“My goal is to create work that can have a life beyond its release and remain useful for broader cultural and academic conversations,” says Marcos Figueroa Vieira ’27 about his future at UMass as a Communication major.
And the Elaine E. Nord Internship Fund for Creative Communications helped him get a step closer to his goal this summer. Elaine Nord, Communication ‘81, generously supports students with internships in production or creative communications.
Before coming to UMass Amherst, Marcos worked in television news and video production. To build upon this experience, he chose to major in Communication to understand media beyond the technical side of producing it.
“Having already worked in television, I wanted to better understand how images communicate ideas, and how media influences the way people and communities are represented,” Marcos says about his decision to major in Communication. “Over time, that has also helped me become more intentional about the kind of work I want to make and the subjects I want to explore.”
The Nord Scholarship supports students who use technology to produce media content just like Marcos, who was chosen for his demonstrated interest in visual storytelling and for his plans to work with the Massachusetts Film Office.
Born in Caguas, Puerto Rico and now living in Westfield, MA, Marcos says receiving the scholarship was “meaningful because it provided financial support” to be able to pay for expenses incurred during the internship.
The Communication courses he’s taken has helped to lay the groundwork for Marcos’ success. Through a combination of production-based courses and theoretical courses, Marcos is able to not only strengthen the way he approaches editing and storytelling but also challenge the way he thinks about the relationship between media and its audience.
Marcos says the Communication courses he takes at UMass help him “to connect practical experience with a more critical understanding of media.”
This fall, Marcos continues to gain professional experience outside the classroom through his internships with New England Public Media (NEPM) and the Center for Latin American, Caribbean and Latino Studies at UMass.
“Both opportunities allow me to work with communities and stories from different perspectives,” Marcos says.
Marcos strives to create a diverse set of work based on his interests in people, culture, and community.
“I’m interested in pursuing projects that allow me to work closely with different communities and develop a consistent approach to visual storytelling.”