Janiyah Chatman
Staff Writer
East Stroudsburg University’s 3rd Annual Media Fair rode into town with a Western twist on Thursday, April 24, 2025.
From 6-10 p.m., Rosenkrans East and Beers Lecture Hall were transformed into a lively frontier of creativity and fun, as students, faculty and guests gathered to celebrate media excellence with cowboy hats, boots and plenty of flair.
The Western theme set the tone for a spirited evening, with country-style decorations, themed signage, and an energetic atmosphere to match. Guests moseyed through stations showcasing student work while enjoying a hearty spread of quesadillas, cupcakes, chicken strips, brownies and iced tea—a modern chuckwagon feast to keep the night going strong.
Student work was proudly displayed throughout the building; Striking photography in the media lab, a rotation of short films in Classroom C and Classroom M became a Western saloon of sorts, filled with Just Dance, video games, prize raffles and silent bidding.
Group photo sessions in the photo studio gave cowpokes and creatives alike a chance to capture the fun in style.
As the night continued, everyone gathered in Beers Lecture Hall for a reel of the best videos from Motion Media, Electronic Field Production and Television Production I and II.
A short, hands-on audio workshop gave attendees a taste of professional sound editing. Students learned how to fix scratchy audio, adjust the pitch of a squeaky voice, extend a song without making it sound distorted, and smooth out harsh popping P’s.
The evening’s big finale was the Western-style awards ceremony, celebrating standout student projects across six media categories:
VIDEO 1st Place: Aaron Williams – Data Rush
2nd Place: Carolina Rodriguez Vazquez – Shoes on the Loose
3rd Place: Chloe O’Donnell – To Kill a Zombie
AUDIO 1st Place: Mason Holdorff – Old Carolina
2nd Place: Jessie (“Mr. Moon Man 64”) – Lonely Hearts
3rd Place: Natalie Toth – Haunted House
GRAPHICS 1st Place: Ren Miller – Dance Workshop Fundraiser
2nd Place: Ari Nguyen – Love Larceny
3rd Place: Mehgan Doctor – ESUWRFC 7’s Schedule
VR 1st Place: Cynthia – Chasing PRs in VR
2nd Place: Ellie Farrance – La Virgen de la Macarena
3rd Place: Gabe Block – Chasm’s Call
Best Performance By An Actor 1st Place: Calla Sandt
2nd Place: Dillion Corridore
3rd Place: Matthew Ocasio
Photography 1st Place: Gabe Block – Drip
2nd Place: T3 Heretics – Blueberries
3rd Place: Mason Holdorff – The Devil is a Bass Player
Streaming 1st Place and only place: John “Footage” Capurso
After the applause settled, a silent auction gave guests a final chance to wrangle up some prizes, with the highest bid of the night coming in at $100.
With cowboy hats, cameras, and creativity in abundance, the 2025 Media Fair lassoed the spirit of student media with a Western flair—and proved that ESU’s talent is ready for any stage, from the silver screen to the Wild West.