Jeremy McCool
Indiana University of Pennsylvania’s Six O’Clock Series opens on September 10 with a program by IUP alumnus Jeremy C. McCool on “Rap and Resistance: Musical Influence.”
This program will be presented in Jane E. Leonard Hall, room B11. This presentation, and all programs in the Six O’Clock Series, begin at 6:00 p.m. and are free and open to the community.
McCool has a PhD in communications media from IUP and is currently an associate professor in the Department of Communication and Media at West Chester University of Pennsylvania. He was an adjunct professor in IUP’s Department of Communications Media during the 2019–20 academic year.
His program on September 10 is inspired by McCool’s new book, Raps of Resistance, and explores how Kendrick Lamar and J. Cole transformed rap into a powerful platform for activism, identity, and social change. Roger Briscoe, IUP executive director of Student Inclusion, will moderate the discussion.
“As always, I look forward to returning to IUP to engage with the amazing students, staff, administration, and community,” McCool said. “IUP holds a special place in my heart as the first place I began teaching.”
McCool is a media professor, author, scholar-producer, and cofounder of the Media Ed-Tech Institute, which leads work in educational strategy, media innovation, and digital-media consulting, helping institutions implement and capitalize on modern media and education technologies.
His documentary, executive produced by the Media-Ed Tech Institute, The Hands That Shape Tomorrow, has been nominated for a 2026 Mid-Atlantic Emmy in the Outstanding Education Long Form category.
The Media Ed-Tech Institute also develops programs in interactive gaming, podcasting, video production, and ed-tech strategy for schools, nonprofits, and community partners. Through this work, McCool advances media entrepreneurship, curriculum development, and experiential learning that builds creative capacity and expands opportunities for students and organizations in an evolving digital landscape.
McCool teaches courses in media technology, digital storytelling, socially conscious hip-hop, and cultural studies at West Chester University, blending academic research with production practice, focusing on media representation, technology, and how popular culture intersects with social justice.
McCool also is the cocreator of the McCool & McBride children’s book series, which addresses issues like prejudice and bullying through stories featuring Black lead characters. He has donated copies of his books to a number of school districts and to the Frederick Douglass Institute of West Chester.
His scholarship and public lectures have appeared at universities and organizations nationwide, and he has been recognized as a Pittsburgh Magazine “40 Under 40” honoree.
McCool is a coauthor of “Current trends, future directions: Promoting the long- term survival and success of HBCUs” in Reimagining Historically Black Colleges and Universities.
Active with his alma mater, in 2025, McCool presented “Research & Rhymes: A Nontraditional Approach to Studying Hip-Hop” at IUP and was a 2024 speaker for IUP’s Six O’Clock Series, presenting “Socially Conscious Rap: Raising Awareness of the Black Plight Through Music.”
While completing his doctoral studies at IUP, he was faculty co-advisor for UBORA Men of IUP, was faculty advisor for IUP Students Against Racism, was campus advisor for Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority Inc. (Kappa Lambda chapter), and was a graduate assistant in the Center for Multicultural Student Leadership and Engagement and in the Department of Communications Media.
IUP’s Six O’Clock Series continues through the fall semester with these programs:
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Sept. 14: a program on Constitution Day, Elkin Hall Great Room
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Sept. 22: “Let’s Talk,” presented by the IUP Center for Civic Dialogue, Jane E. Leonard Hall B11
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Oct: 12: “The Fight for LGBT+ Student Organizations,” Elkin Hall Great Room
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Oct: 13: “Abuse Has Gone Digital,” Jane E. Leonard Hall B11
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Oct: 26: “Conflict Doesn’t Have to Be Scary,” Elkin Hall Great Room
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Nov. 2: “Into the Archives: Fun with Fore-edge Paintings,” Elkin Hall Great Room
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Nov. 9: “Ask a Veteran,” Elkin Hall Great Room
More information about the Six O’Clock Series programs is available on the IUP website.
Since its founding in 1875, IUP has evolved from a teacher-training institution into a doctoral research university recognized for its commitment to student success and achievement. IUP’s Impact 150 comprehensive campaign is designed to honor a legacy of educational excellence while looking toward a future of innovation, public service, and leadership in healthcare education, including the first college of osteopathic medicine at a public university in the commonwealth.