Morgan State Professor Receives Award from Maryland Film Industry Coalition at Annual Fundraiser

Associate Professor Keith Mehlinger, Morgan State University’s Founding Director of the Screenwriting and Animation Program (SWAN) housed within the Gilliam College of Liberal Arts (CLA), was recognized for “exceptional contributions to the Maryland Film and Television Industry” during the Maryland Film Industry Coalition’s 13th Annual Fundraiser. 

Mehlinger was honored for his role in paving the way for the next generation of filmmakers, storytellers, and content creators through education in cinematic arts, animation and interactive media disciplines while helping revitalize Maryland’s local film industry. 

The fast-growing SWAN program currently enrolls over 120 students in 3 concentrations that merge screenwriting, filmmaking, 2D/3D animation, and game design. Screenwriting and Animation B.A./B.F.A. at Morgan are the only degree programs of their kind offered in Maryland. Professor Mehlinger also coordinates the Film and Visual Storytelling for the Masters and Doctoral track for English Graduate Studies at Morgan. 

Speaking before an audience of local and regional cinematic artists from both in front and behind the camera, Mehlinger said, “We were the first interdisciplinary program approved by the Maryland Higher Education Commission (MHEC) at Morgan when we merged computer science as part of our gateway and core course requirements for our film major. We are the most tech immersive program in the humanities at Morgan.”

In the space previously occupied by legendary Flite-3 Studios, a known entity among studios for having the largest soundstages in the region and production credits on such top-tier films as “Hairspray,” “Avalon,” “Die Hard: With a Vengeance,” and “Runaway Bride,” Morgan’s SWAN program now calls home. Under Mehlinger’s direction, the once vibrant production facility was revitalized in 2024, and its soundstages now serve as an academic facility where Morgan students thrive. The restored studio and soundstage serve as a fully functional “living classroom,” providing SWAN students an authentic way to hone their production talents and apply concepts learned in theory. In addition to being an educational resource, the facility is an operational resource for the Maryland Film and Television community.

“Most important to me,” said Mehlinger, “is it’s about my students and those at other higher ed Film/TV programs in Maryland who benefit from internships, apprenticeships, and entry-level job opportunities that form a robust industry within our state.”