October 20, 2025

by Lauren Ferguson

Growing up in a family of educators, RJ McLaughlin ‘25 believed he might one day work in the education field. He just never imagined he would be teaching tens of thousands of people about history on his own YouTube show.

But three days after graduating from Ramapo College of New Jersey, that is exactly what he began doing. McLaughlin, who studied filmmaking at Ramapo, is the writer, host and editor of The History Show with Complexly, an educational media studio with a mission to lower barriers to knowledge building.

“We make videos on historical stories that not many people have heard of, which is a fun concept, but inherently hard because there is not a lot of research done,” McLaughlin said of The History Show.

The educational videos are released every-other Friday on Complexly’s YouTube channel. The first episode titled “Female Nazi Hunters of WWII,” unearths the story of the Night Witches, a group of female Soviet pilots who terrorized the German Front lines during WWII. The second episode, “How a Banana Started a Coup,” delves into the United Fruit Company and the ways the banana empire and other factors contributed to the Guatemalan civil war.

As a charismatic history enthusiast, the role is a dream come true for McLaughlin. He films the show from the set he custom built, with funds from Complexly, in his parent’s Allentown, NJ basement.

“I get to make videos on the internet about something that I really am interested in, which is history, and I get to even learn,” said McLaughlin. “I consider myself a very curious person about how the world works, and I get to see all of these different things and perspectives that maybe don’t even make it into an episode … what an honor it is to be able to dive into this stuff as a job.”

Discovering Filmmaking

McLaughlin’s mother is a special education learning consultant, and their family is filled with teachers, guidance counselors and principals. In an environment focused on bettering people, McLaughlin wanted to find a way to contribute too. In school, McLaughlin, who has dyslexia and other learning disabilities, received support from aides and others who really wanted to help him, he said, so special education seemed like the right career route.

Refining Filmmaking Skills at Ramapo

McLaughlin said his Ramapo professors “always had my best interest at heart.”

They taught him big things like storytelling, hosting, how to use editing software, a camera and audio equipment, and smaller things like how to organize a premier file, sort footage and export files in different ways, he said.

“Ramapo definitely set me up a lot in terms of knowledge of filmmaking and also how to do things professionally,” McLaughlin said.

Associate Professor of Communications  Arts Rowlett Neel Scott, in particular, “had a huge impact on the way I tell my stories, do production, do my shots, and do audio,” he said.

RJ McLaughlin ’26 learned filmmaking as a student at Ramapo College.

It doesn’t surprise Scott that his student landed such a dream position.

“We are very proud of RJ, and I didn’t doubt that he would succeed in whatever he decided to do after Ramapo. He has the skillset, the personality and the motivation that is crucial to being a filmmaker,” Scott said. Scott said the most impressive thing about McLaughlin’s new role is: “It is really an expression of who RJ is, his interest, his personality and his friendliness and charisma.”

Teaching in His Own Way

McLaughlin did not take a traditional route to working in education – like many of his family members did. But he never lost sight of his drive to help people. By combining his passions for filmmaking, history and education, he created his own path, and feels like he is contributing to the greater good.

“I get to make videos that educate people, that play in classrooms in a fun way, and I think that is really rewarding,” he said.

To learn more about the B.A. in Filmmaking at Ramapo College, check out: Behind the Scenes of New Filmmaking Major and visit the School of Contemporary Arts.