An Interview with the Online Communication Assistant - Nicole Taylor

We would like to introduce you to Nicole Taylor, a second-year Masters student in the Media Studies program within the Faculty of Arts and Science. She’s also the Online Communication Assistant for GradProSkills, responsible for all the social media updates, writing for the blog and designing promotional materials, among other things. Nicole originally comes from Toronto, Ontario, having completed a Bachelors in Communication Studies at York University.

 “When I started my Communication Studies BA, I didn’t think it would result in me doing a Masters,” she says. The idea to pursue graduate studies was first placed in her head by the Graduate Studies Program Director at York University who noticed that her academic achievements qualified her for entry into the Communication & Culture Program. After conferring with some of her professors who acted as her mentors, she decided to apply to the Media Studies program at Concordia. “I enjoy immersing myself in theory and analysis, especially when it relates to popular culture, so I thought I should at least apply. I figured that if things didn’t work out then I would move onto plan B and take graphic design courses.”

Research Interests

What are your research interests?
Nicole: I am interested in social constructivism, identity politics and critical race theory. I tend to draw on my position as a member of a black diasporic community to influence my analysis and what research topics I like to engage with. My current research project examines Afrofuturism, a philosophy and aesthetic that looks at the intersection of Afro-diasporic culture with technology (which includes science fiction and fantasy); and cosplay, which is dressing and acting like characters from Japanese animation, science fiction shows and film, and video games. I decided to look at cosplay because I believe the embodiment of fictional characters can extend beyond the realm of pleasure and enjoyment to speak about identity construction and representation. Cosplay lets you create new meanings through play. It holds the same capability to envision other systems of being and organizing that Afrofuturist fiction possesses.

Working With GradProSkills

What made you apply to the Online Communication Assistant Position at GradProSkills?
Nicole: I have previous experience working as a Communication Assistant for a Mature Student Centre at York University. I found it was the best way for me to manage work with my studies, but also allowed me to get more involved with what happens on campus. Through that position I got back in touch with graphic design, something that I hadn’t done in quite some time because I wasn’t being put in a situation where I needed to use that skillset.

My first inclination to apply to the GradProSkills Online Communication Assistant position was because it was familiar, and I knew that I wanted to be a part of a community that promotes the development of graduate students. 

What has been your experience working as the Online Communication Assistant for GradProSkills?
Nicole: I’ve gotten to be a part of a lot of things that I don’t think I would have considered before, such as the Three Minute Thesis event. It was very fulfilling to be a part of the planning process and then to be able to witness the impressive work and the dedication of the people who presented.
 
Furthermore, not only did being part of the GradProSkills team help me acclimatize to Concordia as an educational institution, I also found that working at GradProSkills reinvigorated my love for design. It provided me with an environment to flex my creative muscles and develop new techniques. I’ve seen myself grow exponentially as a communicator and a designer. I liked that GradProSkills provided me with an outlet to take a break from the heavy analysis work required of an MA in a humanities field. I find that now I want to incorporate my creativity into all facets of my work, not just as a job, but also in my research, which is why I am opting to do a creative project instead of a thesis.

Do you have any recommendations for other students considering getting involved with GradProSkills?
Nicole: I can speak as someone who has worked for GradProSkills, but also as a spectator and participant for a lot of the workshops. GradProSkills presents a unique opportunity to expand the foundations of your knowledge. It also offers introductions to tools that can significantly improve how you approach your graduate studies, such as becoming familiar with referencing software or learning how to format your literature review. I value that it’s also an organization that is always looking to develop new outlets to help students, and so it takes student suggestions very seriously. I reccommend that all graduate students make a point of getting to know GradProSkills whether through attending a workshop, volunteering, or actually trying to become part of the team. There's a lot that they offer to further the accomplishments of graduate students.