Having difficulty writing letter of intent. Lacking focus, too long.

[nfinholt]

For a Master of Communication in Digital Media. There are no formal suggestion how to construct the letter of intent. The department told me 1-2 pages, that's about it. This is in its early stages so more global advice would be great (i.e. flow, rhythm, more/less detail). Thank you so much!

To whom it may concern,

Understandably, it is easy to be seduced by the latest innovative digital technologies of the 21st century. The proliferation of tablet computers, Web 2.0, HD DSLRs, smartphones, and infinite ways to individualize such devices has forever changed the way we socialize, produce, curate, and obtain information. While immersed in “digital age”, it is easy to overlook the potential for technology to be divisive and exclusionary. Considering the ubiquity of digital technology and its extension into both common and academic discourse, it is erroneous to assume that the tools of communication will self-regulate its proliferation to marginalized citizens and disenfranchised communities. For those of us who have the access, it is imperative that we embrace widespread digital literacy to improve the quality of our communities and to realize digital democracy. From what I’ve learned, MCDM fosters a command of the latest technological innovations, but also supports entrepreneurship, community, and storytelling at the apex of the curriculum. Creating community relationships by propagating media education and equipment has the potential to create social and political change. I hope contribute to this movement. Under the guidance of the MCDM faculty and from the support of local businesses and community leaders, I plan to use innovative strategies to create trust and empower those who have been left out, to foster collaborative alliances, and to propel multiple forms of significant digital expression into common and academic discourse. My advocacy for digital democracy began with an early appreciation of digital technology.

I was quite privileged to interact with digital equipment at a young age. I vividly remember creating and animating 3D objects on the families Macintosh 512K. Although this technology would be considered laughable in comparison to today’s standards, the black & white objects and animations had a lasting impact on my appreciation of digital technology. A few years later, I discovered how to create stop-motion animation. The camcorder only sampled at quarter second intervals. Nonetheless, I found the ability to create compelling stories with little more than some crusty playdough and a time to be enthralling. Later in life, I find myself still amazed at the power of digital media to communicate meaning.

In my adult life, I find a thorough balance of working with digital technology in both professional and academic settings. As a small business owner, I have found that social networking is invaluable to strategize successful campaigns for fundraising, for finding customers, bringing together staff and volunteers, and disseminating digital works to the public. During my scholarship at the University of Washington Bothell, I have extensively researched practice, production, and theory of digital communication. My undergraduate studies focused on how these technologies systemically create mechanism of social, political, and economical constructs. My passion of digital communication studies is evident in my quarterly, annual, and anticipation of Latin (Cum Laude) honors. Also, I hope to bring my knowledge of conceptual art. Working with the arts has offered me another theoretical framework which complements and expands my available resources for creating persuasive arguments. Traditional narrative structure seeks to govern the moment of epiphany whereas conceptual art broadens the potential location of epiphany. Recently, I constructed a two-part on-campus instillation concerned with the architecture and design of the UW Bothell and how the buildings themselves connote institutionalized forms of oppression. Even after the work was disassembled, it continues to be an issue of discussion at the UWB. My experience of conceptual art as an alternative mode of communication may offer a fresh set of theoretical resources to my development within the MCDM program.

My service to non-profit media organizations has allowed me the opportunity to work with amazing young producers. Contemporary media pedagogy places the highest importance on turning passive consumers of media into active producers. This is a highly beneficial academic and social resource for young minds. Offering our youth the knowledge to produce as well as critique media gives them the opportunity to express their own creativity and allows them to unpack the methods and subtext of other productions. These young students become producers of original media and also producers of their own knowledge which grants them the ability to contribute to a collaborative knowledge base. Working with youth classes and observing their exuberance reminded me of my personal experiences as a young digital producer. This journey instilled in me a desire to “arm” students with the knowledge of digital media and the tools to become critical producers. Part of my research concluded of a video documentary of 911 Media Arts Center. I plan to continue this work by making connections with other non-profit originations such as Reel Grrls and The Northwest Film Forum.

I also have experience working with the digital humanities. In a past course using Omeka, our class collaboratively composed, collected, and curated digital content to create an academic exhibit of The Crocodile Café, DIY music culture, and the UW’s archived live recordings of Jim Anderson. This was a great learning experience of compiling multiple forms of media into an academic archive. This website is pending publication in an academic journal.

I was very excited to learn that the MCDM program concludes with a final summit project. Considering my great interest of providing digital resources for creating community ties through media production, and through my extensive research of video pedagogy, and my involvement with non-profit media organizations, I hope to create a new media space which will create an innovative facility advocating for democratization of digital technologies. The program I hope to create is twofold: first, I hope to train people about and how to use free and open source software. Second, I hope to aggregate donated computers, refurbished them, and get them to students in exchange of projects. The expense of programs like Photoshop, Pro Tools, and Final Cut Pro is no longer necessary with programs like GIMP, Audacity, and Lightworks Beta. Furthermore, through a partnership with 911 Media Arts I hope to create a curriculum based around this software. The goal is to privilege individuals and communities who are normally marginalized and grant them access to social technologies. By fostering partnerships with the University, local businesses, non-profit organization, and with the community, normally displaced youth can make potentially lifelong relationships becoming themselves pioneers of innovation, entrepreneurship, storytelling, and to create stronger connections in the community by learning how to effectively communicate using the tools of our highly mediated world.

In order for me to stay current and further develop my skills as a digital producer, entrepreneur, and storyteller, it seems obvious that the MCDM program is the next step in my personal journey. I firmly believe that the MCDM program will bring the various elements of my creative potential into sharp focus. My goal is to deeply engage with the faculty in hopes of raising my skillset to new levels. I hope you will give me the privilege of continuing my studies as a student of MCDM.

[TexasGuy]

Hey I'm also working on mine...

my 0.02 cents...seems to me your only problem is length and a few wordy sentences..other than that i really enjoyed reading..you're an excellent writer....it was very personal and interesting..except for the first 10 or so sentences. you could probably omit most of the first paragragh. it kind of looks like how you would start a gre analytical writing essay about technology...if you know what i mean and talks about technology in general instead of focusing on yourself. I would love to hear what others think though

[nfinholt]

Thank you Texas Guy! I totally understand what you are saying about the first paragraph. Sorry I reposed three times, not sure how I did that.