In mid-October 2024, at the 35th annual Society of Adventist Communicators (SAC) Conference in Chicago, Illinois, four communication alumni received the Best in Class award for their podcast, “Creative by Design.”
Last year, Isaac Maythaler, Lindsey Gispert, Geoffrey Nkosi, and Krista VanHook produced “Creative by Design” as their senior project. Previously film, TV, and media majors, the group built the podcast under the shared belief that God designed all humans to be creative, taking each episode to discuss what it's like being a creative in the world. Their podcast was awarded for its effective communication and creative, thought-provoking content.
Jerry Hartman, professor of film and visual arts, said, “I’m proud of the collaborative work the seniors did. The award was much deserved for all the energy and passion they put into pulling off a great podcast.”
The SAC is an organization for the professional development, continuing education, recognition, networking, and nurturing of Christians with careers in communication. Their annual, three-day conference is always a beneficial experience according to Matt Webster, producer and director of studio operations at Walla Walla University and representative for communication education on the SAC board.
This year brought multiple new opportunities like a student–only event for peer networking, and media tours to professional companies such as Edelman Marketing and Intervarsity Press. Students could also visit a variety of workshops from different industry leading professionals in media law, social media, and other specialties. Also for the first time, the conference hosted mock interviews and professional resume reviews for students nearing their post-graduation job search.
As in previous years, breaks in the program were opportunities to visit the booths of sponsors and exhibitors. Nearing the end of the event, the SAC even hosted a showing of the WWU Center for Media Ministry-produced film “Color of Threads.”
To learn more about the Department of Communications and what they have to offer, visit mxy163.com/comm.
Posted Nov. 25, 2024
