How has the School of Cinematic Arts changed your view of the media arts? The largest change in view that SCA offers you is to be more conscious of social, political, or other real life topics in your work. Whatever the discipline, it's important to consider a theme or topic, make a critical or well-supported argument, and then execute the idea in the context of the given medium. 

What advice do you have for prospective students looking at applying to your program? One of the things that USC encourages - and that I think is rightfully important - is to be open to working with or learning about fields not directly related to your program. In participating in other fields, you can apply a broader sense of knowledge into your own work. In this regard, I would recommend enriching oneself as much as possible - this could include reading books and watching movies and documentaries and going to events, whether they be academic or be simply for entertainment.

How has the School of Cinematic Arts prepared you so far for a career in your discipline? Rapid prototyping - the efficient inception of a low-fidelity wireframe - of projects has proven to be the most useful in my discipline. Since I mostly do work involving graphic design or web technologies like HTML, CSS, and Javascript, preparing and planning out a project is an incredibly valuable skill. Consequently, efficient prototyping and revisions due to feedback or feasibility result in a more organized path forward.

What have been the biggest challenges for you at USC? One of the biggest challenges I've experienced is simply making good use of the resources offered at an institution like USC. From professors, organizations, students (in other disciplines) to off-campus activities, a wealth of opportunities is offered to those who take the initiative to find and engage in them. In turn, they broaden their horizons and gain experience not only in their projects or field of study but also through working with students and faculty in other fields.

What in your past has given you inspiration or a unique point of view that you bring to USC? Thanks in part due to an inspiring class I took last semester (IML 295: Race, Class and Gender in Digital Culture), I would like to explore my own cultural background as an Asian-American more. Especially since LA is already cosmopolitan and diverse, I think I can learn more about other cultural groups and contextualize my experiences in future projects.