Projects: Work Highlights:
Projects and moments that have stuck out to me in my career
Internships.
I was an intern and have since had the opportunity to mentor my interns. Guiding art students at Tusculum University has been enjoyable, and sharing tips and tricks is incredibly rewarding. The most fulfilling aspect is collaborating with these interns on projects.
So far, I've worked with three students: Lilli, Mark, and Gwen.
My first intern, Lilli, and I collaborated on a sign for the school. I approached this project like my college professor guided our team during the National Advertising Competition. While I wanted the work to be primarily Lilli's, I also knew my guidance was an integral part of the project.
As I continue to mentor art students, I always aim to create something valuable for their portfolios, while also producing quality pieces that promote the school effectively.
From University to University.
I went from being a student to working at a school, and much of my work is university-centric. The story below illustrates how I became familiar with the scale of collaboration I engage in today. During the Defend True Blue campaign, I collaborated with the marketing department, the MTSU Health Communications department, and the campus photographer at Middle Tennessee State University.
Today, there isn't a department at Tusculum University that I haven't collaborated with; I've even handled tasks as simple as ordering business cards for colleagues.
Among the many projects I've worked on, my favorites include the College of Civic and Liberal Arts' plays, travel collateral for the Admissions Team, and event advertising, such as their newer event, the TU gaming festival.
Defend True Blue:
Just the Beginning.
This campaign to raise awareness about mask-wearing and other COVID-19 precautions was created by a team of six media students in collaboration with the Middle Tennessee State University marketing team. It launched on August 20, 2020.
During the summer of 2020, our team met with the marketing department to gain insights into the project's goals. We were tasked with creating something fresh and unseen on campus, so we began brainstorming.
To inform our creative process, we consulted with professors from the MTSU Health Communications department, who introduced us to the Elaboration Likelihood Model (ELM) of persuasion. This model emphasizes that fear tactics are ineffective and that messages should be concise and easily understood. By listening to the university's students online, we discovered that they bond over shared concerns and frustrations and look to faculty and peers for support.
We retained the existing "True Blue" branding of the university community and added the concept of uniting students and faculty to build a defense against COVID-19.
Our campaign used an inside joke among the students to present the importance of mask-wearing in a unique way. We created "Easier Than" statements paired with simple photographs, engaging students in a playful yet serious manner. The serious aspect emphasized the importance of wearing masks, while the playful aspect presented relatable scenarios that made mask-wearing seem more approachable.
Through social media, on-campus advertising, and video and radio messages, we connected with the students. Above, you can see some elements from the campaign and the feedback we received.