Kayla Steps into Her Creative Potential
Kayla already knew she loved multimedia when she graduated from Richwoods High School in Peoria. As producer of her student news program, she had found something she could imagine doing professionally. What she had not decided was where she wanted to take that passion next.
This is part of what was in my mind, and I brought this to life.
Kayla, Multimedia student
She initially hoped to attend college out of state, but the cost made her reconsider committing to a four-year university before she was certain it was the right fit. ICC offered an affordable place to continue her education while building the skills she would need for whatever came next.
Kayla quickly realized she had underestimated the challenge.
Through the Multimedia program, Kayla has worked with Adobe programs, audio production, design, and other hands-on projects. Professors David Smit, Michael Kaliski, and Kenneth Burton have pushed her to think beyond completing an assignment and consider how her creative decisions would translate into professional work.
Critiques have been part of that growth too. Seeing the work of other students challenged Kayla to raise her own expectations while learning not to be discouraged when an idea did not immediately succeed.
“When you put your all into something, that feeling is still great,” she said. I tried. This is part of what was in my mind, and I brought this to life.
TRiO Student Support Services has given Kayla another place to develop those skills. She connected with TRiO before her first semester and now works with the program as both a tutor and its social media manager. The role allows her to use multimedia in a client-based setting, think about branding, and gain practical experience creating content for an organization.
As a first-generation student, she also values the support TRiO provides students who may be navigating college without a strong family background in higher education.
“You can easily present your problems to them, and they can help guide you,” Kayla said.
Her growth has extended beyond academics. Through TRiO, Horticulture Club, Black Legacy, Harbinger Student Media, and other campus experiences, Kayla has become more comfortable expressing herself and connecting with people from different backgrounds.
Now, she sees herself differently than she did during her first semester.
Kayla plans to continue her education after ICC and is considering Georgia State University. She hopes to build a career filled with creative projects and client-based work, with the possibility of someday becoming a professor and sharing her professional experience with future students.
At ICC, Kayla is not simply learning how to use creative tools. She is learning how to trust her ideas, strengthen them, and turn what she imagines into something real.