Here is some of Shaun’s work on immigrant stories in the Shenandoah Valley: http://www.vaisp.com

Professor Shaun Wright of JMU’s School of Media Arts and Design (SMAD) has his college students create a documentary about SV-SLI students and immigration in the Shenandoah Valley. Watch this video of some of his work, and continue to read more.Professor Wright describes the 3-minute documentaries as highlighting talents and personalities of the students, as well as the challenges they face. One of the challenges presented in documentaries is that nearly all of students will be the first in their family to attend college, and therefore do not how to make college a reality. The only reality that seems to stare them in the face is the unsurmountable expense of college. SV-SLI helps students overcome this challenge by creating opportunities and access to scholarships, and providing guidance in navigating the college application and scholarship process.

Professor Wright likes assigning this project to his JMU students. He says that the fact that his students are producing a project about a real person typically causes them to “up their game”. What most of the students do not realize is that their documentaries are actually used by SV-SLI to promote the organization and advocate for the high school students by sharing their stories.

Professor Wright believes his class project provides “a deep and engaged learning process,” and he enjoys seeing the impact the projects have on his students. He sees them realize how different their lives are from the SV-SLI students and because of this, many realize that they’ve been living in the “JMU bubble”; that the Harrisonburg community has more diversity than just students and faculty.

Here is some of Shaun’s work on immigrant stories in the Shenandoah Valley: http://www.vaisp.com

– Katie