LATROBE, PA – As a young student, Caitlin Cole, C’24, a digital art and media major from Cranberry Township, always had a keen curiosity about media production and editing. She had an affinity for creating iMovie trailers and videos and soon realized this love could translate into a lifelong career.
“I always loved watching music videos and seeing cool ads on TV,” she recalled. “There was just always something that intrigued me about the way you could manipulate video to create emotion. I wanted to be a part of that.”
The North Catholic High School alumna graduated from high school in 2020 just as the COVID-19 Pandemic began to drastically change the world. In fact, the Pandemic had a significant impact on Cole’s postsecondary education plans.
“I knew that despite everything going on at the time, Saint Vincent would do everything they could to give students the best experience possible,” she said. “What stood out to me was the sense that the faculty and community genuinely cared about making each student’s experience meaningful, no matter what path they were on.”
For instance, as a sociology minor, Cole enrolled in a variety of classes with Dr. Thaddeus Coreno, an associate professor of sociology and anthropology in the College’s School of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences (AHSS).
“He is one of the most genuine, empathetic and passionate professors I have ever had,” Cole said. “His enthusiasm for the subject made every class engaging, and I never found myself bored during his lectures.”
She also fondly recalls the expert tutelage of David Safin, chair of the Visual Arts and Media Design Department in AHSS. While Cole initially enrolled at Saint Vincent College as an education major, she later switched to communication before she discovered the Digital Art and Media program. As Cole worked to discern her field of study, Safin encouraged the young undergraduate.
“I had the chance to take many of his classes,” Cole said, “and I really appreciated not only his support but also the way he challenged me to grow and improve as a student.”
Those improvements were evident throughout Cole’s time at the College as she worked to hone her skills. She landed an opportunity to work with the Division of Infectious Diseases at the University of Pittsburgh as a communications intern. In that role, she helped support the team with promotional materials and assisted in the production of its biweekly podcast by transcribing audio and helping organize recorded content for editing. The internship provided valuable hands-on experience working with digital media in a professional environment and allowed Cole to apply many of the skills she had been learning in classes at the College.
“That experience helped reinforce my interest in media production and editing,” Cole said, “and it showed me how creative work can support communication and storytelling in a real-world setting.”
Toward the end of her time at the College, Cole’s work was on full display during “Evolved: 2024 Senior Showcase,” a joint venture between the Visual Arts and Media Design Department housed in AHSS and the Verostko Center for the Arts.
“Caitlin was a woman of few words. She let her work speak for her. As a student, she would sit quietly and diligently at her workstation producing elegant, contemplative work that was befitting her personality,” Safin recalled. “The materials she presented at our senior exhibition were themed ‘In the Simplicity’ because her work represented the beauty in life's often ignored details.”
Projects featured in the 2024 Showcase demonstrated the conceptual and technical capacity of students’ interest in digital content creation as well as traditional studio art practices.
“It was truly a labor of love that brought together the work I had created over the past four years,” Cole said. “Having the opportunity to step back and see everything displayed in one space was really special. It allowed me to reflect on how much I had grown and to feel proud of everything I had accomplished.”
In addition to earning a degree from Saint Vincent College, Cole also developed a support system upon which she still relies to this day.
“One of the biggest life lessons I learned at Saint Vincent was the importance of finding the people who truly support and understand you,” she said. “College is a time when everyone is growing and discovering who they are, and through that experience I was lucky to find some of my closest friends. The people I met at Saint Vincent became such an important part of my journey, supporting me through challenges and celebrating the milestones along the way.”
The path to Cole’s next milestone soon took shape as she elected to pursue graduate studies at Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD).
“She is a consummate artist, so I was not surprised when she got accepted into SCAD,” Safin said. “I hope that her acceptance into such a prestigious institution inspires future Bearcats to pursue a similar path.”
Cole recently completed a Master of Arts in film and television with a focus on editing at SCAD.
“The program focuses on film editing, but it also covers many other aspects of post-production,” she said. “In addition to cutting, I took courses in color correction, sound design, and the history and theory of editing.”
One of her favorite grad school experiences was enrolling in a game audio design elective, which Cole classified as a fun way to explore another side of sound and storytelling.
Throughout the graduate program, Cole worked on a variety of student film sets, serving as a script supervisor as well as an editor and colorist. Those hands-on experiences were some of the highlights of the program because they allowed her to collaborate with other filmmakers and apply what she was learning in a real production environment.
With bachelor’s and master’s degrees under her belt, Cole is now focused on kickstarting her career in editing. She’s been actively applying to roles in video editing and media production and spending time refining her portfolio and searching for opportunities that align with her skills and interests. She also continues to create and experiment with her own work as she further develops as an editor and storyteller.
Cole fondly recalls her time at Saint Vincent College, and years later, the close sense of community still stands out.
“I was able to build genuine relationships with my professors in a way that I do not think I would have experienced anywhere else. They truly knew their students and cared about our growth both academically and personally,” Cole said. “I also appreciate how Saint Vincent is always looking for ways to improve, not only for the students who are currently there but for the generations of students who will come after.”
