Kevin Gardner, M.A.

Education

M.A., English, Western Connecticut State University
B.A., Communication and Media Arts, Western Connecticut State University

About Kevin

Kevin's early career began at Emerson College, where he studied film and co-hosted a blues show on the college's radio station, WERS. That grounding in music and media led him into promotions and artist relations for Green Linnet Records, the Danbury-based label widely regarded as the leading name in Celtic and world music, where he secured radio and press coverage, placed artists' music in film, coordinated tour and media appearances, and spoke at music industry conferences. He then spent several years at the branding and design firm Visual Intelligence Agency, also in Danbury, building digital campaigns for clients including Janet Jackson, Lenny Kravitz, 30 Seconds to Mars, Burns Guitars, Birdhouse Skateboards, and Boehringer Ingelheim.

That early interest in story and its adaptation across media led Kevin to pursue an M.A. in English, where his thesis project involved developing a screenplay from an original short story. This grounding in story and production carried into a long career in e-learning, building online courses and training for institutions including Pearson North America, Post University, Goodwin College, Charter Oak State College, and the University of New Haven. As Director of Learning Design in the Office of Digital Learning, Kevin now leads faculty development strategy for online and hybrid teaching, including a university-wide micro-credential program supporting faculty in accessibility, academic integrity, and interactive course design. He was a featured speaker at the Kaltura New Media Conference, presenting alongside Columbia University on the use of video in online instruction.

Kevin teaches Communications and English courses both online and in person, drawing on his background in media and promotion to help students think critically about media as both craft and message.