Thulani Smith ’20
Creative Media and Entertainment major
Lead Video Editor, Borshoff

How did Butler prepare you for your career?
Butler prepared me for my career by giving me opportunities to create freely. Whether it was my experience filming at Butler Basketball games or my internship with Butler grad-owned video production company Train 918, Butler provided an encouraging environment for me to grow and eventually find career opportunities.

What skills or knowledge gained at Butler have been most useful in your career?
The most helpful skill I gained at Butler was staying curious and being open to learning. I’ve found that staying curious has helped me learn more about the people I work with, my projects, and the career I am building for myself.

Who influenced you the most while you were a student?
My first-year seminar teacher, Farhad Anwarzi, influenced me the most as a student at Butler. He allowed me to stay creative and pushed me to seek more. Even though the classes I took with him were not film-centered, he listened to me when I expressed my interest in filmmaking and allowed me to create. For example, I made a short film in his China and the Islamic Middle East class. Professor Anwarzi wrote a script, and everyone in the class participated. It was an incredible experience.

What advice do you have for students who are interested in pursuing a career in this field?
The advice I would share with any students interested in pursuing a career in creative media would be to stay curious and keep creating. Staying consistent with my passion in college, which eventually became my career, helped me gain the knowledge I would not have gained elsewhere. Additionally, curiosity kept my eyes open for new opportunities.