There is a commonly mistaken belief that art is not for everyone. 

There are the right-brain people — artistic and creative. Then there are the left-brain people — logical and rational. Professor Matt McCormick disproved this belief with the introduction of the visual literacy minor at Gonzaga four years ago, when he was hired as a professor at the university. 

Currently working as an assistant professor of Integrated Media & Art, as well as the creator of the visual literacy minor, McCormick wanted students to have the ability to gain a deeper understanding of the image-populated world around them while not requiring that the students interested come from an art-specific major or background. 

In a world that is becoming increasingly bombarded with images and media, whether it be through what we see on our phones, to what we see walking through our own neighborhood, McCormick explained the visual literacy minor was created to provide useful insight on the images and media that can dictate our lives and the ways it can be created. 

According to McCormick, the minor is geared towards the production and creation of visual media — film, photography, design and image and video production. 

"It has an analytic side as well, in that part of the process is not only learning how to use the tools to create images, but to have a deeper understanding of what these images mean, and what their impact is on society and individuals,” McCormick said.

With a passion for filmmaking (it is his “number one jam for sure”), McCormick has been deeply involved in the film and art world for years now, both producing his own media as well as teaching his students how to put their own creations out into the world. 

However, McCormick did not always know that he would end up in the world of film, which is one thing he kept in mind while creating the visual literacy minor. 

With a wide range of students coming from many majors, including communications, broadcasting, social relations and sociology, the visual literacy minor is for both those who know where they want to go in the future and for those who are still searching. The range of majors held by students taking the minor, as well as the broad range of skills the minor teaches, are some of its greatest advantages, which is something McCormick appreciates as he reflects on his 20-year-old self. 

As a student, although he did not know exactly what he wanted to pursue in the professional world, he did know that if he gained the right skills, he could do anything.

“I could move to Hollywood and work in big blockbuster movies,” McCormick said. “I could do advertising, do nonprofit documentary work... There are just so many different ways that these tools can be utilized. And I think that is one of the really cool things is seeing students come in and work in different directions.”

 

Ursula Hood, a senior from Portland, Oregon, who is majoring in broadcasting and economics and currently in her final year of the visual literacy minor, has found joy in the more creative and freeing aspects of the curriculum. 

In the broadcasting major, she explained, the focus tends to be more on news and reporting, rather than on aspects such as filming and creating artistic media. When Hood saw flyers for the new minor during the spring semester of her junior year, she applied and has not looked back since.

“I feel like [the visual literacy minor] definitely helped me creatively with video production, something that broadcasting cannot help me with,” Hood said. “It has opened my eyes to a whole new world of possibilities and things that I want to do rather than just broadcasting.”

Currently taking classes such as documentary filmmaking and documentary history and analysis, Hood has been able to explore her creative side while using the new skills she is developing to apply to her majors. The visual literacy minor has pushed Hood not only as a student, but in how she views the world around her.

“It's helped me look at the world in a new way,” Hood said. “I've definitely discovered my storytelling skills with this minor and I love that; just rounding that out, seeing both sides of the film world, with broadcasting and the more creative visual literacy side, helped me personally a lot.”

While art has always been a part of Hood’s life, she believes her foray into the creative world is just beginning. According to Hood, the visual literacy minor has set her up with the skills she will need to pursue a career in the filmmaking and production industry after she graduates, which she hopes to do.

“The minor has inspired me to look for stories and things around me that I would not have been looking for before I started the minor,” said Hood.

As for McCormick, who will continue to teach classes and act as the head of the minor, he advises those looking to enroll in the minor to stay curious and take the time to understand the world around them. He believes that at the end of the day, it is the student who must advocate for their own learning experience.

“I think for all young people that one overriding piece of advice is to stay curious and explore,” McCormick said. “Not only follow your passions, but make sure you're doing enough exploration to find your passions."

Harper Hamilton is a staff writer.