KENNESAW, Ga. | Mar 30, 2022

The Kennesaw State University Adobe Creative Jam brought together hundreds of students in dozens of disciplines during March to create videos illustrating how their experiences at KSU have helped them grow.

Future, passion and strength are what the three winners said that they had found in their time at KSU.

The Adobe Creative Jam challenges students to learn basic video editing program Adobe Premiere Rush on a short timeline and compete against each other to create one-minute videos. The theme of this year’s jam, the first with only KSU students competing, was “Find your _____. Find your wings.”

Sarah Johnson, senior lecturer of communication and Adobe Creative Jam chair, said KSU’s was the largest single-university jam in the nation, with 335 students, faculty and staff involved. Johnson said registrants represented 50 majors and nine of 11 colleges at KSU. Nearly 80% of registrants had never used Adobe Premiere Rush.

“I think students are expecting challenges like this when they get to higher education, and it’s exciting that we get to take their existing skills and incorporate those into their coursework, internship projects and, down the road, their career,” Johnson said, adding that learning Rush has benefits for students, no matter their major. “So many students now have to have a wide array of skills.”

The event began March 2 in libraries on both campuses and featured a Rush workshop from Adobe experts. On March 23, students returned to the libraries in a film festival atmosphere to watch the winning videos and win raffle prizes, like pillows, T-shirts, mobile phone camera accessories and more.

Johnson also said the students who participated would get a “microcredential” badge that they will be able to display on their LinkedIn profiles to show future employers their new skill set.

All three of the winners — juniors Lilly Carter, Noah Smith and Marili Canedo — were from the School of Communication and Media within the Norman J. Radow College of Humanities and Social Sciences.

Carter said her theme choice of “Find your future. Find your wings,” came after reminiscing fondly on her growth since arriving as a freshman.

“It was really fun. One of the challenges was having to be in front of the camera and behind the camera, but it was also a very interesting process,” Carter said. “When I got the call that I’d won, I was very surprised, but it shows that if you put in hard work, it pays off. I was very motivated throughout it. I was out filming every day.”

Catherine Kaukinen, dean of the Radow College, said she is excited that KSU students could participate in the jam to expand their digital literacy and acquire skills, like those in the Adobe Creative Suite. Those programs, she said, “are becoming increasingly more important for our 21st century workforce.”

“As dean, I am committed to identifying impactful professional development opportunities for our students across the college. The competition during the Creative Jam serves as part of their preparation for an ever-evolving job market,” Kaukinen said. “The collection of photography, video, design, web, and social media apps expand opportunities for communication, collaboration, and the creation and sharing of digital content.”

The event was sponsored by the Radow College in partnership with KSU Libraries. To watch videos submitted by this year’s winners, as well as honorable mentions, visit the creative hub page. 

– By Thomas Hartwell
Photos by Jason Getz

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A leader in innovative teaching and learning, Kennesaw State University offers undergraduate, graduate and doctoral degrees to its more than 45,000 students. Kennesaw State is a member of the University System of Georgia with 11 academic colleges. The university’s vibrant campus culture, diverse population, strong global ties and entrepreneurial spirit draw students from throughout the country and the world. Kennesaw State is a Carnegie-designated doctoral research institution (R2), placing it among an elite group of only 7 percent of U.S. colleges and universities with an R1 or R2 status. For more information, visit kennesaw.edu.