Emerson College
Responses from the Student Interview
From a student who identifies as Major: Visual & Media Arts
Minor: Business Studies
Student Self Identifies as: White Straight Female
Summary
I’m part of Greek life, I’m involved with EVVY Awards show, and the television station Emerson Independent Video (EIV).
Background
Gender Identity: Female
Race/Ethnicity: White
Sexual Orientation: Straight
High School Experience: Public school in New Jersey with a graduating class of about 600 students. There was a culture of going to college
First-Generation College Student: No
Major: Visual & Media Arts
Minor: Business Studies
Extracurricular Activities: I’m part of Greek life, I’m involved with EVVY Awards show, and the television station Emerson Independent Video (EIV).
Did any of your extracurricular activities have a particularly big impact on your experience?
I got involved in the EVVY Awards during my freshman year. It’s usually a yearlong position and you work with people on a show that resembles the Oscars, but it represents student work at my school. It’s shaped how I work, shown me the ins and outs of live broadcast, and what it’s like working with so many people on one project. It’s the same thing with the Emerson Independent Video. They give you lots of responsibility. You create your own projects, pitch them yourself, and they decide if they want to pick it up. From there, you’re responsible for the budgeting and running your own team.
Academic Experience
Can you describe the weekly coursework for your major?
For Visual & Media Arts, they tend to be more project-based. It can be very time consuming, but it’s more fun when you feel like you’re doing work you want to do. Because we’re a liberal arts school, there are other requirements you have to take. You could be taking classes you don’t have interest in taking, but they’re still with great professors. In those classes, it could range from exams to projects to group work. Most of my classes have been worthwhile. If it’s a Visual & Media Arts class, the project mostly makes up the bulk of the grade. If it’s a media studies class more about theory, it tends to be a combination of projects and exams.
Is there anything you feel your major’s department does especially well or poorly?
They provide you with a great foundation for understanding. I know people in my freshman year who came in understanding absolutely nothing, but there were also people who came in that were experienced. It was worthwhile for both people, but sometimes the more experienced people may feel that what they’re doing freshman year they already know. They also offer room for growth because there are various types of classes. If you’re interested in audio or producing, they provide it all. The only negative thing I’ve experienced in the last few years is that they sometimes don’t offer enough classes. They offer a variety, but there may only be one course and a lot of people want to take it.
How would you describe the learning environment? Do you think it’s particularly competitive or collaborative?
It’s a mix of competitive and collaborative. A lot of people are there to support you on your projects. It’s a very career-driven school and many people over commit. That’s a bit of a theme at our school, and sometimes that creates a competitive environment because you may feel that you’re not doing enough even if you’re doing a lot. If someone helps me with a project, I’d then help them. There’s an abundance of people ready to step up and work on film sets. [See the Berkeley Beacon article, “Sacrificing sleep should not be the norm of college life.”]
What has been your favorite part of Emerson academically?
The collaboration. It doesn’t feel like you’re there studying on your own, it feels like everyone is in it with you and supporting you. Everyone is so enthusiastic about classwork and projects, including your teachers. If you’re not very passionate about what you’re doing, it may not be the right environment, but if you do, you’ll find you’re in the right place.
How accessible are your professors?
They have all been very accessible and good with communication.
Why did you pick your major? Are you happy with your choice?
I’m very happy with my choice. I went into Emerson knowing what I wanted to do and always wanted to get involved in filmmaking. Emerson’s appeal was their resources on campus, the extracurriculars, and the organizations.
Reasons to Attend
1) The career opportunities.
2) The connections you make within your own student body and the alumni connections.
3) The extracurriculars. I’ve learned more than what I do in my classes through my extracurricular experiences.
Reasons Not to Attend
1) What you put in is what you’re going to get out of it.
2) Being in the middle of the city is expensive.
3) The food isn’t that great.
Around Campus
Where have you lived on and around campus?
Freshman: Piano Row in an eight-person suite four double rooms
Sophomore: Piano Row in a six-person suite in a single
Junior: 2 Boylston in a single with three suitemates
How was transitioning from New Jersey to Boston, MA in terms of location?
It was a pretty easy transition. I love being in the city and being surrounded by people. I’m used to the noise. Sometimes at night hearing a car honk at night, you forget you’re in a place that’s super crowded with a lot of people.
Can you describe the level of safety you’ve experienced on and around campus?
I’ve felt pretty safe living in a dorm. My first year there was a guy who yelled at us and chased us down the street, but that’s the only time it happened. There’s a homeless shelter down the street but it’s usually never a problem. There is security in the residence halls, and they won’t let you up if you don’t have access.
Social Opportunities
What kind of nightlife or weekend activities do you participate in at Emerson?
I like going out to eat with my friends for weekend activities. On nice days, I’d go to the Esplanade, or read outside on the Boston Common. At night, sometimes we’d go out to parties but it gets very expensive because you’re in a city and the [MBTA] stops running at 12 AM so we have to Uber places. Sometimes if you’re looking for a party, it’s a little difficult if you’re not 21. There are comedy clubs and there were always events going on during the weekend. We’d do this on Friday or Saturdays, and sometimes Thursdays depending on if you have Friday classes.
What have been some of your favorite times at Emerson?
For me, it always comes back to the location. There were so many fun and memorable opportunities that I may not have had on a normal college campus. My extracurriculars have given me some amazing and memorable experiences. Everyone is so passionate which makes it so much more fun.
What is the impact of Greek life on your weekend options?
Having the connection helps a little bit. If there’s an event going on, you’ll know about it.
How happy are you with the weekend options at Emerson? Is there anything you would change if you could?
I’m pretty happy with them. The only thing I’d change is there isn’t a typical social life. It’s not easy to find places to go when you want to go out.
Campus Culture
How did you meet your closest friends?
It was who I lived with during my freshman year. We get to choose our direct roommates if we want, but they don’t let you choose a whole suite of people. They try and match people’s interests as best they can. I studied abroad my sophomore year and met some of my other good friends through that as well.
How would you describe the overall social scene?
It’s social, but I wouldn’t categorize it as a party school. People want to hang out with their friends and go out. It’s a very friendly and open environment, but it’s not a place where there’s always something happening in the social scene.
How does the urban environment impact the social experience?
The urban environment helps, and it doesn’t. If you’re the type of person who wants to go out to different places and go out to eat, but if you’re not that type of person, it doesn’t help that much. To have fun on the weekends you have to spend a decent amount of money. The opportunities in the city are endless.
To what extent do you feel people of different races and sexual orientations mix socially?
Our school is very open and everyone is always socializing no matter their background. Our school is very accepting and I’ve never had an experience where that ever came into play. It’s a great environment for people of all different backgrounds. [The undergraduate population is 56% Caucasian, 14% Hispanic, 4% African American, and 5% Asian.]
To what extent do people in Greek life and not in Greek life mix socially?
I find that people in Greek life are part of many other organizations, and because of that, a lot of people who are in Greek life socialize with people who aren’t. Greek life is very inclusive and community-based.
How do you like the size of Emerson in terms of undergraduate enrollment? How has that impacted your experience? [Emerson has about 3,700 undergraduate students.]
I think it’s a good size. It’s a pretty small school, but with our facilities, it feels pretty crowded. I recognize people on the street, which is nice because you get to know people throughout the years. It’s not too big where you don’t recognize people around you, but it’s small enough where you see that friendly face and know where people are involved in the community.
How would you describe the student body?
People are very driven, career-oriented, and very open-minded. People have a very interesting sense of humor and everyone is always joking.
Careers
Has the alumni network helped you find internships or jobs?
It hasn’t helped me find internships or jobs, but it has helped me get in contact with people to ask questions. If you need something someone will be there to answer your question. We have the Emerson Mafia.
What have you used the career office for? How helpful have they been?
I’ve only used them once to look over my resume and cover letter. The time I went, they gave me great advice and tips.
Have you learned any computer programs or languages through your coursework that will be especially helpful to you professionally?
I learned a decent amount of Adobe Premiere, Avid Media Composer in an editing class, and I’ve utilized Microsoft Word and Excel.