Emerging Media Narrative

This is a narrative exploring my experience as an Emerging Media graduate student at UGA.

This is a snapshot of our capstone team.

After finishing my undergraduate studies, I thought about continuing my education in AI, digital media, or design. In my search for programs, I came across UGA’s Emerging Media Master's program and was instantly drawn in. As an Interdisciplinary Studies major, I wasn’t sure which route to take post-graduation because I was interested in so many areas. I loved design, print media, photography, and learning more about new media, so I applied to the EM program, and the rest is history.

During my graduate studies, I started learning about design aesthetics and the fundamentals of good design, which helped form the foundation of my design thinking regarding human-centered design. I also took classes that strengthened my technical skills in web and app development. I now know how to create websites using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, as well as to build iOS apps using SwiftUI and Xcode. Seeing everything I learned come together on real-world projects helped me fine-tune my skillset. I started to apply the skills I learned from my coursework in my freelance design work and at my office design job at a printing company, which was very helpful in creating design projects and solving design problems. Integrating the skills and knowledge I have gained as an EM student has been a very rewarding experience. I thank the New Media Institute for teaching and guiding me on this endeavor. I am excited to continue to learn more about New Media as new things emerge.

UGA CARE Center Capstone Project

One of the key projects I worked on during my EM journey was a Capstone project. I worked with a team to help our client, the UGA CARE Center, with a year-long Emerging Media campaign to launch a new project for them called the GA-MIND project. We created a central hub for the GA-MIND project so users could easily understand and enroll in the study. Also, we worked on several print and digital media materials to help promote the new study. It was really fun and rewarding to collaborate and see what we first started working on become the finished product. We learned a lot about emerging media and working with real-world clients using tools like Canva, Figma, WordPress, and Adobe Creative Cloud to provide design solutions.

My homepage to my portfolio.

Another key project I wanted to touch on was my portfolio. I worked on creating and fine-tuning my portfolio so I can showcase my skills to future clients and employers. Also, it is a website that is basically a central hub for me. I created my brand, a style guide, and a branded website that introduces who I am and my work. I created this website using the design skills and knowledge I gained during my EM journey, and I am very pleased with how my portfolio turned out.

This program has taught me so much. From web development to networking, it has equipped me with a well-rounded skillset that has helped me be prepared for any future professional opportunities. It really complements my professional and academic experience and has provided me with various technical skills that make me a stronger candidate for any future projects and jobs that I would have the pleasure of working on. I want to thank the NMI staff and faculty for helping build a stronger me professionally and personally.