We serve as educators in media-related fields that reflect, or even cause, the increasing rate of change in our society today. It is quite possible that what we teach a first-year student will be out of date by the time that student graduates. But this danger only exists if we focus our teaching and research on ephemeral outcomes. However, in the context of the ongoing debate surrounding the value and methods of higher education, this danger is real. As a member of the board and a representative of our district, I will actively seek ways to strengthen BEA as an educational organization dedicated to academic and professional excellence. I believe we find that excellence in what makes our media-related fields unique – connection.
Media are about communication. And communication is about connection. As a member of the board, I will make connections amongst the members of our district, our institutions, and the professional industry. At my institution, Pepperdine University in Malibu, we are surrounded by industry leaders, many of whom are looking for ways to support the education of the next generation of media leaders. I would welcome the opportunity to connect more of those leaders to the mission of BEA.
As the director of a new graduate program and an academic co-director of Pepperdine’s Institute of Entertainment, Media, and Culture, I am eager to encourage new BEA membership from graduate students, researchers, and other professionals with whom we collaborate.
Most importantly, I am eager to listen to the members of our district and to hear what challenges and opportunities you see in our field. How can we support one another to increase both the academic and professional excellence of media education today?
We are one of the few fields that inherently connects the academic and the professional. While the world debates the value and methods of higher education, we can find ways to answer these challenges though the connections we make. It would be my privilege to serve you and BEA in that goal.
Michael C. Smith, MFA, EdD
Associate Professor of Media Production
Director, MFA in Cinematic Media Production
Academic Co-Director, Institute of Entertainment, Media, and Culture
Pepperdine University
www.linkedin.com/in/drmichaelcsmith
