Telling stories has motivated film and media arts graduate Michael Bowlin since his first year at Messiah University.
After graduating in 2019, Bowlin began work as a video editor with Select Medical, crediting Messiah’s Documentary and Promotional Filmmaking class for opening the door to this job.
“A lot of times you’re going to be working with corporate clients, so knowing how to make a good corporate video and dealing with another organization and their feedback is extremely important,” he said.
Promoted to Video Producer, Bowlin also freelanced outside of work hours to keep his skills sharp. Making corporate videos during a pandemic added pressure and tighter deadlines. “It would be like, ‘We need to get this important health message out ASAP within 24 hours, because there’s a pandemic going on, and hospitals need guidance on masking protocols,” he recalled.
Though the work environment could induce stress, Bowlin learned much about himself during the process. “Being able to know I could handle those stressful situations and honestly letting God guide me through those — that’s honestly been a lesson in giving up control,” he said.
At the same time, Bowlin always had a penchant for ministry work, with his college internships and extracurriculars involving church communities. Trusting in God’s timing, he achieved that dream in September 2021, landing a job as the Multimedia Administrator for Brethren In Christ U.S.
In his current position, Bowlin interacts with missionaries around the world to create and circulate stories he is passionate about. Ultimately, as he notes on his LinkedIn profile, “Story is everything, and if I can help share someone’s in any way, I’ll gladly accept the challenge.”
Bowlin has also stretched his initiative and organizational skills. Taking on more graphic design and learning about the Brethren In Christ history, he sees himself growing personally and professionally in this role. “[Brethren in Christ U.S. has] never done video full-time before,” he said. “So it’s getting everything under my belt and seeing things I can improve and what’s been established.”
— Kaitlin Merlino ‘23