This semester marks the one-year anniversary of Cabrini communications department’s student-run video production agency, House 67, led by Assistant Professor John Doyle. The agency produces in-studio content to support Cabrini University and its community.
This year, House 67 plans to honor the school’s last year as an institution. “We have developed significantly in quality over the past year. The students determine what we make, it is a student-run production. I am just the person who’s there to support them when they have a problem,” Doyle said.
However, this year also brings special concerns. “Our challenge is staffing. There are fewer students at Cabrini and as a result, we have fewer people working with us. It’s difficult for an agency that’s about team staffing to function,” Doyle said.
A glimpse of the year
Since the agency’s inception, students have taken the roles of director, producer, crew, and on-air talent, composing content from idea to production. They can choose to be on or off camera, discover their talents, and get a feel for real studio productions.
“We are using the most advanced equipment that the department has, so it is a rigorous training ground for real professional life,” said Doyle. Thanks to House 67, the Cabrini community can stay informed and educated about events on campus, sports announcements, interviews, and more.
Hannah Poggi, senior, digital communications and social media major said, “We are doing a sports update every week, ‘The Sports Wrap Up,’ where we highlight all of the sports teams by talking about the games they’re playing and the star players.”
Segments including “The Sports Wrap Up” and “This Week at Cabrini” were created over the past year and put together by students. Isaiah Dickson, senior digital communications major said, “It’s more collaborative; all ideas are welcome.”
House 67 aims to create more engagement with the students on campus by speaking on topics that spark interest and attention. “I want to see more students on campus know who we are and want to participate,” Dickson said.
Utilizing the televisions around campus to boost engagement was a major goal of House 67. “I’m excited we are able to play our segments in the Founder’s lobby,” Poggi said.
The final show
With the university closing, House 67 students hope to create work that will keep memories of Cabrini alive. “We are working on a documentary about the last year of Cabrini,” Dickson said.
House 67 asked alumni to return to talk about their experience as Cabrini students on camera. “We’re going to have alumni back all year long to share their feelings about the closing of the institution and memories of their experiences,” Doyle said.
Ethan Baker, senior digital communications and social media major, said, “Not only is it just the students’ last year at Cabrini, it’s everyone who is an alumni here, every person who has taught here. House 67 wants to shine a light on the impact that Cabrini has made.”
Having alumni return is a wonderful way to remember all the memories Cabrini created over its 66 years. “We’re interviewing a lot of people on campus for Cabrini’s last year and getting alumni to talk about their experiences as well. We want to share the legacy of Cabrini,” Poggi said.
More than a class
This production agency has already created special memories with its staff and students. “I’ll never forget when the power went out in the studio as we were filming, and everyone had to move all the equipment to the library and keep the show going. It was definitely a memorable moment for the last year of House 67. There’s never a dull moment with all of us,” Poggi said.
