On Wednesday, October 14 at the CUNY Graduate Center, BMCC alumna Diane Ingino was among 45 students honored by the CUNY Baccalaureate for Unique and Interdisciplinary Studies program (CUNY BA/BS), at its 15th annual Thomas W. Smith Academic Fellowship awards ceremony.
Setting the groundwork at BMCC
Ingino graduated from BMCC in May 2009, with an Associate in Applied Science degree in Video Arts and Technology (VAT), which is now—along with the Multimedia program—part of BMCC’s expanded Media Arts and Technology department.
She received Honors awards from two departments–Cooperative Education and VAT–and was a BMCC Foundation Scholar, a Phi Theta Kappa member, and a recipient of the Joshua Smith Award for Excellence in the 2007 Student Video festival. In addition, BMCC sponsored her attendance at the Salzburg Global Seminar International Study Program in Salzburg, Austria.
One of CUNY’s best kept secrets
Selected by the Video Arts and Technology Department, Ingino participated in the CUNY/CBS program Bootcamp, where she co-produced “What’s Eating New York?,” a video news segment on the ecological phenomenon now occurring as the City’s cleaned-up waterways are seeing marine life return – and eat away at wooden structures supporting the waterfront.
“BMCC is always the only community college that gets invited to participate in Bootcamp,” says Ingino.
“Considering that the program was begun by and is overseen by Warren Lustig, senior producer of 60 Minutes,” she adds, “BMCC’s participation speaks volumes about the quality of their Video Arts and Technology program. I feel that the VAT program is really one of the best kept secrets at CUNY.”
Making choices that shape the future
“I almost went into the Writing and Literature program, because I love writing,” says Ingino. “But I chose the VAT program to gain some technical skills—cameras, lighting, video editing, etc.”
Like many students, her interests cover a range of subject and career areas, and at BMCC she was able to explore those possibilities.
“Of course, writing is a huge part of media-making, too,” she realized. “Then I discovered I really enjoy video editing, and won the Joshua Smith Award, which told me I’m moving in the right direction.”
At Hunter College, Ingino’s home campus, she continues making use of a variety of academic offerings, especially Liberal Arts courses. “Right now I’m taking a Gothic Literature course, and I love it!,” she says.
To keep her studies on track, she works with faculty mentors in the CUNY BA/BS program— Kelly Anderson, in the Film and Media Department at Hunter, and Carol Berkin, a history professor at Baruch College.
“I check in with them whenever I have questions about courses I want to take, and anything related to my Area of Concentration,” she says.
Student-designed curricula reflect their diverse goals
The CUNY BA/BS program enables students to design their own curricula. Ingino’s self-constructed major, or Area of Concentration (AOC), Documentary Media Production and Research, closely reflects her professional goals.
“Mostly, I like documentaries that educate, incorporate history somehow, and address social issues,” she says.
“I also enjoy arts and entertainment, and profiles of creative, inspiring people. I guess the connecting thread is a focus on people, and the lives they lead, rather than on places or politics.”
At the recent Smith Awards ceremony, benefactor Thomas W. Smith personally presented each of the 45 recipients with his or her award.
“For me, hearing all these unique AOCs was inspiring!,” Ingino says. “So many ideas of what a career or academic focus should be! There were several other AOCs which incorporated Media Studies, but in totally different ways than mine.”
