“I have brought art to St. John’s University from all over the
globe. These exhibits enrich the St. John’s community and
further the mission,” says Parvez Mohsin ’01C, ’05G Professor of
Fine Arts and Director of St. John’s Dr. M. T. Geoffrey Yeh Art
Gallery. Born in Bangladesh and having spent most of his
childhood between London, England; South America; and the United
States, Professor Mohsin grew up with a fond appreciation for
different cultures and backgrounds: “I was attracted to St. John’s
mission of service to its multicultural and inclusive campus
community because I come from a diverse background, growing up
between Eastern and Western cultures.”
Professor Mohsin says his father influenced him to become an
educator: “Growing up in a household with a father who was a
university professor, education was always at the forefront of my
childhood. I began teaching educational courses in Venezuela
shortly after I graduated college.” Once he moved to New York,
Professor Mohsin discovered his passion for the arts, “My interest
in art came to fruition once I came to New York. While I was
an international student at
St. John's University many of my classmates and professors were the
equivalent to my support system at home.”
Professor Mohsin is responsible for the planning and
organization of the University’s art exhibits which all focus on
the embodiment of the Vincentian mission: “The most interesting
part of working at St. John’s is developing the Dr. M. T. Geoffrey
Yeh Art Gallery into a nationally recognized gallery. By
working with the Department of Fine Arts and the University’s
administration, we have brought in world renowned artists from all
over the world.”
It was a class with Professor Paul Fabozzi that inspired
Professor Mohsin to become an art gallery director: “Professor
Fabozzi shook our foundation of knowledge in regard to the arts and
opened a wide possibility of exciting employment opportunities in
the art world. He urged his students to question facts that were
seemingly obvious, so when we looked deeper we discovered an
intricate pattern that connected the arts with major societal
issues such as politics, finance, ethics and philosophy.”
As part of his commitment to the University’s mission, Professor
Mohsin constantly makes an effort to reach out to the poor and
disadvantaged. In 2007, he traveled to Vietnam to highlight artists
that would typically never have an opportunity to exhibit their
work in the west, “The union between St. John’s and Vietnam has
helped even the poorest of artists have a voice and be heard.”
Professor Mohsin hopes that his passion for the arts is
expressed through his teaching: “The arts is a very competitive
field of work. I always encourage my students to work hard and
follow their passions. I also encourage them to be persistent
and always maintain focus.”