Her professional accomplishments
“My proudest professional accomplishment to date is being selected as a semi-finalist in the drama screenplay category at the Austin Film Festival. Being able to attend this festival was a wonderful experience. I was able to learn from panelists and make great connections with other writers.”
Why did Jade choose her program?
“Professor Cristina Pippa is a huge reason why I decided to start an accelerated master’s at Missouri State. After taking a couple of her courses in undergrad, I sent her a screenplay that I had been working on and was hoping to submit to competitions. She not only encouraged me to submit it to the Austin Film Festival, but also to use it to apply to the dramatic writing program. Her confidence in me was very motivating!”
Favorite class/professor
“My favorite professor in the program has been Cristina Pippa. Her dedication to helping students succeed and her belief in myself and my work has been invaluable.”
Overcoming challenges
“The most challenging aspect of starting the accelerated master’s was feeling like I wasn’t a real grad student, since I began taking graduate courses while finishing my undergrad. My graduate classmates helped me to overcome this by always making sure I felt welcome. That fear was quickly alleviated because of their kindness.”
Memorable experiences at Missouri State
“My most memorable experience has been getting to work with my classmates to write a web series. It was a great mock writer’s room experience where we worked together to break story and then were each given an episode to write.”
MSU community supports students
“The community at Missouri State University has been extremely supportive of my studies. After learning about my success with the Austin Film Festival, I was able to receive some funding from the program to help me attend the event in Texas. This helped take away some of the financial burden of needing to travel out of state for the festival.”
Her graduate education is preparing her for her future
“Taking courses in the dramatic writing program has helped strengthen my knowledge of the screenwriting craft and provided me with the foundation I need to become a working screenwriter in the industry.”
Advice for upcoming #GradBears
“Go visit! I fell in love with Missouri State University after visiting the campus. The community, staff and students have been a joy to make connections with. I’ve made friends for life at MSU!”