With facilities job and tuition discount, art history grad takes the plunge — and the plunger
Art history PhD graduate and facilities specialist Paul Iannone (with his wife, Natalya Ter-Grigoryan, left, and their children, Vincent and Jenna, next to Hayden Lawn on the Tempe campus May 6) also taught film for the Department of English and The Sidney Poitier New American Film School while earning his degree. Photo by Samantha Chow/Arizona State University
Editor’s note: This story is part of a series of profiles of notable spring 2025 graduates.
How many Arizona State University graduates does it take to change a light bulb? Just one, and he’s graduating with a PhD in art history this May.
From unclogging toilets and fixing door hinges to teaching classes, Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts graduate Paul Iannone said his journey at ASU echoes elements of the film “Good Will Hunting.” Although, there are some major differences: When Iannone isn’t teaching courses like Principles of Screenwriting or Intro to Film and Media Studies, you can still find him on campus working for ASU Facilities Development and Management.
Iannone has been many things at ASU, from facilities staff to PhD candidate to professor, and sometimes he was all of those things all at once. His graduation ceremony this May marks the completion of his PhD in art history. Between juggling work, school and fatherhood, the journey has been intense.
“I’m not going to lie. It was hard, and it was a lot of work. And when you sprinkle in a global pandemic while you’re homeschooling a child, teaching as an adjunct and trying to get your PhD, it feels darn near impossible,” Iannone said. “However, when you’re studying something you love, acting as a role model to that child you’re homeschooling and you have a class full of 140 wonderful students counting on you — the motivation is kind of baked in to the struggle.”
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In addition to working as ASU facilities staff, Paul Iannone both taught and took classes. “I’m not going to lie. It was hard, and it was a lot of work. ... However, when you’re studying something you love, acting as a role model to that child you’re homeschooling and you have a class full of 140 wonderful students counting on you — the motivation is kind of baked in to the struggle.”
Photo courtesy of Paul Iannone
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Paul Iannone graduates this May after having been a professor, student and facilities staff member throughout his time at ASU.
Photo courtesy of Paul Iannone
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Paul Iannone poses for a photo while working as an academic facilities specialist at ASU.
Photo courtesy of Paul Iannone
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Paul Iannone poses for a photo while working as an academic facilities specialist at ASU.
Photo courtesy of Paul Iannone
He originally started working in the maintenance field after his daughter was born. It wasn’t a dream of his, but he needed a job that offered health insurance. Iannone said he was drawn to ASU once he heard about the tuition discounts offered to employees. Going back to college to study and eventually teach film for the Department of English and The Sidney Poitier New American Film School was suddenly accessible in a way it hadn’t been before, but it would still take years of grueling dedication to get him where he is today.
“As cheesy as it sounds, it all boils down to love,” Iannone said. “I loved what I was studying, I loved what I was teaching, I loved the students I worked with and I loved making my kids proud. So love kept me motivated.”
He shared some of his thoughts, experiences and triumphs with ASU News.
Question: What drew you to film and media studies initially, and how did that turn into a PhD in art history?
Answer: I knew I didn’t want to work in maintenance my whole life, so when I went back to school I took inventory of what I did want to do with my life. While I didn’t have a specific answer to that question at the time, I knew broadly that I wanted to work in film.
Movies have been the one constant passion in my life, so I enrolled in the Film and Media Studies program. While studying as an undergraduate, I was able to narrow my focus and I realized I wanted to keep critically thinking about film for the rest of my life. To do this, I knew I needed to take my education as far as I could.
Unfortunately, ASU does not offer a PhD in film and media studies, but fortunately, it’s a very nimble and innovative university and I was able to find numerous PhD programs that were flexible enough to allow me to continue studying film. I was working for the School of Art’s maintenance team at the time and learned that they offered one such degree program through their art history department. So I was able to choose film as the art discipline to study while I earned my PhD in art history. Just don’t ask me anything about Impressionism, Art Nouveau or the Renaissance period!
Q: What’s something you learned while at ASU — in the classroom or otherwise — that surprised you or changed your perspective?
A: I was constantly delighted by the caliber of students in every class. As an older student, I assumed my life experience would give me an edge, but I quickly realized I was going to have to step up my game because there were so many impressive classmates.
Q: Which professor taught you the most important lesson while at ASU?
A: That’s a tough one. There were so many! If I had to pick one, it would be Professor Aaron Baker, who offered me my first adjunct teaching position. He helped me in many ways to prepare to teach, but most importantly, his wealth of knowledge and support helped me realize I belonged in this environment.
Q: Was there a class, professor or moment at ASU that changed the game for you?
A: ASU has an absolutely stellar group of faculty members teaching and researching on campus. And it’s not just the full-time faculty! I’ve had amazing experiences with faculty associates as well. In fact, it was a faculty associate professor, Shawn Mitchell, who inspired me to pursue teaching. As an undergraduate, I took his film theory class and he just absolutely blew me away. His class was incredibly engaging; he was able to take really complicated concepts and simplify them so students could understand.
And that’s the magic of teaching. A great teacher can provide entry points into seemingly opaque subject matter so students feel comfortable exploring them, learning from them and hopefully applying them to their lives.
Q: You mentioned falling in love with teaching — what’s your favorite part about being in front of a classroom?
A: Every class is a little different. They almost have distinct personalities. So it’s a challenge trying to find what’s going to work best for each new group of students. But once you find that thing, there is a kind of magic that happens in the classroom. When you can get a large group of students all engaged, excited and invested in the material, nothing is better.
There’s just an energy in the room during those moments that I can’t quite explain. And this is when the true discovery typically happens, when the students begin branching out, now comfortable and confident with the material. I regularly have my mind blown due to brilliant insights from students every semester.
Q: What was your favorite spot on campus, whether for studying, meeting friends or just thinking about life?
A: I know a lot of people enjoy the “Secret Garden” — as they should, it’s great! However, there’s another quiet little spot located between the School of Human Evolution and Social Change and the Cowden Building. I have fond memories of eating lunch with coworkers there and then returning after my shift to study while I waited for my evening classes to begin.
Q: What’s the best piece of advice you’d give to those still in school?
A: Meet people. Get involved. Your fellow students are some of the best resources that ASU provides. Long after you leave school, you will carry those friendships and connections with you into your professional careers.
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