Hilda C. Landers Library & Archives

The SMCM Library, Archive & Media Center Student Employee Class of 2017 had the opportunity to select a book from the collection that was meaningful to them during their time at St. Mary’s. They then posed for a portrait with that book and shared a bit about why it’s important to them.
Not pictured:
Mariam Adeyemo; Biology, major; WGSX, minor
Matthew Riedel; History & Religious Studies, major
Ian Scribner; Computer Science, major; Mathematics, minor
Gabe York; Chemistry, major

 

If you’ve spend any time in the Media Center lab on the third-floor of the Library, chances are good you already know Jazzie Gray.

Originally from Baltimore, Jazzie grew up all over the Mid-Atlantic and Southeast, living in North Carolina and Virginia before moving back to Baltimore to finish high school. St. Mary’s wasn’t on Jazzie’s radar when initially looking for colleges (she was looking at her “dream schools,” like NYU), but came to SMCM after learning about it from her Aunt. She credits living in rural North Carolina as a kid with helping her acclimate to campus life here, where she has made friends in many different social groups and student clubs including BSU, Burlesque, and Latinos Unidos.

As a senior Anthropology major, Jazzie’s capstone project analyses how women of color are represented (and misrepresented) in media, through the lens of the top 25 highest rated television shows of all time. In addition, she’s working on an independent oral history project interviewing persons of color and persons of other among students, faculty, and staff on the SMCM campus. Created in reaction to the racist incidents on campus in 2016, this project will record the voices of people who are often not heard on campus and publicize their experiences, which are often overlooked. Jazzie plans to project these interviews on the side of different academic buildings around campus.

Jazzie began working at the Media Center in the summer of her first year. After seeing the Media Center on a tour as a part of the DeSousa-Brent Scholars program, got the job thanks in part to her honest resume that included items like “part-environmentalist” and “pretty good whistler” to make us for limited job experience. Her favorite thing about working at the Media Center is all the free donut Justin and Raven bring in! But on top of all the free donuts, by working at the Media Center Jazzie has gained technical software skills and honed her communication skills through working with all the different students, faculty, and staff that come to the MC. On any given shift, you can find her teaching students how to use the software and equipment, or singing and dancing.

Post-graduation, Jazzie is looking for a job where she can apply all the knowledge and skills gained in her career at St. Mary’s. An ideal job would draw not only on her Anthropology degree, but also the technical and teaching skills learned at the Media Center, and the interpersonal skills gained through her involvement with many student clubs over the years. Eventually, Jazzie would like to go to grad school and work in a cross-cultural studies field, but right now she’s focused on the post-SMCM job search.