Five Minutes With...Jada Jameson

Get to know Jada Jameson, president of Delta Kappa Alpha and honors communication major!
Five Minutes With...Jada Jameson

What sets apart the honors communication major?

As an honors communication major, you can basically study anything you want that sits underneath the communications umbrella. Even if you want a major or area of focus that is away from the traditional track, you have complete flexibility to do just that. You have a few required honors courses teaching you essential knowledge for working in media but, for the most part, the program allows you to solely take classes in what you’re interested in. 

What is the most interesting class you’ve taken?

I’m currently taking a course on cinematography which I personally never had any interest in, but it is required for my major. It is a production course with a specific assignment every week, based on a particular aspect of cinematography, including lenses, color, movement, etc. You conceptualize, shoot, and edit the film by the next class. It is a lot of work and requires me to shoot with my group every week. But it has given me so much insight into filmmaking,  the necessity of collaboration between every department, and position on set to make something exceptional.

What is Delta Kappa Alpha (DKA)?

DKA is the National Professional Cinematic Arts Fraternity. We are basically a group of students with a passion for film and television as well as a desire to become better filmmakers. If you want to learn and grow as a filmmaker in the midst of extremely talented and supportive students, DKA is the place for you!

Jada Jameson

 

What has been the most rewarding part of being president of DKA?

Since we recruit twice a year, we are almost constantly in the state of bringing new members into the group. It is incredibly rewarding to watch people fall in love with DKA and meet other students that will become their closest friends and collaborators. By the time recruitment comes up for the next semester, you can barely tell the difference between who is a new member and who is an old one.

What are you looking forward to for next semester?

Next semester, I will be studying abroad in Rome. It  is super exciting! I love traveling and studying overseas has always been something I wanted to do in college. It will be nice to go away for a few months and reevaluate who I am becoming as a person and what I want out of life in a new environment.

What is your favorite thing about living in Miami?

I am a huge fan of being outside as much as I possibly can, and luckily living in Miami allows me to do that all year-round. If you ask anyone who spends time around the School of Communication where to find me, they’ll tell you the Communcations School Courtyard. Being outside keeps me grounded and inspired, which is very important in my major.

What is your favorite DKA story?

My favorite DKA story will probably forever be being on my first ever film set. It was my first semester at UM and I was pledging DKA. I could kind of tell that the organization was exactly where I needed to be, but when I stepped on that set and saw the sheer amount of equipment we had to unload and how seriously everyone took their jobs, I was incredibly overwhelmed and excited. I was shadowing another member on set. They gave me the entire breakdown of what was going on and what the job of an assistant director is on set. We were shooting during midterm week, so every night I would go straight to set after class and then I would go back to my dorm at midnight and study for my test the next day. By the end of it all I was exhausted, but it was the first time that I realized being at UM would give me everything I needed to make my dreams come true. 

How do you like to unwind?

I watch a lot of YouTube videos especially if I’m feeling unmotivated or uninspired. I’m a huge fan of Ted Talks! Sometimes, I put on a good podcast and draw. I also play a lot of Sudoku because it helps to calm my mind and focus on solving the board.

What is your dream job?

I would love to direct and act in movies and television.