Strategic Storyteller

Great communicators in 2025 aren't defined by wearing multiple hats — they're defined by the strategic thinking that guides every format they choose. With 90% of HR leaders predicting half their workforce will need to reskill in the next five years, versatility isn't optional — it's the competitive advantage. Companies increasingly expect professionals who can think strategically across channels and execute integrated solutions.

From Sai Siddhay (MCDM Cohort 24) discovering how podcast scripts differ radically from video scripts, to Dominick Joseph (MCDM Cohort 21) working at Tulalip TV managing everything from on-air commentary to broadcast engineering — our graduates understand that each medium has unique demands. The real competitive edge comes from professionals who can analyze a communication challenge and choose the right tool because they understand each platform's unique possibilities. The ones who thrive aren't the ones who picked a lane and stayed in it. They're the ones who learned to move between tools confidently, bringing fresh perspective to every format.

[Read the full story →]

At Comm Lead, our storytelling curriculum isn't isolated courses — it's an interconnected toolkit designed to make you adaptable across every medium:

• Audio Storytelling teaches intimacy and trust through voice alone
• Video Storytelling combines visual impact with emotional resonance
• Storytelling with Data transforms numbers into credible narratives
• Documentary Storytelling (NEW this winter, taught by award-winning director Elliat Graney-Saucke) brings depth and nuance to nonfiction storytelling — with a unique structure where students receive the same footage and create individual edits
• Storytelling for Emergent Platforms explores VR, AR, and interactive experiences
• Visual Storytelling covers everything from comics to transmedia narratives

The Comm Lead edge combines functional skills with strategic depth. Whether you're becoming a Content Creator, Brand Strategist, Nonprofit Communicator, or Tech Communications specialist, we help you build the right combination for your career goals.

Every Spring quarter's end, our community gathers for Communication Leadership's signature year-end celebration — a showcase of the most exceptional work from our student body. This year, we celebrated outstanding projects across three categories: Storytelling, Design, and Strategy.

It was a night that brought together alumni, faculty, current students, and incoming Cohort 25 — a perfect glimpse of what's possible when intentional purpose meets creative excellence.

👑 2025 Screen Summit Winners:

• Design: Mia Lyu, Liz Wang, and Cissy Zhao for Hue
• Storytelling (Matt Chan Award): Marley Monetta for True Dawgs: A Garfield Story
• Strategy: Gisela Casa Madrid for Landless Nation - A Transmedia Real Story
• Students' Choice Award: Katy Wicks, Amrine White, and Yağızhan YAVUZ for LGBTQ+ Multicultural Marketing Campaign for Brooks Running
• Professionals' Choice Award: Brinda Joshi, CHIA-HUA HSU, Kayla Moani Huitt, Tabitha Han, and Yuechen D Lu for Innovation Challenge - EcoQuest

👣 Looking Ahead to 2026:

If you're just starting your journey with us, Screen Summit is the moment to have on your radar. It's your opportunity to showcase the multi-platform storytelling skills you're developing right now — and connect with the entire Comm Lead community. Whether you're refining your documentary craft, building your design portfolio, or developing strategic campaigns, Screen Summit is where your work finds its audience.

Start thinking about the project you want to present. Your future self will thank you.

Warm Regards,

Olivia Ding

Communication Leadership Program