School of Media Arts & Design Learning Opportunities

American Institute for Graphic Arts (AIGA) Dragons builds a community on campus where you’re able to discuss, collaborate and learn about topics in graphic design. You’ll also discover how to develop your personal brand and attend workshops presented by your professors and industry professionals.

Anime Club is a student organization full of anime lovers, con-goers and avid manga readers. The club meets weekly to watch short series; attends the Anime Detour convention in Bloomington, Minn., each year; and helps plan and execute MoarCon, the annual campus convention.

You’ll have the chance to visit local and regional design studios to observe the workplace and learn from graphic design professionals.

The student organization Cinethusiasts is for filmmakers and film lovers dedicated to activities in film production, networking and screenings. As a member, you’ll attend film festivals, host annual Academy Awards and Halloween Silent Movie parties, participate in the national 48 Hour Film Project and more.

Through coursework and co-curricular opportunities, students often partner with community clients on a variety of creative projects. Faculty and students partner with nonprofits and businesses to create commercials, web content and other creative content. Past clients and partners have included the F/M Opera, Habitat for Humanity, the Arts Partnership and the Minnesota State Historical Society.

At MSUM, we take the classroom to the professional world. Film Production and Film Studies students tour local and regional production and post-production facilities to see editing studios, grip trucks, sound stages and film processing labs. Field trips also include festivals and museums, like the Walker Art Center, the South Dakota Film Festival and the Fargo Film Festival.

You’ll have countless opportunities to attend and screen your work at local and regional film festivals. Commonly attended festivals include:

• Fargo Film Festival
• FM LGBT Film Festival
• Free Range Film Festival
• Headwaters Film Festival
• South Dakota Film Festival
• Twin Cities Film Fest

MSUM students and alumni have won countless awards at festivals such as these. Recent awards include:

• Fargo Film Festival:
• Rusty Casselton Award
• Ted M. Larson Award
• 1st Place 2-Minute Movie Contest
• Volunteer Spirit Award
• Z-Fest Film Festival:
• Best Comedy
• Best Picture
• Headwaters Film Festival:
• 1st Place Minnesota Student Film Award
• 3rd Place Minnesota Film Award
• Judge's Choice Best Animation
• Judge's Choice Best Musical

Interested in learning and living with students pursuing the same degree as you? Join the Film Learning Community to explore career options in your field, collaborate on group projects, attend film screenings and more.

MSUM’s student ad agency, Flypaper Creative Services, takes on real projects for area nonprofits and business startups. The organization runs with a professional ad agency model. A team consisting of an account manager, designer, copywriter, PR specialist and social media specialist develops materials for real events on campus and in the community.

Although Animation, Film Production, Film Studies and Graphic Communication majors are not required to complete an internship, it is highly recommended. Dozens of businesses in Fargo-Moorhead are seeking students like you to provided needed services for their company. In return, you’ll gain highly beneficial experience and build a strong portfolio in the process.

The Graphic Design mentorship program focuses on connecting students with MSUM alumni working in Fargo-Moorhead’s graphic design community. You’ll meet with your mentor to conduct mock interviews, review your portfolio, job shadow and get a deeper look into the industry. For more information, contact Tom Anstadt.

Film Studies students attend several conferences each year and are frequently recognized for their academic excellence in regional and national conferences. If you’re interested in attending a conference, contact Professor Anthony Adah.

New Rivers Press is an independent publishing house that provides a voice for new authors. You can be engaged in every part of small-press publishing, including editing, marketing, public relations and sales.

Graphic Design majors are required to complete a one-semester internship prior to graduation. With a plethora of local and regional internship opportunities, you are able to gain hands-on experience while finishing their degree. Recent students have interned with the following organizations among dozens of others:

• Anthem Branding
• Duffy
• Hendlin Visual Communications
• Myriad Mobile
• Studio Minneapolis
• Sundog Interactive
• Super Studio (Flint Communications)

MSU Moorhead’s Student Academic Conference (SAC) provides an opportunity for student researchers to present their work to faculty, administration, peers and the community in a formal academic setting each April. You’ll have the chance to present your hard work in a variety of ways—panel discussions, workshops, multimedia presentations, displays and demonstrations—and gather constructive feedback to help you better analyze and continue exploration.

As a student in the School of Media Arts and Design, you can study abroad in Lincoln the spring semester of your junior year at the University of Lincoln in the United Kingdom if you have a 2.75 GPA or higher.

The Film Loop is a student organization that holds weekly discussions on various film topics. From “Star Wars” to “The Godfather,” if it’s on the big screen you’ll talk about it. The Film Loop also releases “Film Loop Journal,” a film and TV-oriented magazine, each semester, and hosts a weekly radio show. The Film Loop also hosts an annual high school film festival, which provides hands-on curating and programming experience.