Journey of Mentorship

Gary Garbett, Senior Communications Lead for VCU Technology Services, has been named Fulbright Specialist for higher education communications and creative advertising mentorship.

Fulbright Specialists are competitively selected based on their knowledge, skill sets, and ability to contribute to global educational projects. The Specialist Roster includes a group of experts who represent a wide range of professional and academic disciplines.

Upon acceptance, Fulbright Specialists remain on the roster for three years. During their tenure, they are matched with projects from more than 150 countries designed by host institutions. Project placements are assigned a time frame of two to six weeks.

“My higher education introduction began as a full-time VCU Art Foundation student in the fall of 1983 while also working a full-time job and starting a family,” says Gary. “Every college student’s path is unguided and unique. Mine certainly was, and that path was mine to make.” Over the next 30 years, Gary earned his undergraduate and two Master’s degrees from VCU, each with honors. Later this month, forty years to almost the exact day of his first VCU class in Franklin Terrace, Gary will begin his next Master’s program concentrating on Media Communications and Leadership from the VCU Robertson School of Media and Culture. “I’m an optimistic life learner.

“Mentoring aspiring artists and designers has become significant in my professional journey.”

“Organic design of curiosity with planned negative space has always mattered. As an award-winning communication professional and a nationally exhibiting artist, mentoring aspiring artists and designers has become significant in my professional journey,” says Gary. “After a long and rewarding innovative career path, my ability to share and provide direction to others has been a natural progression. It’s allowed me to expand my art prowess while equally growing as a mentor. I’ve welcomed this role as a professor, working with new design interns and hosting visiting international students. Being involved and giving back through each of these relationships is always rewarding and honest.” 

“Being selected for a Fulbright tenure is such a prestigious recognition. I am extremely honored and look forward to being matched with an institution where I can positively impact educational communications while also encouraging students to explore their unique and individual path with purpose.” 

I’m a stickler for details, committed to good design, and was awarded second place in a Cap’n Crunch drawing contest when I was nine years old.

As an approved candidate on the Fulbright Specialist Roster, Gary’s tenure is scheduled through August of 2026. The Specialist program, part of the larger Fulbright exchange offering that includes Fulbright Scholars, pairs U.S. academics and professionals with institutions abroad to share expertise, strengthen relationships, hone skills, gain international experience, and learn about other cultures.

Founded in 2001, the Fulbright program sends 400 U.S. academics abroad each year to complete projects in 160 participating countries. This program was established by the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.

Reflecting on the Visual Storytellers

In preparation for writing this reflection, I took some time to reflect on what this course has meant to me as an instructor. In short and technically, the course was truly not much different than most other courses. It was as simple as: complete assignments to earn credit.

I saw the girl with the flag, and I knew I had to tell her story.

Since each of my students was asked to cover the same event, I requested one thing from each of them from the start of the semester… to just share their story. During those few weeks before the race, they were to explore numerous processes through several assignments that were meant to challenge them to step outside of their comfort zone. They were also encouraged to take a different look at those things commonly around them.

Upon the UCI Road World Championships arriving in Richmond, I encouraged them to take what they learned in the weeks prior and capture the international event through their individual vision and stories.

What most of them delivered was a collection of shared light, texture, motion, and spirit. They shared Richmond and VCU. They shared friends and strangers, days turning into night, and on occasion, nights into days. They shared emotions, and color, and life in the spotlight, but also the ever-important life of those behind the scenes and far, far away from the stage. They shared the quiet, the loud, and the heart of an urban environment. They shared the details of the beauty often hidden behind the grit. They shared the energy of the world, all taking place in a town that each of us calls home. These are just a sampling of the things that I have seen through the incredible and honest work of my students.

When I proposed the concept for this course last spring, it seemed like an interesting and fun idea. On paper, it was simple. Capture and document the event using a mobile device solely. Technically, that was the assignment. What they delivered, however, was far more than I could have ever imagined. The photographs and words they shared during the six-week course are a genuine and remarkable reflection of their passion for creating. It was also a reflection of themselves.

What gives them strength? Maybe a spiritual power, or maybe the thousands of hours they have put into their honing their skills and stamina. And as a result, the real race may just be another trial session for them.

There was a remarkable visual story shared with the world during this course, and each of my students was the storyteller.

I am grateful for such a rewarding opportunity to be involved in this project. Thank you to VCU, to VCU ALT Lab, to the VCU Robertson School of Media and Culture, and especially to my students. For me to say that I am proud of what was accomplished during this course would be an absolute understatement.

In the end, we each leave behind a story. Without it, how will we ever share where we've been? Keep your eyes open as you continue to capture and tell your own story.

Look for the good in your day.. Then share it.

Students Share Fast With the World

UCI 2015

With our city hosting the UCI Road World Championships this week, it was a fantastic opportunity for my photojournalism students to document the global event. Their assignment and challenge was to capture the mobile event and share their perspective of this large international event using mobile devices solely as their camera and digital darkroom.

The results and stories are genuine, telling, and personal views of an international event, within a city, and on the streets of a university that we call home. To say that I am proud of the dedication and the work that each of my students are sharing with the world would be an absolute understatement. I am honored.

#VCU #TheWorldsatVCU #vcubrb #uci2015 #Richmond2015

New Semester Invites New Media

Checkered Past ©2015 Gary Garbett

Creating a powerful and impactful story or image no longer requires that the photojournalist carry a bag of expensive cameras, lenses, and tripods. Capturing and sharing creative, personal, and engaging stories has changed with the technology of today’s smartphones and handheld devices.

This semester I'm teaching a New Media Photojournalism course at VCU. All student work for the course will be created using mobile media exclusively for capturing and post-processing. Registration for the course is open through August 24, 2015.

By challenging ourselves to step outside of our comfort zone, each of us will uncover new artistic approaches. By layering them, and molding them, we'll make them your own. The result will assist in developing your own unique and personal style.

Being creative requires practice, practice, and even more practice. The return will inspire us all.

Good Stuff Through Curiousness

I shared a classroom with more than 100 creatives this semester. We debated, laughed, conversed, and more than a few times confronted our personal comfort zones. They were challenged, inventive, and at times hesitant to share their authentic voice. But when they did, it made the difference.

With the fall semester coming to a close this week, I’ve been reviewing and grading student blogs over the past few days. Stellar stuff, relief, and joy seem to be a constant running sentiment for most of their exit posts. My takeaway is that I am beyond thrilled that we made such a difference in turning the creative light on, or at least engaging it a bit further for so many of our students. Their work is imaginative, inspiring, daring, and personal.

Project 54

While writing each of their final critiques, I'm making an effort to take the time to share the love, the celebrations, and the happy dance congratulations for their commitment to developing their own unique and creative voice. They not only developed that voice, but each of them also shared it with their individual flair and creativity with the world.

This semester has been an incredibly motivating ride. What else would you expect from a course titled Curiousness? I easily took as much away from the past four months as they did. Surround yourself with inspiring people. In the end, it matters.

Congratulations to each of my students. You rocked the good stuff… and good stuff is simply that.

Growth and Child Games

Opportunities present themselves and provide growth. Growth is knowledge, experience, self-discovery, and eye, heart, and mind opening. Occasionally, that opportunity thing requires a late night or two, maybe even three… and often those extended evenings begin as a morning start before the sunrise. Moving in a forward direction is a powerful motivator.

Franklin Terrace

Six years ago today, I began my career at Virginia Commonwealth University. It was an opportunity for me to welcome and explore all of those things above and more. Since that day in 2008, I’ve expanded my skills, my list of influential life-changing people, my patience, my love for common everyday moments, and my passion to continually absorb knowledge while graduating with two Master’s degrees from VCU.

Opportunity often reminds me of the children’s game hide and seek. Rare is it that it comes looking for you. It does, however, love and invite you to take the initiative to search for it.

Tag... you’re it.