Why did you choose SCA? What are you studying?

Originally I had been applying to colleges almost entirely as a film production student, however SCA quickly became my top choice when I discovered the Media Arts + Practice program. Because I have so many seemingly disparate interests (math, animation, media studies, performance, etc.), choosing a major at other schools sometimes felt excruciatingly confining. MA+P was a breath of fresh air because it finally encouraged me to combine these interests into one practice rather than choose between them!

What has been your biggest challenge(s) so far in your time here?

Time management. With so many opportunities to get involved and explore different interests, USC can easily become exhausting. Learning how to say no sometimes to take care of your physical and mental needs can be very tough.

Is there a project you are working (or have completed) that you're especially proud of? 

Although it may not be my most personal or socially meaningful project, the music video I did for the local band Illuminati Hotties has been my favorite project to date! I like it so much because the end product reflects my initial intentions closer than perhaps any other project I’ve done. It was also just so much fun to work on because it combined two of my favorite mediums: music and computer animation!

Any advice for prospective students who would like to study in your division?

No matter where you study, value those around you and treat them with the highest level of respect. If you let them, the community of creators you meet will not simply be your peers, but rather your teachers, collaborators, and family. You will lift each other up higher than you ever could on your own, and what you learn from your peers’ practice and (far more importantly) their varied experiences will do more to inform your work than any single class ever could. In other words: you get what you give.

Is there anything outside of your coursework –– an internship/project that you've been involved with? How did your work at SCA prepare you for it?

Yes! I currently work at USC’s Security and Political Economy (SPEC) lab creating motion graphics explainer videos based on their research. Design, animation, and workflow concepts that I learned in IML 230 (Fundamentals of Media Design) translated very literally into my work at SPEC.

Luke Greenwood is Sophomore studying Media Arts & Practice from Seattle, Washington.