Academic Plan: The New School for Public Engagement, School of Media Studies
When I first applied to The New School, specifically to The School of Media Studies, I was in the midst of a nationwide road trip with an organization called The Global Poverty Project. The trip had opened my mind to people, ideas, and ways of life I had never known much about before and sparked in me a desire to learn even more about our world in the context of the way we communicate. I’d learned that The New School offered a program that allowed students to focus specifically on Social Media for Social Change within the framework of a Media Studies degree.
At that time, I was managing the U.S. social media accounts for one of the Global Poverty Project’s global campaigns called Live Below the Line. This campaign challenges people around the world to live on the equivalent of the extreme poverty line, $1.50 per day for all food and drink, for an entire week as a solidarity challenge to raise money for organizations in the fight to end poverty. I was then, and still am, wildly passionate about utilizing 21st century tools of communication to reach people worldwide with the simple realization that our actions do affect the lives of people around the world. Whether we act on this revelation or decide not to is up to each and every one of us.
Now more than ever, social media and the advanced technology of communication tools provides us with the opportunity to have a global impact. It is my hope that I can specifically harness the theoretical knowledge and practical design skills to have an influence in the world of digital media by attaining a Master of Arts degree from The School of Media Studies. I believe that this degree will inform my practical use of social media platforms in a way that will help me to be most effective, and will also impart to me the type of theoretical knowledge that will be helpful in honing in on my message.
After returning from the trip, I was given a position in New York City politics, managing the social media accounts of the Manhattan Borough President. He was also in the race for the City’s comptroller and came to win the office; offering me a job in that administration.
Joining my first job in politics and first semester in grad school has made a disciplined schedule necessary. But, the symbiotic relationship has helped. Politics consistently reminds me how important it is to consider balance and examine an issue from many different sides, while the School of Media Studies encourages me to push the boundaries of my own pre conceived notions and explore the limits of social conventions. They each serve different purposes that I believe work well together in the context of attaining this degree.
My job in politics has granted me access to events and initiatives that affect the everyday lives of New Yorkers. I often feel that the things I am learning in my graduate program can be directly applied to my work in the City. Working in both government and the non-profit arena has created a balance in my view of social justice, both a behind the scenes look at how things get done and how aid is disseminated and a look into the world of people who are not constrained to a world of regulations and votes but demand action only based on measurable consequence.
Understanding Media Studies has given me the knowledge I need to understand the program in its entirety and plan for the future. Conversely, my Media Theory course has been an in depth look at the various communication theories that make up The New School ideology. I feel that my Media Studies classes will continue to be an extremely important accessory to my work in City government over the next two years, both while I am completing my degree and beyond.
As I move forward, I will definitely find it useful to take Media Design and Concepts. The importance of visual creativity and tangible producer skills can not be overstated in a fast moving 21st century world where constant content is necessary to succeed. A solid foundation in ideas combined with the ability to produce content is the basis for any creative. At the same time, I will also be taking the Research Methods for Media Activism course. I am really excited at the prospect of taking these courses together and am eager to see what I can create with the practical knowledge of design and crucial knowledge of activism through media.
As a component of my increasing practical education of the social media world, I see Social Media: Metrics/Consumers as a necessary course in the near future. It is not effective to utilize media if you cannot see visible returns on investments, learning who you are reaching and how they are responding. The intent of social media is to engage otherwise latent audiences, eventually calling them to latch on to the “brand” that you are creating. I feel that this course will help me to earn how one can effectively measure these types of communication so that they are used most effectively and can be uniquely tailored to various brands.
It will be most beneficial for me to pursue a non-thesis option. For my specific career path, I think it is best to fit in as many instructional courses as possible on social media platforms as they relate to business, government, and non-profit organizations. By choosing the non-thesis option, I feel that I will be able to incorporate an even more diverse selection of courses that will ultimately inform my career path.
Since I work full time and greatly value the experience my work gives me, I will continue to work in politics throughout my time at The New School. I have decided that I can only do well both professionally and in graduate school by taking on a course load of 6 credits per semester. Below is a list I have created using DegreeWorks containing my tentative course schedule, one that I believe caters to my interests and provides me with the knowledge and experience I will need going forward.
Understanding Media Studies- Dawnja Burris
Social Media for Social Change (UMS Group)- Josephine Monaco
Media Theory- Barry Salmon
Media Design- Virgil Wong
Research Methods for Media Activism- Lydia Foerster
Social Media: Design & Management CRN 1699 (production)- Brian McCormick
Social Media: Content, Communication, and Culture CRN 1526 (seminar)- Bob Berkman
Projects in Advocacy Media (3) CRN 4378- Lydia Foerster
Photography and Social Change (3) CRN 3114- Michelle Bogre
Digital Media: Strategy and Implementation (3) CRN 3907- Kenneth Krushel
Media and the Middle East (3) CRN TBD- Anthony Karon
Social Media: Metrics/Consumers (3) CRN 6049- Matthew Melucci
Aesthetics of Interactive Design CRN (3) 1377- David Marcinowski
Thinking Small: Narratives for Web 2.0 and Mobile Media (3) CRN 1394- Philip Kain
The Business of Facebook (3) CRN 8045- Joe Benarroch
By ultimately attaining my degree in Media Studies, specifically focusing on Social Media, I will be equipped to package a message for a non-profit or government entity of my choice and help that organization to disseminate their message across online and traditional platforms. If the medium is the message, then social media is the definitive representation of the millennial zeitgeist. Moreover, as traditional mediums continue to fade away, new media will present itself in ever-evolved ways so that the field continues to grow and expand to include wide ranging subject matter. It is my hope that I can be a valuable asset in the public sector by utilizing the experiences and revelations that will be part of my future at The New School over the next two years.
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