When I first joined OUSA as the Advocacy and Communications Intern for the summer, I was told that I would have the opportunity to work on a capstone project. I wasn’t entirely sure what I wanted to do, but I knew I wanted to try something new where I could further learn and develop skills as well as create something meaningful. This project allowed me to further explore my interest in creating short-form content and develop various skills, such as video editing. I was also able to see how advocacy and media lean on one another.
I’ve dabbled with creating short-form content here and there, but it was something I used to do for fun. I started to play around with the idea of creating videos for OUSA’s Instagram, but couldn’t entirely figure out how to do it in a way that would reflect a “capstone.” Then, I decided it would be cool to create a docuseries.
I started to think of what I would want to create as well as what students could potentially benefit from. Most people know that OUSA publishes policy papers and advocates on behalf of students, but I wanted to show what student advocacy looks like. I wanted to showcase the behind-the-scenes and the people working to make things possible. As the months went by, I began to realize the many moving components of OUSA’s work including stakeholder meetings, communication strategies, and of course policy development.
https://www.instagram.com/p/DMl8Jw_xR7x/?hl=en
I also wanted to highlight that student advocacy varies across campuses. It was interesting to see the thought process behind how different student leaders end up prioritizing similar but also different issues. Having been a student leader in the past, this helped me further understand how local challenges shape the way student leaders show up in advocacy, especially through their work on Steering Committee.
https://www.instagram.com/p/DNecd6DPGar/?hl=en
The series’ last episode focuses on OUSA’s accomplishments and milestones. I wanted to not only acknowledge the victories, but also showcase the effectiveness of student advocacy. OUSA’s efforts have had a significant impact on the post-secondary sector ranging from government investments to the establishment of Bills. The goal of this episode was to show how Home Office, Steering Committee, and students work together to bring positive change to the post-secondary sector.
https://www.instagram.com/p/DNtd35q3lSL/?hl=en
I want to thank everyone who watched the content and engaged with it. I am proud of the outcome and could not have done it without you!
I want to also thank Tiffany for her endless support and help in seeing this project through, as well as Malika, Octavia, Abi, and Sophia for their feedback into ensuring I was putting out well-developed content. I have learned so much not only from this project, but throughout this internship. Thank you for being such a cool, friendly and supportive team!