Nick Palisch, director of student and alumni services, spearheaded the effort behind the College of Optometry’s new video, which was produced by Avatar Studios.
Exciting things have been happening in the College of Optometry at the University of Missouri–St. Louis over the past year. The much-anticipated Patient Care Center opened in November, bringing 35,000 square feet of fresh space and new technology not only to students but to community members throughout St. Louis who seek state-of-the-art eye-care services.
Faculty members such as Carl Bassi and Edward Bennett published innovative research and were recognized for years of contributions to the field of optometry.
And students like Jasmine Hayes, Kanesha McBee, Shelby Baugh Bruner and Kandace Alfred participated in humanitarian efforts and achieved scholarship wins.
Inspired by these events and many more, Nick Palisch, the college’s director of student and alumni services, set out to produce a promotional video that could capture the spirit of the college and all that it has to offer to potential students.
“The video is essentially an extension of the university video that debuted back in September 2016,” explains Palisch. “Once I saw that, I had the idea to create one that focused on optometry and our students in particular. The COO is a small group of awesome faculty, students and staff, and I felt that the video needed to bring the ‘family feel’ that really sets us apart and makes us who we are.”
To achieve that goal, Palisch joined forces with Avatar Studios’ Executive Producer Matt Beebe, who, along with his team, captured and transformed more than nine hours of filming into a compact two minutes that’s chock-full of program highlights and student and faculty voices.
“The best part of the video is that they weren’t scripted,” says Palisch. “When we set out to produce it, I knew that I wanted to focus on the students and get to the heart of what makes us special, and I believe we achieved that. I believe the video genuinely captures what it is like for an optometry student who chooses to attend UMSL.”
So, what is it like exactly?
According to the students, it’s an experience that includes lasting friendships, supportive student services, national leadership opportunities and extensive externship experiences – and that’s just for starters.
Palisch’s hope is that, thanks to the video, these details and more will be able to reach a much broader audience than was previously possible.
“The College of Optometry admits students from all 50 states and Canada,” says Palisch. “We need something that can promote us in locations that we can’t always physically visit. This video is a 24/7, 365-days-a-year billboard highlighting what we have to offer. Its possibilities – like our students’ possibilities – are truly limitless.”
To view the video in its entirety, click here or on the graphic above.
