Manhattan University’s high-tech media equipment being put to good use throughout the development of the new network.
BILLY WALKER / COURTESY
By Laili Shahrestani, Contributor
As the start of the fall semester begins, Manhattan University’s MCTV and communication club have merged into one set organization, now known as the Manhattan University Media Network.
The executive board of the new network explained that the combining of these two clubs brings together an abundance of new opportunities for Manhattan University students who are looking to find more ways to stay involved around campus.
The Quadrangle spoke to Marykate Palmisano, a sophomore and vice president of the Manhattan University Media Network, regarding the key shifts that will occur as a result of the merger. She goes on to speak on the wide range of extracurriculars that various types of students are able to engage in around campus.
“We’re going to open the club up to people that aren’t just in a media production concentration,” Palmisano said. “If they’re interested in sports, we have opportunities for them where they interview or record people at sports games. Or, if they’re interested in fashion, they could film things for Lotus Magazine. It’s kind of just opening it up to anyone who has an interest in anything involving videography or photography, or even just leadership in general.”
Billy Walker, a junior and the co-president of the Manhattan University Media Network, spoke to The Quadrangle about the long-term goals and aspirations of this new organization. He discussed why the idea to combine both clubs will greatly benefit the student body as it brings new ways for students to stay updated and interactive within the Manhattan University community.
“The motive is just to highlight and share the stories of specific events that happen on campus every year, whether it be places that everyone loves to go to, or regarding other students and faculty members,” Walker said. “Combining both of these general memberships will grow our numbers so we can easily spread assignments across the board. We have so many ideas such as student dorm tours, interviewing people’s favorite professors and ‘what to pack for college’ types of videos for the incoming freshman.”
With both the communication club and MCTV expanding into something much bigger, there is more space for students in all concentrations to get involved.
When speaking with The Quadrangle, sophomore Ashley Karlosky, the social media manager of the Manhattan University Media Network, stated how the club’s door will be open for anybody interested in gaining experience in any aspect of the arts. She mentioned how this new network will not be hyper-focusing on one specific area of media, instead, it will provide inclusiveness toward various fields of knowledge for handfuls of students to gain experiences that will allow them to become more affiliated with their campus.
“Our goal now is much bigger,” Karlosky said. “We are focusing on multiple concentrations. That includes journalism, advertising, sports media, PR and integrated marketing (IMC). We are hitting all of those aspects. This year we are looking for people that are into photography, or maybe into digital media art. We are looking for those people to fill those roles.”
The creation of this new network not only brings new opportunities for students, but has been developed to appease the new generation of media consumption. Karlosky spoke to The Quadrangle about how the new club was designed to reflect how students communicate in the modern era.
“There has been much change in how we communicate with the world,” Karlosky said. “Think of the Fizz app as an example. We see students communicating through that online platform every single day, making jokes, talking about events, talking about culture. So we acknowledge that change. I think it was just that time where it needed to be reflected in what we’re doing as a media production club.”