The following are comments students have made about my classes in their teacher evaluations:
THEA321: Play Analysis, Spring 2023
“I learned so much this semester and I look at plays in a completely new light. This class have given me the confidence to produce and analyze my own plays because of all of the feedback we were given. I feel like I am better equipped at pursuing the career that I want in theatre! Additionally, I finally have the confidence to make my own plays now that we have analyzed a handful of differing plays. Thank you!!”
“I really liked this class because it was not only about teaching us the topics but also it was more about making us see the interesting parts about them that made us like the plays. Which is something I really liked about this class apart from the organization.”
“Stephen is an outstanding professor who is well-versed in his field and is more than qualified to be teaching Play Analysis. He is pleasant and humble, despite his qualifications. We appreciate that he has both the academic qualifications and experience, as well as experience from working in the modern industry. He makes the effort to not only equip us with the tools needed to approach theatre as an academic (close readings, analysis, research), but to encourage us to consider how these skills can be applied to our work both within an academic setting and as an industry professional. Students look forward to taking this class with Stephen –few professors possess all of the qualities Stephen does, and it has been a privilege to be in his class.”
“literally the best professor ever, please bring him back to teach this class again and more classes!!!”
HUM201: Explorations in the Arts, Spring 2023
“Made me much more interested in visiting theaters and cinemas. The play at soho rep was my absolute favorite it had me leaning forward in my seat. Jazz lecture had me excited for the jazz gallery, and it lived up to the expectations. Jazz gallery gave me chills from how soulful it sounded to me. Thank you for introducing me to a side of nyc I wasn’t aware about.”
“Your insight into the art pieces we explored in class was incredibly eye-opening and changed the way I look at art in my spare time.”
“I really loved this course as well as the Professor.”
“loved the class. I liked how it was structured. I had fun and enjoyed art kinds that I hadn’t tried before. Thank you.”
“This was one of the most fun classes I have attended! I loved how much you loved it, which made the teachings more interesting and the trips were so fun!! The trips allowed me to be more open up to going to museums and just roaming around looking at art! Thank you!!”
“Professor Foglia enhanced this course with numerous on site experiences, interactive and collaborative class assignments, and a fascinating knowledge of and enthusiasm for the subject matter. Students were encouraged to participate and share feedback, and every student was treated as a valuable asset to the course.”
“Amazing. Slayed.”
THEA321: Play Analysis, Fall 2022
“This was an amazing class. The structure was very crisp, probably one of the best I’ve taken and I’m a senior so it’s not my first rodeo.”
“Thank you Prof, it felt like a blessing taking your class. I’ve never felt so seen and heard by a teacher before and it was motivating and encouraging to see you actively acknowledge every student that walks into the classroom. It’s a small gesture but a has huge effect!”
“Professor Foglia was extremely dedicated to his craft. Clearly and extensively provided the class with challenging studying of the many, numerous plays he covered in class successfully. He is definitely knowledgeable as a professor and a great inspiration to all the student’s journey in the Theatre field.”
“Definitely one of the most structured classes I’ve ever been in, a huge plus. I appreciate the dedication you have to your students, honestly I don’t know how you manage all that. You’re also a professor that is very knowledgeable on theater, to the point where I can see the mountain of knowledge that I have yet to discover.”
“I absolutely loved it!”
HUM201: Explorations in the Arts, Fall 2022
“One of the best professors I’ve had at Hunter College. As a senior, out of all the classes I’ve taken thus far, this was my favorite class. Truly such a great, fun and memorable class and as a pre-med/science student, taking a humanities class really helped me to enjoy and appreciate the arts a lot more. I have learned so much and gained a lot of knowledge in being able to understand the breadth and depth of different works of art, such as art in museums, films, theater plays, music and more. I HIGHLY recommend everyone take Professor Foglia and this class.”
“I am really glad I joined this class in the beginning of the semester. I really enjoyed all of different spaces that we went to see and it made my first semester much more eventful. Thank you for making this class interesting as well as teaching us all the different types of art. It was my favorite class for sure!”
“Professor Stephen was a fantastic professor and I cannot think of a better way to teach a course like this. He is a valuable asset in the Hunter College faculty and I hope he continues to be valued and teach more and more hunter students. I feel as though I have become more worldly, inquisitive, creatively and intellectually curious, and more confident to enter spaces that are more esoteric and not easily open to anyone except people who are in the arts. I recommend this class to anyone I know who needs creative expression credit!”
“Professor Foglia taught an interesting, informative, and useful class. The variety of class outings brought us around the city and highlighted the importance of the arts in New York City today and throughout history. The reading materials provided were relevant and helped to provide context for the writing assignments. His detailed responses to all written assignments helped me identify my strengths and weaknesses as a writer, and take the course more seriously. I had the pleasure of being in class with many students who are majoring in the sciences, and it was clear that not all this information is common knowledge and does a great service to the students. I highly recommend this class and instructor, I believe it should be a core requirement for all Hunter students.”
“Hiiiii I cannot express how much I really enjoyed this class. You are such a good educator, instructor, mentor, and even friend. I loved every single trip and being able to have meaningful conversations with you. Your response to me asking for a letter of rec almost had me in tears because it was so sweet and kind. I really really really appreciate how much you do for us!! Thank you so much for the great time and you were definitely my fav instructor at Hunter :)))) thank you <3”
“This class was very enjoyable and really got me to appreciate the cultural museums and theaters etc in NYC that I never experienced before. Though the timing for some events weren’t that great, it’s understandable for a class that goes on trips for performances. Overall great class with a good selection of assignments that aren’t stressful but really get your head thinking about the benefits of all these things. Thank you for the wonderful semester, its been an eye opening experience for a lot of things.”
“your class was one of the most fun classes I had ever had at Hunter. Of course, that would have not been like that without you being a professor for this class.”
“It was a fun experience, and it really has encouraged me to check out more cultural experiences like the lincoln center, art museums, and other theatres. I think because of the pandemic, I haven’t had a chance to explore everything close to Hunter. It’s saddening, but now that everything is opening, there are more opportunities everywhere to experience art and the humanities, and this class really showed me that. Thank you for being a wonderful professor”
“Thank you so much this is one of the beautiful classes that I ever had and the best professor .”
“I want to thank you for teaching us this semester, I really enjoyed taking this class with you; you are THE best professor at Hunter, truly a professor who is so passionate about his field of work and thus made me, and I’m sure the others, just as excited about the arts and humanities. I am glad I took this class before I graduated, really a great class to end my journey at Hunter :)”
“I had so much fun in your class. It was definitely an experience to remember. I really appreciate your passions for what you do and your perspectives on art that allowed me to see the urban landscape in a different way. I’m excited for the future of this program, and I hope your future students will have as much of an enjoyable experience as I did! “
THEA321: Play Analysis, Spring 2022
“this is definitely a very challenging class. I like that the habit of reading is promoted. I read more books this semester than I did in a whole year in high school. I liked the way he explains each point. and is very strict when it comes to grading. But you will love his class.”
“Keep up the great work!”
THEA321: Play Analysis, Spring 2021
“I loved this class! Steve is a great teacher. He’s very insightful and dedicated and well-organized. Work was graded extremely quickly and thoughtfully. I learned so much that I’ll use in the future. I feel very fortunate to have taken Play Analysis with him!”
“Across all of my time at Hunter, Professor Foglia is my favorite Theatre instructor. His passion for the subject makes it really easy to engage in meaningful class discussions that foster a better understanding of the texts we read. He wasn’t afraid to switch up the material to something that made more sense for the pace of our class, and he had a great instinct for steering the class with questions that encouraged participation. This was a very enjoyable class and I felt encouraged to attend.”
“I liked the diversity of the plays chosen and the discussions and dissecting of them.”
“Thoroughly enjoyed this class, an excellent introduction to the subject. Stephen was very responsive to the students, and created a good learning environment for people to participate.”
“Great Prof!”
HUM250: Introduction to the Arts, Spring 2020
“When I registered for this class, I was expecting to be annoyed by the length of the class and the number of out of class outings. I quickly grew to love the class. Although the outings were sometimes long or ran late, they were always interesting. I would’ve never heard of these plays/events if it weren’t for this class. I now have a new interest for plays and new forms of art and media. The assignments were always very clear and my responses came so easily to me because we discussed them heavily in class. Professor Foglia does a great job at explaining concepts and engaging the class in discussion. He also did a great job with transitioning to online. I looked forward to this class every week!”
“I so appreciated this class, I was introduced to different things that most likely would never have heard about. Cambodian Rock Band was one of my absolute favorite shows that we saw, it was such a beautifully told story. When we transitioned to online classes, I really appreciated the guest opera singer and loved hearing about her talent and the work that goes into it. This class was really amazing despite the challenges that we were faced with. Thank you.”
“I’m actually surprised at how much I enjoyed this course! I’m not a super artsy person but he made the course very enjoyable and understandable. He is a truly caring professor who constantly shows his enthusiasm and appreciation for each student. I also do not usually feel comfortable asking questions in class but he is such a warm and kind person that I was able to without any hesitation or worry beforehand. In my opinion, this class may not have even had the same great experience without him as the professor. His grades are slightly harsh but he explains his reasonings behind them which inspired me to do better and fix anything that was poor in my previous assignments. He was very understanding due to the pandemic as well and just wanted to make sure we were learning and appreciating as much art as possible. Truly one of the best professors I’ve had!”
HUM250: Introduction to the Arts, Fall 2020
“Although this is a class in which we were supposed to walk around and talk about art, the professor did magic and was able to fulfill it without leaving home. Great professor and course.”
“Took the class to fill a requirement and didn’t have much of a background with the type of things we learned, but ended this semester with a much better understanding and appreciation for the world of arts. Amazing Professor!”
“One of the most friendly and engaged teachers I have had at Hunter. He made great effort to have speakers come in our blackboard collab calls, we had playwrights, dancers, opera singers and more come talk to us about their work. The class was very enjoyable, and explored so many social elements I had not realized that artforms were so intertwined with. The class was very related to the times, I especially appreciated the weeks where we watched Deavere Smith’s play on the LA riots as it had been not far after the riots in New York. I have learned so much about new artforms, I have learned a lot about myself, and about humanity.”
“A great Professor. Very passionate about the work and is willing to explain everything to students who are not too involved in the arts. Many of the assignments are very fun and insightful as they require the students to explore the arts and gives them full flexibility in their expression and emotions towards it. I personally feel like I have a new appreciation of theater, visual and abstract art topics.”
“At the beginning I thought that this class going to be boring but the professor made this class very interesting and he was a great help the whole semester. I truly appreciate this professor.”
