By Leland Campbell
Amid the usual rhythm of campus life, the Office of Media Ministry works quietly behind the scenes to capture the heart of the UIW. The office operates under University Mission and Ministry, serving as the connective tissue between creative digital media and the Incarnate Word community.
“Media Ministry was born out of the need to express the mission of the university and the Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word,” said Lena Gokelman, Director of Music Ministries and Liturgy, and coordinator of Media Ministries. “The purpose of university media ministry is to make visible and tangible the incarnate Word of God within the university. We want to make tangible, human, visible, and present Jesus’ mission here on Earth through what we do and how we live.”
That initially came to life in 2012 as a literal one-man show led by student intern Cody Asher, with a camera, recording equipment, and instructions to document both campus and liturgy. Asher created short videos and then burned the weekly recap onto physical discs.
“By the end of the year, it was just amazing to see everything coming together,” Gokelman said. “Until we really saw all of those things happening in his videos, through interviews and more, it really didn’t occur to us… the monumental-ness of it all.”
For Asher, being a “student historian” instead of just the one who produces the content turned the position into an active creative showcase. “Media Ministry allowed me to put my degree into regular practice, while still serving,” he said. “This, ultimately, taught me to be constantly proactive and efficient. If anything was to get accomplished, I needed to have a goal with a set due date, and a plan to achieve it.”
The office has expanded beyond its traditional physical media to build a social media presence on Instagram, YouTube, and Facebook, using digital storytelling to share the University’s mission and the Word of God. The office supports up to two graduate assistants and three undergraduate interns and recruits students from a variety of programs, including communication arts, graphic design, business, English, religious studies, and music.
The office is equally diverse in faith backgrounds, welcoming students from a wide range of Christian and non-Christian traditions into the ministry.
“Sometimes students come in through a back door,” Gokelman said. “They were invited to a social event or gathering in Mission and Ministry, and we just seemed interesting, so they kept coming back.”
Gokelman emphasized that the office has focused heavily on establishing an inclusive, supportive culture and environment, regardless of whether students arrive with an active faith life or simply a love of multimedia and communication.
“The common denominator has been the interest of the students in expressing faith, and at the very bare minimum, that has been about feeling cared for, about feeling seen… it’s always important for students to feel safe,” Gokelman said. “All of those things encapsulate who we are.”
