Being able to serve in this capacity gives me a chance to use so many of the things that I learned at Wheaton, from the creation of ministry plans and philosophies to the ability to preach and lead devotionals that inspire our leaders.
Read MoreAn Animated Introvert in L.A.
Posted September 9, 2016 by
Tags: Internship The Arts
Young Alumni
When I first came to Wheaton, I never imagined that, two years after graduation, I would own my own business (The Soap.Bar) and be working for DreamWorks Animation in the entertainment capital of the world.
I am extremely thankful for the education I received at Wheaton College. My communication and art courses were very helpful for me as I moved to Los Angeles, a city that is so huge in the entertainment industry. I had some great classes with Professor Joonhee Park and Dr. Read Schuchardt on campus that prepared me to be immersed in the culture of media and entertainment. My Christian education also gave me a wonderful foundation for doing life in a city of varying faiths and belief systems.
During my final semester of my senior year at Wheaton, I participated in the Council of Christian College and University (CCCU) BestSemester program at the Los Angeles Film Studies Center. During that semester, I had an internship with DreamWorks Animation, where I was able to make connections and learn more about the process of animation. It was during that internship that I decided I wanted to pursue a career in animation, so I officially moved to Los Angeles shortly after graduation. I made sure to keep in touch with my internship supervisor and that contact eventually turned into a job offer at DreamWorks Animation as a Production Assistant.
The people I work with at DreamWorks are probably the best part of my job, but it is extremely fun to help bring a story from script, to storyboard, to animation, to its final version.
I knew I wasn’t the best verbal communicator or people-person when I applied to this job, but I was attracted to the job because I knew it would throw me into a setting where I would have no choice but to improve on the skills that I lacked. As an introvert, this was extremely challenging and exhausting, but I have seen dramatic improvements in these areas and that is something I am currently celebrating.
Some advice I can share with students and alumni is to figure out what your weaknesses are or where in your life you would like to see improvement (tangible skills, activities, spiritual life, personal character, etc.), and pursue that without ceasing. You will never be sorry you spent the time to build on your personal goals and character. I would also advise that you find something you love and are passionate about that is non-work related. Some people feel unfulfilled when their job is all they have in life, so that is why I pour into my hobbies (like making soap for The Soap.Bar) when I get home from work.
My Wheaton experience has been an integral part of my faith and journey as a professional adult. I often look back on my Wheaton years as being the kickstarter for my growth as a critical thinker and I have no regrets choosing to attend a school like Wheaton.
Chelsea Medic ’14 graduated with a B.A. in Communication (Media Studies) and a minor in Art (Photography/Media). She is currently a production assistant at DreamWorks Animation, and in her spare time, makes and sells soap through The Soap.Bar, a company she founded in Los Angeles last year. Photo captions (from top): Chelsea at DreamWorks with her coworkers; Chelsea with friends from Wheaton who visited her at DreamWorks; a collection of custom soaps made by Chelsea for her company, The Soap.Bar.
To connect with Chelsea, join Wheaton in Network, a Vocation and Alumni Engagement program that allows alumni and parents to make themselves available to advise or mentor Wheaton students and recent grads. Students and young alumni are able to contact advisors or mentors to learn from their experiences.