The Arts, Media and Entertainment division at Cosumnes River College hosted an opening event to welcome students on Aug. 24.
“I count myself lucky to lead a community of storytellers,” said AME Dean Brian Rickel, who spoke at the event. “Whether told through a piece of music, a film, a news article, a photograph, a play, a painting or a piece of clay, we cherish every story told by the amazing student artists, faculty and staff that comprise this division of CRC.”
The event encouraged students to talk with AME professors and students about any questions they may have about the division’s programs.
“Events like these are super important because it helps the different AME departments connect and it also helps students connect with one another, so that way they can potentially collaborate in the future, work on projects together and of course make lifelong friends,” said Radio, Television and Film Professor Mun Kang.
Kang said the RTVF department is sort of niche; it’s not like the math department and a challenge they face is getting students who are interested in film as a career.
Students were able to break off with professors who attended the event and learn more about a program that interested them. Radio, Television and Film Professor Lauren Wagner showed students who attended the event the TV studio at CRC.
“More opportunities for students to meet as the semester goes on will be a really good thing because there are a lot of opportunities to collaborate,” Wagner said. “But it can be kind of isolating sometimes to not know who to reach out to or it might feel awkward as a student to try to reach out to a professor that you don’t even know.”
Wagner said another main goal for the RTVF department is for students to complete their Associate’s degree or certificate program sooner.
Theater Arts Professor, Martin Flynn, said that he’s excited acting classes have a waitlist.
“We’re entering this semester on a positive note and we feel like we’re going to have two great shows, a bunch of great classes and the community back in this building,” Flynn said.
Angel Cordova, a 17-year-old music major, said the event was a nice way to get to know people in their area of study.
“The event was a bit out of my comfort zone, because I don’t really put myself out there like that,” Cordova said.
Jeo Adrei Dela Pena, a 19-year-old RTVF major, said events like this are enough for the program, but if they want to take it to the next level, collaborations with other courses are the way to go.
“For the radio field some of us are doing voiceovers for economic related videos, but maybe if we could expand a little more,” Dela Pena said. “If we’re making advertisements for a marketing class or we’re making a demonstration on nursing or CPR in a film class, it gives us more experience and we can also help out other courses as well.”