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MCC 2020 Award Winners

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Congratulations to the recipients of this year's school and departmental awards. We asked the winners to reflect on their time as a student, proudest accomplishments, humorous anecdotes from remote learning, and what the future might hold. Below, we quote from their responses.

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My proudest accomplishment was stepping outside of my comfort zone and signing up for Creative Coding. Coding did not come naturally to me, and I suffered many sleepless nights. But I stuck with it, and in the end my hard work and talent were recognized by my professor. She even encouraged me to present my final project at mediaWorks, and I'm so glad I did.

— Justina Avent, Outstanding Thesis Award (BS)

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My proudest accomplishment was being a Teaching Assistant for Professor Ali's History of Media. This was an aspect of grad school that I was most excited to experience and I learned so much through this role.

– Mercedes Gonzales Bazan, Award for Outstanding Service to the Department; Banner Bearer (MA)

 

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My proudest accomplishment was carrying out archival research in my second language at the French National Archives. My advisor Professor Erica Robles-Anderson played the key role in preparing me.

– Alex Campolo, MCC Dissertation Distinction Award (PhD)  

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My proudest accomplishment as an NYU student is returning to school after the [Pulse Night Club] shooting. I kept going, despite how painful it was, despite the nightmares, despite the loneliness, despite my fear. I could've given up but I didn't, and for that, I am truly proud of myself.

– Patience Carter, MCC Resilience Award    

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Reading Zhao Yuezhi's Communication in China: Political Economy, Power and Conflict was an aha moment for me.

– Ziwei Chen, Award for Distinction in the MA Culminating Exam

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I have really enjoyed working in podcasting, radio, and music, so I hope to use my experience to continue creatively telling interesting + powerful stories. 

— Lily Crandall, Outstanding Thesis Award (BS)

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I want to continue with my photojournalism and documentary work...I aspire to continue illustrating people's stories and insights into situations that can help us learn more about one another. 

– Laura Diaz, MCC Academic Achievement and Service Award (BS)

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Professor Arjun Appadurai's course on Globalization was the most eye-opening and exciting academic experience during my time at MCC.

– Shelly Govilla, Samuel Eshborn Award; Award for Outstanding Service to the Department

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My proudest accomplishment as an NYU student was first and foremost, getting in. I will be the first college graduate in my family and getting into such a great university was far more than I ever could've imagined for myself.

– Vanessa Hernandez, Pi Lambda Theta Rho Leadership Award

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I want to be a film producer, but, while productions are on hold, I would consider being a beekeeper or NFL wide receiver.

–Madeline Kahn, MCC Academic Achievement Award (BS)

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Taking Hollywood Films and American Life, co-taught by Professors Brett Gary and Yemane Demissie, was a turning-point for me. It gave me the chance to merge my interests in politics and pop culture into one, which has defined my academic career ever since.

– Justin Kipp, Departmental Banner Bearer (UG)

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A memorable zoom meeting was when my classmate used The Shining as his virtual background. His head was literally next to Jack Nicholson's during that entire class. 

– Jing Lan, Award for Excellence in the MCC Writing Program

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My proudest accomplishment was organizing a graduate conference on postcolonialism with a team of researchers: finding common ground across differences in research interests is a challenging and worthwhile undertaking that taught me a lot about being part of a community of scholars.

– Will Lockett, Outstanding Teaching Award (PhD)

Destiny Lopez in blue jacket and black shirt

While at NYU, I learned to think of my disability as a new perspective rather than a burden. My hearing loss and love of film and television fueled me to research media accessibility.

– Destiny Lopez, 1st Place in Steinhardt’s 8th Annual Research & Scholarship Showcase; Global Research Initiative Award

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I met the most amazing people and professors at MCC and in other departments. I leave feeling so enriched and little nostalgic. 

– Tania Majdalani, Award for Outstanding Service to the Department

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We're witnessing new ways to care for each other at a distance, reconfiguring virtual environments so they feel less hostile or agnostic to feeling, and I hope this phenomenon is one that continues to be explored in whatever context, academic or personal.

– Cecilia McLaren, Outstanding Thesis Award (BS)

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I'd love to continue my [thesis] research in Film Festival Studies and Curatorial Activism through the practice of curating film programs and exhibitions for cinema institutions like festivals, repertory theaters, and museums.

– Soumya Misra, Distinguished Thesis Award (MA)

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I feel lucky and honored to have worked as Professor Lily Chumley's research assistant. She is absolutely brilliant and caring, and I learned so much in the process.

– Luwen Qiu, Award for Distinction in MA Professional Writing

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My proudest accomplishment as an NYU student was presenting at the New York State Communications Association. 

–  Tiffany Reinhart, Award for Outstanding Service to the Department

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I hope to work at the intersection of entertainment and new technology. I am hoping for a role in strategy that allows me to keep on learning. 

– Emma Samant, Award for Outstanding Service to the Department    

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I'm not sure what sort of title I'll have or what department I'll be working in, but I do know that I want to be a thought leader and a champion for people who are underrepresented and hypervisible.

– Leslie Stevens, MCC Academic Achievement Award (MA)

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I would like to say thank you to all the staff and faculty affiliated with the MCC program for such a wonderful experience. 

– Jeffrey Sablosky, MCC Academic Achievement Award (MA)

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Never did I think that such a niche concept (the emo subculture in the late 2010s) would be of interest to anyone but me, but here I am completing my thesis on the community that has been nothing but wonderful to me with the help of my incredible department who gave my the platform to grow and explore as I wished.

– Giovanna Trabasso, Ida Bodman Service Award

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I want to empower communities through media literacy and story telling to give them back some of that power. 

– Hina Wilkerson, Barbara Haum Memorial Scholarship  

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My proudest accomplishment is I finished my honors thesis. I never thought I would be able to produce a thorough research paper on a subject that I am interested in (a big shoutout to Professors Finn Brunton and Natasha Schüll!)

– Maggie Zhang, Outstanding Thesis Award (BS)

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I am thrilled that I finished my honors thesis! Shout out to my amazing advisor Professor Angela Wu! 

– Jenny Duo Zheng, Outstanding Thesis Award (BS)

Not pictured: Anne Pasek, Distinguished Thesis Award (PhD); Daniela Sanchez-Palacios, Award for Outstanding Service to the Department.