The Many Worlds of Documentary Blog

Name, Major and Minor, Graduation Year:

Jack Punda, Documentary Studies and Production, 2025

Hometown:

Potomac, MD

Why am I a Documentary Studies and Production major?

I’ve always had a passion for nonfiction media and creating content that captures personal expression. I wanted to explore how to combine technical aspects of videography with fundamental journalistic practices.

A course in the major that impacted me:

Nonfiction Production improved my ability to navigate a production. From practical experience such as researching or funding, to fine tuning my editing skills, the course expanded my skills working alongside other students to produce a meaningful high-quality project.

What I learned working as a videographer/editor on an adaptive snow sports research project: (Pls explain the project and your role as a starting point.)

The Adaptive Snowsports Project is a collaboration with Ithaca’s Speech Language Pathology and Audiology Department and Greek Peak Adaptive Snowsports program which combines media (such as photos and videos) with augmented alternative communication systems to develop visual scene displays. I helped photograph and film someone with a communication disability skiing with their family and coaches from the Greek Peak Adaptive Snowsports program. I then produced different formats of media that are programmed by students and professors from the Speech Language Pathology and Audiology department to improve the quality of communication.

Something about me beyond my major:

I love the outdoors and being in nature. I spend as much time at the beach as I can, surfing and swimming in the ocean. I love to watch movies and listen to all types of Rock music.