College: School of Journalism and Mass Communication
Double Major: Digital Media Production and Advertising
Hometown: Crystal, Minnesota
Q: Why did you choose to attend Drake?
A: I originally chose Drake because I had aspirations of being a broadcast journalist and was thoroughly impressed by the journalism program. I realized that was not the route for me, and I’ve since changed my major three times, but the education I was given was still above and beyond my expectations. Additionally, I really enjoyed the smaller class sizes. Even in my general lecture courses outside of the School of Journalism and Mass Communication, there weren’t more than 50ish people, and I really appreciated that. Also I’d be lying if Griff II wasn’t at least a small factor!
Q: What is your favorite campus memory?
A: I’d have to say when I was asked to do a 48-hour horror film challenge with one of my favorite professors, Professor Lakshmi, and with a few of my friends and classmates. It was such a fun and invigorating experience that tested all of us in our skills surrounding video production and filmmaking. We received a line of dialogue, a character, a prop, and a sub-genre of horror that we had to include into a short film in just 48 hours. It was such a tiring but rewarding experience and I remember staying up almost the entire 48 hours in order to help finish everything. We filmed almost entirely in the Harmon Fine Arts Center (FAC) from 8 p.m. Saturday to about 4:30 a.m. on Sunday. It was so much fun to work with people I knew but also Drake students studying acting and allow them some film experience. I also just had a lot of fun because I was in charge of all of our makeup and special effects makeup. So I got to show off my hobby of SFX makeup and create some spine-tingling wounds that made everyone really grossed out! I will always look back on that weekend on just the most rushed weekend but so creatively fulfilling, plus we ended up being chosen for Best of Horror submissions out of close to 30 other films! Even if that film isn’t the best, I’m always so proud of us for doing what we did for our first time and what we were able to accomplish in just 48 hours.
Q: How has Drake shaped who you are today?
A: It has allowed me to learn a lot about my self worth and confidence in myself, both personally and professionally. I’ve gone through such a journey of coming in freshman year, very anxious and unsure of myself, but I was determined to do amazing work. I was able to hold on to that determination and am grateful for such an amazing place that allowed that determination to foster and help me grow into who I am today.
Q: What is next for you after you graduate?
A: I’ll be starting a full-time position as a digital marketing specialist for a board game company called Asmodee! They’re the publishers behind games like Settlers of Catan, Ticket to Ride, Azul, and more! I’ll be working from one of their Minnesota-based offices (which is where I’m from), but I’ll also have lots of opportunities to work with influencers, travel to conventions around the United States (and possibly other countries!) and share the amazing games that Asmodee provides with the world!
I was a summer intern with them, and they personally reached out to recommend that I apply for the full-time position. I’ll be starting soon after graduation, which means a lot to me. Also I’ll already be flying to San Antonio for a convention just a week after I start!
Q: Who has been some of your important mentors during your time at Drake?
A: Professor Lakshmi Tirumala has been one of my most important mentors. I actually took every single class he taught during my four years at Drake, so I know him very well. He’s been incredibly valuable as a teacher and expert in all things video and storytelling. He also gave me the opportunity to work on a few films he and other students have done which has allowed me to find some of my most valued friends. He will sit with you as you try to figure things out and that’s something I’ve always appreciated about him. I’m so grateful for how much he pushes his students to work really hard in order to reach their full potential and I hope that I’ve been able to live up to that. Plus, he’s a great duo partner for pickleball!
Professor Sandy Henry has been my other most important mentor. She’s just always been there for me. She’s the reason I got into advertising and garnered such a love for it. I cannot even begin to explain how much I appreciate her support of her students’ creativity and ideas for content creation, even if their ideas might be a bit out there. She’s always down to help you figure out how to make your ideas come to life, and she’ll always be proud as long as you try your best. My digital media production capstone has been so much fun because of that. I’ve had some pretty wild ideas for streams that really pushed me and my classmates in terms of skills and she’s always been really supportive of that and helped me along the way. She’s also just absolutely wonderful to be around and she never fails to make me laugh on a tough day. It’s never a dull day whenever she’s teaching a class and has made my Drake experience so amazing.
Q: Are you involved in any student organizations, groups, or community service work? Tell us about those experiences.
A: I was involved in some student organizations during my freshman year, but I’ve become very busy with film stuff with my friends that honestly, I call my extracurriculars! However, I am also a member of the Donald V. Adams Leadership Institute, and it’s been a very valuable experience. I’ve been able to learn how to be a better leader and lead by example. I’ve learned how to see myself as the leader that people say I am and that has allowed me to become more confident and become an even better leader.
Q: How has Drake helped you prepare for your future career?
A: It has provided me with an immense amount of knowledge in best practices in both video production and advertising, in both the creative and technical aspects of both. I’ve been able to develop and harness a lot of my soft skills such as time management, team communication, and collaboration. I’ve become a better public speaker and have become very comfortable speaking and answering tough questions from clients and higher-ups, in fact, I’ve been regarded by Associate Dean Dr. Kelly Bruhn for being able to stand my ground in a very tough Q&A and handle it with confidence.
Q: Based on your experience, what makes Drake special and sets it apart from other schools?
A: The biggest thing that makes Drake special is how I’ve never felt like I was a number here. I’ve always felt like each professor, even if I wasn’t the biggest fan of them or the class they were teaching, took the time to help me. The School of Journalism and Mass Communication especially has made me feel like each and every one of the professors personally wants to see me succeed and I’ve always felt so supported here by my professors and classmates too. Every professor takes the time to learn your name as long as you choose to engage, which I’m grateful I’ve made that effort throughout my Drake career. There’s a reason that the School of Journalism and Mass Communication calls themselves “a family” because they foster such a welcoming and warm environment. The students also encourage each other to work hard and are always pushing each other to do better and get better which is an amazing drive to have.