CASE: Spring 2021

Communication Arts Senior Exhibition
Spring 2021 Presentations 

SCHEDULE

Live Presentations via Zoom Webinars
May 11, 2021 | 5:00pm EST 

Janel Hicks - City of Stars
Addie Granados - Mother's Nature
Collin Hall - Blood and Beauty in the American South 
Chase Tipton - The News of the World vs Trump’s Isolated America

Watch the Recording ➔  (Coming Soon)

Pre-recorded Presentations 

Stephen Basico - Mental Pandemic in the COVID Pandemic
Laura Caron - The Essence of Beauty
Sofia Jeanes - A Documented Journey of The Hurt(ing) & The Hope(ful): A New Theatrical Production
Chloe Knuckles - Help Her Out - A Marketing Campaign
Jessica Kouvo - The Biochar Talk
Sean T. Leonard - Male Beaut-HE
Hunter McIntyre - Increasing Third-party Representation Campaign
Malcolm Mitchell - ​Masslivestream
Julia Murphy - We Need Art
Jodie Oyamada - Real Talk
Xin (Anna) Qui - Title TBD
Rachel Shek - We've Got It All Together?
Tucker E. Van Brunt - Anthropomorphism

Stephen Bascio
Mental Pandemic in the COVID Pandemic

Social Isolation has been a mental crisis in the world for a very long time, but it has only intensified because of many restrictions put in place by the CDC and local governments during the pandemic. Before COVID, social isolation was one of the major causes of mental illness in the US, and was the cause of many suicide or suicide attempts. This deadly social epidemic rose to new heights because of the pandemic and the strict social distancing measures put into place. How did the early months of COVID affect individuals socially? WHy is social isolation such a huge issue? This project will be a special unique episode of my sports podcast called Bas Beats, in which I inform the public about the serious effects of this deadly pandemic in the midst of a pandemic.

Laura Caron
The Essence of Beauty

My project, entitled "The Essence of Beauty" seeks to address the issue of body image in young girls, especially in regards to the growing social media epidemic. My goal in this project is to highlight the beauty of women completely as they are, emphasizing the fact that they have nothing to prove. Through personal interviews and informative blog posts, I want to create a community that celebrates women for their souls while equipping them with affirming truths about who they are in Christ. I have also set up a newsletter and an online community for this project, both of which are built on the belief that we are stronger together. I hope to break through the harmful mindsets that so many women have bought into by showing that 1.) you are not alone, and 2.) these truths will change your life.

Addie Granados
Mother’s Nature

Mothers, we all know them, we all have one on some level and many of us end up being one. The influence of mothers and motherhood on society is not lost in contemporary americana but the emphasis on conversations surrounding motherhood has always been about choice; whether or not to become a mother, at what age or by what means. But for as many times as I was asked “do you think you want to be a mom someday?”, I was never once explained to what motherhood actually entailed. In fact it seemed that all I knew about motherhood (outside of my own relationship with my  mom) was what I saw on tv. I realized my opposition to becoming a mother myself was not because of any negative encounter I had with children or mothers growing up but rather it was the way motherhood was presented to me through the media (overworked, underappreciated + your sole identity tied to the family unit having no personal life whatsoever) that led me to believe motherhood was where personhood went to die. This work is an exploration and commentary on the impacts of rapidly developing media depictions of mothers/motherhood in America over the last two decades.

View Zoom Webinar Recording ➔

Collin Hall
Blood and Beauty in the American South 

Blood and beauty sit in heavy tension in the American South; I've grown up there, I've stared death down the barrel. Come listen to me read excerpts from my upcoming book as I prepare to graduate. The reading is on May 11 at 7 PM in MacDonald Auditorium.

View Zoom Webinar Recording ➔

Janel Hicks
City of Stars

Due to the current circumstances of a global pandemic, crowd gatherings and events have become scares, stressful, and exponentially taboo around the world. This feeling of course involves Gordon College, as timeless events such as Winter Ball and Senior Formal will cease to exist until Covid is no longer a threat to billions of lives. In the meantime, in an attempt to work around this problem—the current lack of substantial campus-wide engagement--is to reimagine what a safe celebration looks like right now here at Gordon, which is why I created City of Stars.  

City of Stars is a La La Land themed event taking place in various locations around Gordon’s campus that will last from 5 pm to 9 pm on Saturday, May 1st 2021. In the hopes of engaging with all students, my team and I have set up a night that will immerse the student body in a new setting for the evening and will allow each location, activity, and design to be inspired by both the colors and experiences of the film for a truly unforgettable night! ​

View Zoom Webinar Recording ➔

Sofia Jeanes
A Documented Journey of The Hurt(ing) & The Hope(ful): A New Theatrical Production

Back in October of 2020, I set out to create a mission statement that would represent both who I am as an individual and as an artist. This mission has grown and developed over the last academic year and now serves as the heart behind my new theatrical production The Hurt(ing) & The Hope(ful) which premiered May 06-8th in The Margaret Jensen theater. Most people have no idea about the process that goes into creating new work, so I created an Instagram account @thehurtingandthehopeful to honestly document the process of creating this show while celebrating the community and mission behind it. I'm so excited to share my experience crafting this project, what the process was like, and how I've grown as a communicator, artist, and individual because of it with you.

View the Presentation ➔

Chloe Knuckles
Help her Out-A Marketing Campaign 

With a passion for marketing and public relations, I wanted this project to bring light to an important issue in a visually appealing manner. While we all deeply struggled during the unforeseen pandemic, women were hit incredibly hard due to the increase of unpaid work, lack of childcare, and vulnerability of job sectors driven predominately by women.  Help Her Out is a marketing campaign that seeks to spread awareness about the struggle women faced due to COVID-19 through visual posters and aids.  Additionally, this project hopes to share tangible ways we can make a difference and partner with the women in our communities as we continue to adapt in a post COVID world.  Lastly, this project highlights journalists who show particular interest in women’s issues and could potentially write about and share this campaign.   

Jessica Kouvo
The Biochar Talk 

The Biochar Talk is a podcast that seeks to educate about biochar - an ancient technology that has found itself at the forefront of recent carbon sequestration conversations. I wanted to create a space dedicated specifically to learning about biochar and how its uses are expanding and shifting in this time of environmental crisis. In this project, I invited and interviewed guests, produced, and distributed my very own podcast. I learned just how valuable it is to come together and converse, share interests, and learn from those who are doing the things that you are interested in. Communication is at the root of all fruitful collaboration and learning, and I believe The Biochar Talk is an example of this. 

Sean T. Leonard
Male Beaut-HE

This project is a look inside the taboo of male beauty including body image, aging, and mental health. In our society today, we still fall short of allowing and encouraging men to discuss and express their emotions, especially when it has to do with these topics. In an ideal world, men should not be afraid to talk freely about how they feel and what they fear without being considered weak. Comparison, body dysmorphia, anxiety, fear of aging are all issues men deal with just as much as anyone else. My project showcases voices of individuals who understand why this is a problem and with their help, I have compiled encouragement and resources to get the conversation started and tools for men to work toward a healthier future.

View the Social Media Campaign ➔

Hunter McIntyre
Project Title TBD

In a country governed and led by politics. People have felt a divide in recent years and a lack of understanding. Hostility between political parties and a lack of representation has put our country at odds with one another.  What can we do to combat that divide and how do students feel about the lack of liberalism? My senior project addresses the issue and asks how we can come together to fix this problem. My hope is to campaign for the increase of third-party representation as well as hearing people's opinions about the current political landscape.  Through this I hope to contribute to open-mindedness and see political tension decrease between citizens and peers. 

Malcolm Mitchell
​Masslivestream

​Masslivestream is a way to connect us all. Tumultuous times as these has forced us all to adjust and has caused us to lose out on some of the things that make us who we are. Sports are one of those things and more specifically high school sports. We all have teams and family members that we are connected to and masslivestream‘s job is to make your life way easier. Since every high school sport is in the spring this is a database and schedule of high school games around the state. This is all about bringing back so much of what we lost. We all love games, and we all want to be one step closer back to normality. This is a step in that direction. 

Julia Murphy
We Need Art 

“We Need Art” is a social media page showcasing the work that artists have been able to accomplish during the pandemic. Though quarantine has given people more time to work on their projects, it has also taken away many opportunities to show that work to the public and many resources, such as access to materials and studio space. The probability of having art shows, theatre performances, and movie screenings has been very low due to the heavy COVID restrictions. I want to show how creative people have been able to overcome the difficulties that quarantine has created and celebrate their perseverance in these difficult times.

View the We Need Art social media page ➔

View the Presentation ➔
 

Jodie Oyamada
Real Talk

2020 was far from perfect. We desperately wanted a change in pace, a refresher, and many have rushed into 2021 in the hopes of finding something to make up for last year... But, when was the last time you took a moment to grieve? Real Talk is a collection of testimonies of 2020 to create a safe space to break off the feeling of loneliness by having someone to relate to. With follow-up verses and encouragements, not only is it a space to build community but to feel encouraged. In addition, I purposefully chose to do this on Instagram, because social media has a culture of posting the best version of ourselves, but in Real Talk not only do we want raw conversations but people showing a side that's different from the social media norm, but that is real. Finally, to remember that God meets us where we are, and loves us for who we are and nothing less. 

Xin (Anna) Qi
Project Title TBD

Rachael Shek
We've Got It All Together?

Communication has changed during the COVID-19 pandemic. People feel more isolated and lonely with the lack of in person contact. Along with what everyone is feeling because of the pandemic, I have seen a common theme with many people that I know; no one feels like they are doing enough, and they don’t feel qualified for what they are doing. After researching, I realized that many college students feel symptoms of Imposter Syndrome. In short, they feel like they are frauds and fear being exposed. As college students that are transitioning into the “real world” where we will most likely enter the workforce, there are feelings of insecurity as we prepare for life after graduation. I am trying to show people that everyone goes through periods of feeling insecure about not knowing what is in the future. It’s universal. I want to bring encouragement and hope by showing different perspectives of people in different fields, with different passions, and different struggles. Through a podcast and Instagram, I want to share these stories. I value telling stories, especially the vulnerable ones, because it shows people that they are not alone.

View Presentation ➔

Chase Tipton
The News of the World vs Trump's Isolated America

As citizens are preparing for the summer by getting the COVID-19 vaccine, the world seems like it is finally returning to normal. Now with Donald Trump no longer in office the full scope of his administration’s impact on the country can begin to be understood and analyzed. How did the Trump era from 2016-2020 affect America’s global reputation? How did it also affect news reporting from not only America’s two opposing political parties but from the rest of the world? How were their stories different?

View Zoom Webinar Recording ➔

View Final Paper and Project Report (PDF)

Tucker E. Van Brunt
Anthropomorphism

"Anthropomorphism - we learn from talking animals at a young age, entertained by Disney characters in cartoons, and some of us take this fascination with us beyond the developmental years. The "people who liked Disney a little too much growing up" share in this documentary more about this community celebrating the fun characters we watched growing up as kids. These are the people that Disney marketed 'Zootopia' to, the people spending upwards of tens of thousands of dollars towards cosplaying as their uniquely created characters, and receiving absolute hate for their hobby. They might be the EMT in your ambulance, the scientist working on the COVID-19 vaccine, or the captain of your next flight - these people are what we call furries, and I made a documentary about to find out why they exist"