The 30 members of Elon’s Master of Arts in Interactive Media program were honored for their dedication even during uncertain times globally during the program’s virtual degree conferral ceremony on Wednesday, May 20.
The Master of Arts in Interactive Media graduate program celebrated its newest class of graduates during a virtual degree conferral ceremony on Wednesday. It was a chance to recognize the Class of 2020 for its dedication to the intense, 10-month program despite navigating it during a global pandemic.
Watch the entire iMedia program degree conferral ceremony here.
Rochelle Ford, dean of the School of Communications, which houses the iMedia program, said during Wednesday’s virtual ceremony that she compares the 10-month journey to “the process of becoming a fine teacup.” She explained students are like balls of clay molded by faculty and then placed into a fiery furnace where they hone their skills before graduating with unique abilities and knowledge that they will carry with them into their careers. The furnace was a bit hotter for the Class of 2020, Ford said, because of COVID-19’s impact on in-person learning.
“You demonstrated to us through virtual capstone presentations that you’ve got this, you’re prepared,” Ford told graduates during the virtual degree conferral ceremony. “And here you are – formed into beautiful, unique and strong teacups that can be used to refresh the world.”
The iMedia graduate program, in its 11th year, offers students the opportunity to learn from award-winning professors and build media projects in state-of-the art facilities using the latest coding, graphic design and production techniques. Through hands-on experiences in classes and with real-world clients, students discover the creation, strategies and application of interactivity through content development and marketing, UX design, responsive web design, prototyping, usability testing, analytics, social media, app development and human computer interaction.
During Wednesday’s ceremony David Copeland, A.J. Fletcher Professor and director of the iMedia program, congratulated graduates for completing two years’ worth of work in 10 months, despite unforeseeable obstacles.
“A lesser group of students would have, no doubt, given up, but not this cohort,” Copeland said. “The Class of 2020 found a way to succeed. We know that ‘necessity is the mother of invention,’ and this group of students, out of necessity and out of their creativity, figured out how to complete their capstone projects, their work in elective courses, and how to put on a virtual exhibition of what they’ve produced.”
Melissa Dale G’20, who was selected as the ceremony’s student speaker, thanked classmates for their support and encouragement throughout the past 10 months.
“This program was tough, but I always felt relief knowing there were 29 other students who could empathize with what I was feeling,” Dale said during the virtual ceremony. “And although we didn’t get to spend the latter part of the program together, I still felt that same sense of connectedness with my iMedia comrades.”
Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Aswani Volety presented the 30 members of the Class of 2020 during the virtual ceremony, and President Connie Ledoux Book conferred the degrees and issued a charge to graduates, encouraging them to be resilient and steadfast in the face of all future challenges.
iMedia graduates will be invited back to campus in the fall for an in-person hooding ceremony and celebration where they will receive their official, printed diplomas.
Master of Arts in Interactive Media
Kwame Amponsah
B.A., Kwame Nkrumah University
Rakhia Ardasia Bass
B.S., North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University
Hyllary Tiana Bell
B.S., North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University
Tabari Jamaal Boykin
B.A., North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University
William Arthur Brown
B.A., Millsaps College
Elizabeth Mae Bunce
B.S., North Carolina State University
Tirza Nicole Aubrey Chase
B.S., North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University
Melissa Enid Dale
B.S., Norfolk State University
Makeda Shanygne Dawson
B.S., North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University
Rachel Alexandra Eggleston
B.A., The University of North Carolina at Greensboro
John Edward Fennell
A.B., Elon University
Colton Townsend Flick
B.A., Kenyon College
Juliet Diana Goodman
A.B., Elon University
Arlette Danielle Hawkins
B.S., North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University
Michael David Hemstreet
A.B., Elon University
Tehya Rashan Jackson
B.A., North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University
Ashleigh Marie Kimble
B.A., The University of North Carolina at Wilmington
Cassidy Dawn Kolczun
B.A., Loyola University
Brianna Tayla Lawrence
B.A., The University of North Carolina at Greensboro
Ethan Wallace McElvaney
B.A., William Peace University
Phi Kappa Phi
Amonie Jennifer Moore
B.A., North Carolina Central University
Victoria Elise Murrell
B.S., North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University
Anna Jane Sizemore
B.A., The University of North Carolina at Greensboro
Phi Kappa Phi
Shama Adin Stephenson
B.S., North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University
Warren Gregory Stewart Jr.
B.S., North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University
Laticia Danae Taylor
B.A., North Carolina Central University
London Nicole Thompson
B.S., North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University
Gaurav Kalpesh Vyas
B.A., The University of North Carolina at Greensboro
Felecia Lashay Wilkins
B.A., The University of North Carolina at Greensboro
Mela Matrice Williams
B.A., The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Phi Kappa Phi