Coming from the San Francisco Bay Area, Evan Leong found himself needing a change of pace from home. When he first visited Rutgers, he fell in love with the campus. He loved the history, the atmosphere, and the sense of community here. “Whether it was joining a club, exploring different academic fields, or meeting peers from across the state and the world, Rutgers became a perfect environment for me to grow. Coming to campus as an out-of-state student was daunting, but I found a second home at Rutgers,” he said.

Leong majored in ITI, but as he became more involved in campus organizations where he enjoyed creating digital media, he decided to pursue a Master of Communication and Media degree to gain more of those skills.

“As I progressed in my academic journey, I became drawn to digital media production. Whether it was capturing photos, shooting, and editing videos, or hanging with my friends during on-air radio shows at WRSU (Rutgers Radio)—my experiences outside the classroom sparked a new passion for creative storytelling through media. This is why I decided to pursue the MCM program,” he said.

In our Q&A, Leong describes how his undergraduate experiences shaped his graduate journey and he stresses the importance of exploring one’s passions and the opportunities offered by SC&I and Rutgers.

Why did you decide to major at SC&I? Was it a degree you always wanted to pursue?
EL: Initially, I came to Rutgers undeclared. I had no clue what I wanted to do, and I spent much of my first two years taking different classes and seeing if anything would stick. I eventually declared the ITI major because I wanted to build a strong technical background for my career. I also had fleeting interests in web design and UI/UX. The [MCM program] opened many doors for me. I've been able to dive deeper into communication fields like marketing, PR, digital journalism, and media research. It’s been exciting to grow my skills in other communication fields. Learning how stories are told and evaluated through different communication mediums benefits my digital storytelling ability through visual media.

"The MCM program opened many doors for me. I've been able to dive deeper into communication fields like marketing, PR, digital journalism, and media research. It’s been exciting to grow my skills in other communication fields."

Did you particularly enjoy any specific classes at SC&I?
EL: I must shout out Ildi Koczan, who was my professor for ePortfolio, a skills development class in the MCM program. She’s a career counselor and adjunct professor. Ildi is also one of the kindest mentors I’ve ever had. I’ve always been a reserved and independent person, so she gave me tons of great advice on how to overcome my fears. Most notably, she had me cold-email some notable alumni to set up interviews and practice networking. This was a small task, but it helped to quell the fears that I had. I realized – “these people may be successful, but they’re just normal people, like everyone else.”

How did you stay involved during your undergrad at Rutgers, and how do you continue to while you pursue your MCM?
EL: When I came to Rutgers as a freshman in 2019, I didn't put much effort into pursuing my passions on campus, and I eventually lost interest in photo and video production. Photography and videography were passions of mine in high school. I made guitar covers on YouTube, created short films with my friends, and shot some photos in San Francisco and my surrounding area. I came to Rutgers as a freshman in 2019, and I wasn’t super involved and lost my passion for photo and video production. When Covid hit, I became isolated at home and started to take pictures every day on my evening walks. When I finally returned to campus, I was very determined to find opportunities to create digital media around campus.

I was a senior when I cold-emailed WRSU, our campus radio station, and The Daily Targum, our campus newspaper. Initially, I was looking for photography opportunities, but I discovered there is much more to get involved with. I appeared on radio shows, designed promotional materials, and planned events for WRSU. With the Targum, I traveled to Maryland, attended press conferences at sports games, and wrote sports predictions that were published in articles.

"When Covid hit, I became isolated at home and started to take pictures every day on my evening walks. When I finally returned to campus, I was very determined to find opportunities to create digital media around campus."

Since you do visual media work, what is a fun assignment/project you’ve worked on?
EL: The coolest moment, I’d say, happened this past summer, when I had a photo published in TIME Magazine. It was an editorial piece about the pro-Palestinian protests at college campuses, through the eyes of student photojournalists across the nation. A photo I captured at Voorhees Mall on the College Ave campus was selected for publication. Seeing my photo published in TIME was surreal.

I also covered the historic Rutgers University faculty strike as a senior. My photos and a video I contributed to, won statewide awards from the New Jersey Press Association. The fast-paced nature of the strike’s many events meant I had to work long hours, think on my feet, make quick decisions about my shots, and tell unique visual stories that other photographers and videographers hadn’t. I still remember my favorite photo that I captured: a man with a determined expression, his child on his shoulders, raising a sign that read, “WE R ON STRIKE FOR A LIVING WAGE.”

Learn more about the Information Technology and Informatics major and the Master of Communication and Media at the Rutgers School of Communication and Information on the website.