Meet Grace Helmick, Educational Media Technician

What does your job entail?

I am an Educational Media Technician, so my job entails working on all manner of media – whether that be filming and editing videos, creating graphics, or assisting faculty in using STLI’s studio spaces! I am also being shared with Colonial Williamsburg and Strategic Cultural Partnerships of W&M to document the excavation and restoration of the Bray School Lab.

What interests you most about this job?

I love telling stories of all kinds, and I find that through using media I can help share those stories and educate those around me – after all, oral storytelling is how we once relayed our histories, myths, and experiences! It’s also an art form – being able to create visually stunning and comprehensive narratives from the materials I’ve collected.

What do you hope to accomplish in your first year?

My main goal is to make headway in creating various online sources for faculty and staff emphasizing a creative and innovative approach to the classroom, as well as to produce media for the Bray School Lab to begin re-discovering those people, their voices, and their stories.

Tell us a little about your background:

I am a recent graduate of William & Mary (Winter of 2021!) and while at the college I double-majored in English and Film & Media Studies. While being a full-time student, I also worked with STLI as a student partner creating media – which led to more freelance work with faculty companies and larger networks (such as PBS’ Antiques Roadshow).

What attracted you to W&M?

Being a student here really allowed me to see just how W&M strives for excellence in every way – especially in the relationships between students, faculty, and staff. The care, creativity, innovation, and sense of belonging I’ve experienced as a student has carried over into being a staff member – and I’ve very excited to be here!

What do you enjoy doing outside of work?

In my free time, I enjoy watching films, reading books (nineteenth-century literature is my favorite) playing the piano and guitar, co-leading an improv comedy group, and going on long runs around Lake Matoaka!