense of humor, and the willingness to compensate for each other’s strengths and faults.”

While he’s learning what the course requires and what students need to learn from him, the Cabrini students enrolled in his course have had great experiences. “Professor Doyle is wonderful.” Digital communication major Emily Miller said. “I can tell that he cares about each of us in his own way, and adapts well to what we each need to learn best.”

No matter the type of day that Doyle has, as soon as he walks into the production studio, he brightens up. “I go home and I tell my wife that by the time my three-hour class is over, I’m in a great mood and it’s extraordinary.” Doyle said. “I can’t express how happy I am.”

Preferring to call his jobs that fill up his day ‘activities,’ Doyle lives a life that he loves to dedicate to servicing others, and never feels that his career qualifies as work.

“He thoroughly makes me enjoy coming to class as a classroom coach who has done this many times before.” Classroom coach and digital communication major Ashley Sierzega said. “Professor Doyle makes my job easy-going and a positive experience.”

Doyle finds joy in teaching because he is fascinated with the mentor/mentee relationship that helps a child develop. “As teachers I believe that we are in charge of showing our students skills and also a way of perceiving the world that allows them to do good things.” Doyle said. “I like to watch students become better humans, while grow within their own skillset in relationship to the goals they want to accomplish. I love watching a student discover their own capacity.”