Rachel Knierman can more than likely be found behind the lens of a camera. As a videography intern for the Multimedia Production Center (MPC), she spends her days producing and animating videos that highlight all of the fun students have on campus. But if it wasn’t for her early exposure to IUPUI, she may never have found her love for filming and editing.
When Knierman was growing up, she would often visit the Herron School of Art + Design and take part in their community learning program. This was a place where young aspiring artists could explore and create in the school's studios while learning the foundations of art and design. From there, Knierman was hooked.
With a deep passion for painting, Knierman originally pursued this path when deciding on a university. After being accepted to schools like The Savannah College of Art and Design and Columbia Art and Design, there was something about Herron that stood out compared to other schools.
Thanks to her connection with Herron early on, Knierman knew the school could offer her valuable lessons.
"I chose to go to Herron because it had access to more things than just art," she said. "I knew Herron could offer me the tools to know how to price my work and how to be successful. Everyone needs to earn money somehow, so why not make it off something I am passionate about?"
After taking a variety of art classes at IUPUI and building her skills in new artistic disciplines, Knierman switched her major from painting to visual communication design, also known as graphic design.
"I wanted to learn something while I was in college that I could use in the corporate world if I needed to because painting is something I can always come back to and do on the side," she said. "I started to fall in love with visual communication design as I was doing it."
With a newfound interest in graphic design, she found an internship within IUPUI at the MPC – a media lab that designs marketing materials for the events, services and programs hosted by the Division of Student Affairs or student organizations. Here, Knierman made posters, flyers, social media posts and digital signs, and developed a branding guide for Weeks of Welcome, one of IUPUI's signature events.
After succeeding there for six months, a career opportunity opened up for her as a videographer – something she had only dabbled in for a photography class. As the last videographer was preparing to graduate, Knierman’s curiosity piqued at the idea of a new challenge. She knew she had the ability to succeed at something completely different and went for the opportunity. After showing her boss a project she worked on in class, he believed Knierman could handle a change since she had already proved to be a dedicated graphic designer.
"It was a learning curve for me – specifically learning about all of the equipment. I started doing more videographer work and got promoted to the videographer in the office," said Knierman.
As head videographer, Knierman works on an array of projects for the Division of Students Affairs. From Weeks of Welcome to Regatta to IU Day, she is there to film IUPUI’s events, campus culture and student experiences. Being able to capture all the stories of IUPUI students and faculty has been one of her favorite memories.
"It is really heartwarming to hear everyone’s stories and how they are bettering their lives," she said. "I love getting to know people and the fun spirit that is on this campus."
Working in the MPC has given her a handful of skills like writing scripts, creating video animations, interviewing and doing post-production work – most of which she learned on the job. With the dream of one day working at a design agency, her experiences at IUPUI have set her up for her future.
"(The MPC) has definitely taught me how to overcome challenges," she said. "If there is something I don’t understand, I have to figure it out myself. Keeping tight deadlines has been very important in this job, which is also critical at an agency."
As graduation approaches, Knierman looks back on her time at IUPUI positively. She attributes her love for Indianapolis to all the amazing events she has caught on camera along with the people she has met.
"There are so many different people on campus with a variety of backgrounds, experiences and majors," she said. "The events, like Jagapalooza, were so much fun. IUPUI offering that to students for free adds to the fun nature of campus."
For now, Knierman plans to stay in Indianapolis and work for a company where she can showcase her talents not only as a graphic designer, but a visual storyteller, too.