Upbeat tunes signaling the introduction fade as light gleams against the interviewee’s face. The guest poses across from a social media intern sitting off screen. Even after their conversation ends, a written story awaits for readers to delve into each figure’s most challenging obstacles, impactful inspirations and meaningful life experiences.

Digital interview series People of Liberal Arts highlights the achievements of students, staff and faculty involved in liberal arts. The show’s lead producer, Jacqueline Magno, said the project did not publish content during the fall 2022 semester due to her balancing two other jobs and an upper division course load. She said the number of students involved expanded to support Magno’s formerly one-woman operation.

“One person doing this (series) was cool, but now that we’re back in person and want to expand it, I realized I needed help,” said Magno, a rhetoric and writing senior. “The reason there was nothing last semester was (because) the person doing it was overwhelmed and overworked, but that opened a cool door.”

Magno’s helping hands include associate producer Geraldyn Campos, who said she interviewed a guest, assistant professor Amira Rose Davis, by herself for the first time when sickness overcame Magno. 

“I was intimidated (because) I only ever (had) gone with Jackie to see her take (interviews) on, but I saw that as an opportunity to finally do it,” said Campos, an international relations and global studies junior. “I tried to conceal my nervousness as much as I could, but internally, I was concerned.”

Campos and Magno’s fields of study both lie in the College of Liberal Arts. Campos said her passion for foreign affairs and urge to understand society guided her degree decision. Although Magno grew fond of her rhetoric classes, she said she originally chose the rhetoric and writing major for her love of penning to paper.

“I had no idea what rhetoric was before I entered college,” Magno said. “I just really loved writing. That’s one thing that I’ve always loved doing with my friends. We’d pass back and forth journals where we’d start a story, continue it and pass it between people.”

Mia Carter, associate dean of student affairs for liberal arts, said she hopes the show — which puts faces to the over 10,000 undergraduates within COLA — offers students a sense of connection and community. 

“I hope (people) get familiar with the college and the encouragement to see faculty as the unique and approachable human beings that they are,” Carter said. “The team does a great job of using that lens of student curiosity to frame interviews, so it ends up being a great invitation into the college.”

Magno said she considers pursuing public service as graduation approaches. Aiming to leave the same impact as her interviewees, Magno said meeting influential figures instilled a confidence in her academic interests. 

“I came into college like, ‘I’m studying rhetoric and writing. How am I supposed to explain that to relatives and co-workers who don’t know what that is?’” Magno said. “Just because (people’s) passions don’t lie in things where you’re like, ‘I know what they’re going to do after college,’ doesn’t mean that your passions are any less valued in the world.”