Media School students help drive People of IU project
People of IU, a club focused on sharing stories about impactful people within the Indiana University community, saw tremendous growth over the past two years and two Media School students have been there for every step of the club’s journey.
The Media School juniors, Raghav Mehta and Jordan Venckus, both became involved with the club after meeting with its founder, Sankalp Mohan Sharma. As freshmen, both students jumped at the opportunity to utilize their photography and videography skills in a new and creative way.
“I thought it would be a great way to use my passion for photography to be more involved,” Venckus said.
Each week, People of IU releases stories about people in the IU community on their club’s Instagram and LinkedIn pages. Stories range from professors and students, to IU athletics coaches and renowned Indiana University alumni.
Recently, the club gained additional funding from IU Ventures, a 501(c)(3) affiliate that helps those in the IU community fund high potential venture opportunities. Now, the club members are thinking bigger.
“It’s been amazing to see how small relationships have led to huge opportunities. People have really begun to reach out to us,” Mehta said.
The club has over 1,000 followers on Instagram and has gained campus wide recognition from university staff. The five members have been able to create over 60 interviews with 40 more waiting to be published. Mehta primarily focuses on video content for each story and Venckus is in charge of photographing each interviewee.
“The club has really allowed me to test my skills, visual storytelling is where my heart is at,” Mehta said.
Mehta said he attributes his initial interest in this type of video storytelling to his experience in MSCH-C 226, a visual communications class that is a core component of The Media School’s curriculum. Venckus said he enjoys combining photography with what he is learning from his media advertising major.
“All my classes and professors through The Media School have helped me through photography as well because it’s allowed me to be more diligent and look deeper into the pictures I am taking,” Venckus said.
The People of IU has also given Mehta and Venckus memorable experiences and newfound community connections.
Mehta shot a video project in Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall, using his drone to gain footage and even shot hoops on the court. Venckus had a memorable experience when he photographed student body president Ky Freeman for another People of IU story. Both experiences stuck with the club members, they said.
“Filming inside Assembly Hall was straight from a dream,” Mehta said. “That was an opportunity I am so grateful for.”
Moving forward, the People of IU club is looking to publish a book of their stories. Venckus said he sees it as a great ending to the first chapter of the People of IU journey.
Along the way, fostering connections with groups like Indiana University Athletics and the IUAA has allowed People of IU to broaden the scope of their stories, Mehta said. For Venckus, the networking has become important.
“It will be interesting once we graduate and move on from this club what will happen with it, I am really excited to see,” Venckus said.