One American University School of Communication (AU SOC) undergrad has found a unique way to build her portfolio by marrying her hobbies and communication skills to create an engaging, fun and even impactful social media presence. Lindsey McCormack is a third-year Film and Media Arts student who is the mastermind behind the popular @americanugirldolls Instagram account, where she can share the AU student experience through the eyes of American Girl Dolls.  

Lindsey recently joined the Media in the Mix podcast to talk about her work with @americanugirldolls and her time at SOC. She never really expected her childhood love of American Girl Dolls to grow into a channel for creative expression, professional development or activism, but when she launched the page last summer, it took off. She sees @americanugirldolls as sitting between two established brands with different values, markets and products, but she has found a way to showcase the culture and happenings of AU through the lens of the American Girl Dolls. While the @americanugirldolls are usually up to something in and around DC, one of the posts that gained a lot of engagement highlighted the opportunities for AU students to study abroad.

In the post, Lindsey leverages her knowledge of each Doll’s background and story to imagine how they might take advantage of the various AU Abroad programs. While most of her posts are fun glimpses of life on campus, she has found a way to address some more serious topics through the channel. “If there are important issues going on at [AU] it is an interesting way to be able to raise awareness to these issues without making the same infographic or the same Instagram story that everybody else is making.” 

Her classes at SOC have been instrumental in helping her strengthen her technical skills and grow her confidence. Lindsey lists Sarah Menke-Fish, John Weiskopf and Shaun Schroth as professors who have challenged her and helped her grow in the last year. From dark room photo work to screenwriting, the courses have helped her develop a critical eye for media and an ability to thrive under pressure. While she plans to sunset the @americanugirldolls account when she graduates in 2024, the creativity, social media experience and skills gained from the Film and Media Arts program will live on in Lindsey’s future successes. 

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