This semester, Villa Maria College welcomed its first-ever artist-in-residence, Aitina Fareed-Cooke. As part of the program, a cohort of Digital Media and Communication students had the opportunity to work alongside Fareed-Cooke and her team at Get Fokus’d Productions as they created a music video for “Privilege,” a song written by A.I. The Anomaly.
“Over just 4 sessions we were able to plan, develop and produce this one-shot visual,” said Fareed-Cooke. “It’s amazing what students can do when given the opportunity. It has been a pleasure working alongside [Professor Longson and her students].”
Assistant Professor Jessica Longson believes that the collaboration gave her students an extraordinary chance to gain real-world experience. “Students are also getting the opportunity to get out of the classroom and into the field—helping Aitina and her team to cover events out in the community and create engaging storytelling content using different media,” said Longson. “The team’s hands-on approach has allowed students to work on and contribute to projects that will have high visibility and reception out in the community—which means they are continually adding new experiences to their resumes and professional pieces to feature in their portfolio,”
DMC student My’aunee Lee, ‘26, who worked as a co-director of the music video and on casting and cameos, believes this partnership gave her exactly that.
“Working with Get Fouks’d helped me evolve because I was working with other professionals in my field and I got valuable experience in the exact role I want in my future,” said Lee. “Working with Get Fouks’d allowed for personal growth and professional development. I learned how to how to collaborate effectively, communicate ideas clearly, and manage projects—all valuable skills for my future endeavors. This experience will add significant value for future jobs and collabs that I want to pursue after college.”
“Filming the ‘Privilege’ music video was the most memorable thing I did this semester,” continued Lee. “Everything was so hectic and fun at the same time. From the first time I met Aitina and the crew, to the process of all of us getting to know each other, to getting great compliments from the team and more, I will always be thankful for the experience. It has definitely increased my knowledge and I look forward to what I will become.”
The “Privilege” music video officially premiered during the Juneteenth: Faith & Freedom event that was hosted by the College on April 4. Villa students further supported the Get Fokus’d Productions team by capturing the event as part of their final project.
