Schwartz, Nicole

Nicole Schwartz, Assistant Professor of Photography at County College of Morris, has been enamored by photography for as long as she can remember. Her deep love for the craft was ignited at an early age by her grandfather, the first person to teach her how to use a camera. She says, “I remember pressing down the thick black button on the top of his 35mm camera, making the flash burst so brightly. I don’t recall what I took a photo of, but I remember feeling that release of the camera. This experience was my first photography lesson, and from there my hobby of image-making evolved into a passion.” She earned a Bachelor of Science in Photography from Drexel University in 2014. “While at Drexel, I had extraordinary mentors that shaped me as an artist and instilled in me an immense desire to follow in their footsteps to support the creativity of future students in the same way.” Schwartz continued her education and photographic exploration and received her MFA in Photography from the Rhode Island School of Design in 2017. While she was there, she was awarded the T.C. Colley Award for Photographic Excellence.

In 2018, Nicole joined County College of Morris as an Adjunct Professor and was appointed Assistant Professor in 2022. She has also taught at Mercer County Community College, Stockton University, TILT Institute for the Contemporary Image, and the Fleisher Art Memorial. In 2021,
Schwartz was awarded an Individual Artist Fellowship from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts.

Nicole believes in the humanistic teaching approach. She cultivates a nurturing community within the classroom, allowing students freedom to explore their creativity within a safe environment. Schwartz says, “Communication is everything—in art and in life. There is a magical power to critiques within the photography classroom—they allow students to reflect on their own process and learn from their peers. Critiques allow for a growth mindset, never fixed. Students are constantly revising and assessing.” She goes on to say, “I cannot put into words how meaningful and rewarding it is to aid my students through their journey here at CCM.”