Film & New Media Studies

Trustee emerita Caroline Campbell Edwards ’70 P’07, a longtime supporter of the arts in practice at Wheaton, has pledged $100,000 in challenge funds to spur continued growth of the Department of Film and New Media Studies.

From its inception in 2011, Film & New Media Studies at Wheaton has provided students with the knowledge and skills required to achieve their goals within the creative industries. Today, the Department encompasses all aspects of the evolving landscape of digital storytelling and filmmaking. Students explore the convergence of print, photography, cinema, radio, and television—and how new media are shaping our culture and society today.

Faculty in Film and New Media Studies are deeply committed to supporting students, whether it’s finding them resources to make a film, giving feedback on papers or scripts, connecting them with alumni for career advice, providing opportunities such as the Filmmaker in Residence Fellowship or Film Festival Submission Fund, or developing new courses to meet their interests. “We’re constantly thinking about how to grow and improve our program,” says Patrick Johnson, Associate Professor and Chair of Film and New Media.

Gifts to Film and New Media Studies at Wheaton will be matched dollar-for-dollar, providing an immediate impact:

• Greater variety of courses both in studies (genre and filmmaker specific courses) and production (cinematography/lighting, virtual production, sound for film).
• More opportunities for students to interact with working professionals in ways that help them gain insight into career planning and industry practices: e.g., site visits to area studios and production companies, campus visits from film and media practitioners, structured internship experiences, and so forth.