By: Kendall Blunt

Photo Credit: Abel Communications

Madeline Arbutus, a graduate of 2022, holds her dual B.A. in Media and Communication Studies as well as Visual Arts with a focus on Graphic Design. She also completed a minor in Art History and Museum Studies while at UMBC. During her time here, she combined her passion for theory and design working in roles that pushed her forward in her journey. Being a Production Manager at The Retriever (UMBC’s newspaper) taught her key skills like meeting deadlines and working collaboratively, while also growing her love for typography and print layouts. Additionally, working as Curatorial Assistant at UMBC’s Center for Art, Design and Visual Culture was equally as formative of an experience. Madeline was exposed to concepts like accessible design, a process that considers people with disabilities when creating something, a passion she would keep even after graduation. These experiences, along with the mentorship of Dr. Loviglio, Sandra Abbott, Peggy Re, and Guenet Abraham in both MCS and Visual Arts helped develop her critical thinking, collaborative skills, and creative instinct that has shaped her career.

Currently, Madeline works as a Graphic Designer at Abel Communications, a small, Baltimore-based PR firm. As a part of the creative team, Madeline tackles a range of projects ranging from logo creation and campaign development to video editing and accessibility audits. Within her role, she enjoys studying new and trending design styles and incorporating them into her work, as well as working on mastering tools like Adobe Suite, which can be challenging, but worth it to elevate her designs. Reflecting on her work, Madeline finds the most fulfillment in using visual problem-solving to communicate ideas effectively, allowing messages to resonate with a diverse audience. 

When transitioning from UMBC to her career, Madeline recalls having to actively see herself more professionally. She recounts, “It’s easy to discount your skills and experience right out of college (even though you’re qualified and capable), especially when you’re surrounded by people with years in the field. I recognized, however, that clients and coworkers were already coming to me for design help and expertise. That realization was a turning point—if they were taking me seriously, I should take myself seriously.” She also credits her blended education of both theory and practice for contributing to her success post-graduation. Madeline urges current students to take advantage of all the opportunities offered at UMBC, such as researching niche interests, discovering passions, and pursuing projects that align with their values. 

While Madeline misses the vibrant community and endless resources UMBC offered, her journey exemplifies what it can mean to successfully move from a degree to a career.

By: Gwen Pacis

Photo Credit: Gwen Pacis

At first glance, Media and Communication Studies (MCS) core courses seem straightforward. Each offers skills that will be important in completing a person’s capstone towards the conclusion of the Bachelor of Arts degree. However, after completing MCS 222: Introduction to Media & Communication Studies as a core course prerequisite, MCS majors tend to hesitate when looking at the following courses they need to head into. 

For a lot of people, history and theory can be intimidating to learn and comprehend. It’s understandable as well – when discussing theory, it often comes in various media – not only online, but as physical forms (e.g., books, newspapers, etc.). Additionally, the diction may pose an obstacle for many. However, as a prerequisite for MCS 499: Capstone Seminar, it does not hurt to take a deeper dive into the course material of MCS 333 beforehand to reduce the fear of its material.

What is MCS 333: History and Theory of Mass Communication and Media Studies?

As aforementioned, MCS 333 is an MCS course course that critically examines the history and theories surrounding mass communication and media studies. Instead of focusing mainly on recent decades and developments within social media and other forms of technology, the class material follows a timeline starting from the mid-19th century and its evolution to current-day media culture. The various impacts of not only electronic technology but also transportation (e.g., train) and machinery (e.g., telegraph) contribute to the discussion of media culture evolution. 

In the case of learning about numerous theories, the course offers a wide range of sophisticated texts published by scholars dedicated to understanding the effects of media and society intertwining. Some of these effects elaborated by the theories may discuss electronic technology (e.g., phones) while some dive deeper into the effects of other forms of media on social, economic, and political history. 

For example, a theory that current MCS students elaborate on that has stuck with them would be Jean Baudrillard’s “The Precession of Simulacra.” In a world where technology has integrated itself into society and the environment, this theorist discusses how reality and the simulated world have come to a point where individuals can not distinguish between the two. By indulging in simulacra (e.g., photographs, TV shows, etc.), we fail to recognize our actual reality to appeal to our excitement towards fiction. 

It sounds complicated, does it not? However, through the course, students are able to grow a comprehension of this theory and similar others by connecting it to even their own experiences and current world events. This then opens a student to various perspectives – ones where even many were surprised that they existed prior but have not been discussed further.

How can I make this course easier for myself… and even others?

It is always important to remember that you are not the only one struggling to comprehend something. 

Again – history and theory are hard to comprehend for a lot of people. Especially for me! The formats and diction they are often delivered in may not be understandable off the bat and may need additional elaboration to fully understand the depth of their meaning. In previous semesters, students have noted that professors often pair such theories with real-time examples – such as popular video games (e.g., World of Warcraft) or even global events (e.g., wars, protests). Individually, taking consistent notes in lectures and connecting the theories to your own major life experiences opens new understandings of how media interacts with society today. 

As a current professor of MCS 333 for the fall semester of 2024, Dr. Jason Loviglio also acknowledges the difficulty of grasping the meaning of the material. He advises students to begin with things they and many others don’t understand. “Normalizing feeling a bit lost is important for learning and an important component of the process that theorists go through in developing their theories.” Particularly – texts from Plato, Corinthians, JS Mill, and bell hooks are ones he mentions to be some of the most difficult. However, to lighten the confusion, he has included his own vault of memes, poetry, video essays, etc. for students to connect back to the theories they are paired alongside. 

There are also times when you may grasp a theory and its historical effects much easier than another peer. As noted by Dr. Loviglio and other students who have completed the class – class discussion and collaboration are essential to boosting comprehension. Dr. Loviglio says that the class works best when “students develop a set of recurring questions and arguments that they can bring from text to text and unit to unit. And when they see each other's struggles and questions as part of a collective learning project.” Plus, bouncing ideas back and forth with a person may produce new information about certain concepts or events that can be applicable to these theories.

When should I take this course? Sooner? Later?

It is important to mention again that MCS 333 has MCS 222: Introduction to Media & Communication Studies as a prerequisite for the MCS major’s core courses. However, the best time to take this course is as soon as possible when the chance arrives! MCS 333 lies a significant foundation for the concluding capstone project in MCS 499 as the skills for examining theories and history are essential for the sources you may utilize. Even better, taking this course before MCS 399: Methods in Media and Communication Studies can be beneficial as it aids the research methods (e.g., content analysis) discussed in the class material.

Despite the difficulty it might hold, this course is beneficial for the long-term as it grants you the skills to read deeper between the lines and see the historical growth of media’s role in society in various lights – whether it be beneficial or detrimental. These theories follow you into MCS 499 as well!

The path through this course does not have to be a blind stroll – it can work out!

By: Ellen Kim

Photo Credit: Sophie Lasher

Please introduce yourself! (When you graduated, how you identify, etc.)

My name is Johanna (she/her) and I graduated from UMBC in 2020. I double majored in MCS and English literature, with two minors in music and writing, and was also very involved in the student newspaper, The Retriever, and Musical Theatre Club.

What inspired you to choose MCS as your major?

I started at UMBC as an English literature major but was worried about whether that program would give me the right skills and be the right credential to make myself appealing to the jobs and employers I was interested in. In the end, I do think the English degree would have been enough on its own for the career I found myself in, but I really enjoyed elements of the MCS major, such as reading and discussing mass communications theory and learning software like Adobe Premiere Pro.

What was your most memorable moment(s) during your time at UMBC while being an MCS student or in general? (Class or professor? Maybe both?)

It's hard to think of one memorable moment, but I do have very fond memories of chatting about books and TV shows (and occasionally musical theatre, when I got off on a tangent!) in office hours with Dr. Loviglio, who was my MCS advisor and my professor for MCS 333.

What is something you would have done differently if you were to travel back to when you were a student?

One of the best decisions I made was to take a journalism class on a whim with a friend. I was reluctant because it was at 8:30am... but I tried it and am (obviously—see info about my current job below!) so glad I did. My parents had always tried to get me interested in journalism, as they knew I loved to write, but I had resisted, nervous about whether I was capable of doing things like conducting interviews. All that is to say, the one thing I wish I could have done differently is start looking into journalism as a career earlier, even though it intimidated me. 

What topic did you write your MCS capstone project on? Why did you choose this topic?

As a child, I was a dedicated Tumblr user and very involved in fan culture, so I wanted to explore that field in some way. At first, I wanted to write something comparing fan analysis to academic literary analysis, as I saw a lot of parallels between the analyses I had read throughout my teen years and the articles I read for my English lit classes. But, reading through the existing literature on fan culture, I noticed tons of writing on topics like fan fiction, but none about that analytical fan writing (often called "metas"), which made it difficult to tackle my original topic. I decided my capstone would instead attempt to fill that gap. My project ended up defining the term "meta"  in the context of fanworks and outlining their key characteristics, and I analyzed about fifty "metas" posted on Tumblr across various fandoms to do so. It was super fun—though I procrastinated more than I should have! It was during lockdown, so that's my excuse.

What job position are you in right now? What do you do in this position? Why did you choose this job? How do the skills you learned in MCS help you in this position?

I am a student life reporter at Inside Higher Ed, a 20-year-old online-only publication covering U.S. higher education. In this role, I write about two to three articles about the happenings of U.S. college campuses each week, each one in the approximately 800-1,600-word range. The topics are incredibly varied, as are the formats; lately we've been writing more explainers and Q&As, on top of our regular analysis and news stories. 

In my previous role, as a business reporter at The Maryland Daily Record, I wrote about higher ed frequently, and doing so was one of my favorite parts of my job. When I saw there were openings here at IHE, I wanted to apply but couldn't find the time to do so, until, eventually, I was on vacation at the beach for a week. Luckily, there was still a position open!

The main skills I gleaned from both of my majors were critical thinking and research skills. Each and every one of my classes strengthened those muscles, making it easy for me to draw connections, ask important questions, and explain complex topics effectively. Plus, every essay I wrote (and especially every essay I procrastinated on until the very last minute!) made me a faster writer, which is an incredibly valuable skill as a journalist!

What do you like to do in your free time?

I have way too many hobbies—I love crocheting, writing music on my guitar, playing board games, listening to podcasts, going to see local theatre and comedy, exploring Baltimore with my friends, and more. I also take improv classes with the Baltimore Improv Group and am a member of the New Choir of Mount Vernon.

What would you like to say to current MCS students?

One thing I'm really glad I did in college was throwing myself into my extracurriculars—clubs and internships that nourished different parts of my brain and allowed me to put to task those critical thinking skills I'd gained in my classes. I think it's important to find a way to balance the many things you might want to take on and give them your all.

I also advise you to take advantage of office hours way more than you think is necessary (or even normal). As a student, I liked to talk through my ideas (or, sometimes, entire assignments) with my professors before the due date, and on more than one occasion was told, 'this way off base. You need to make major changes before you turn this in.' Sure, I shed a few tears hearing comments like that, but it was much better than turning the assignment in blind and getting a poor grade! (It's worth noting that not every professor will look at a completed assignment before you turn it in.) I also built great relationships with many of those professors from doing this!