Students in FSU’s College of Communication and Information (CCI), Advanced Feature course recently took their skills outside of the classroom and to the Florida State Capitol, producing a short video feature on FSU’s Day at the Capitol on Jan. 21. The course, taught by Digital Media Services Director Jim Garbarino on the production side and Communications Editor Tim Fordyce on the reporting side, allows students to pitch story ideas, collaborate, film on location, and edit under deadlines.

This semester, undergraduate students Alyson Mizanin, Jenny Cen, and John Foreman worked together to document FSU’s presence at the event, highlighting both the excitement of the day and the connections between Florida State students and state leaders.

For Mizanin, the idea had been something she had thought of prior to this semester. With friends interning at the Capitol during her first two years at FSU, she saw how meaningful the event was for students.

“I wanted to showcase such an iconic FSU tradition,” Mizanin said, “especially highlighting the work students put into participating and the ongoing relationship between the FSU student body and state government.”

However, covering a fast-moving event comes with challenges. Mizanin, Cen, and Foreman entered the event without pre-planned interviews due to uncertainty around scheduling as well as not knowing when participants would have time to speak due to ongoing activities. They entered the day understanding that flexibility would be key.

“We headed in having a general idea of what we wanted to do,” Mizanin said. “It didn’t go completely according to plan, but I think that’s the beauty of having the opportunity to report on the scene for an event like Day at the Capitol.”

For Cen, the experience carried an even greater significance as it was her first time both visiting and filming at the Florida State Capitol building, as well as her first time filming a live event on-site. The project required Cen and Mizanin to approach interviewees directly, explain the project, and receive their consent to be filmed while working in a fast-paced environment with limited time. This challenge pushed Cen to manage her nerves and adapt quickly throughout the day.

“As an international student from the Florida State University Panama Campus, being able to experience such an important place firsthand was truly special and something I never imagined I would get to do while studying at FSU,” Cen said. “It was nerve-wracking at first, but the energy that day was unforgettable — the building was filled with FSU pride, cheers, and excitement, creating an atmosphere that was both inspiring and emotional.”

In the video feature there were prominent figures connected to the university, including FSU President Richard McCullough, Applied Politics and Policy Learning Experience Program participant Leila Jackson, Marching Chief Payton Raymond, State Representative and member of the Seminole Caucus Dan Daley, senior video producer for the House Office of Public Information and FSU alumna Sarah Hartle, and FSU Chief Legislative Affairs Officer Clay Ingram.

Foreman joined the project to assist with filming during the busy event, helping Cen capture B-roll and manage interview setups as the team moved throughout the event. With multiple activities happening at once and limited time to set up equipment, having a second camera operator allowed the team to work more efficiently and capture more footage.

“I decided to help Jenny out because I have a passion for creating and filming, and when I’m able to help out any of my friends, I’ll always jump at that opportunity because I know I can grow my skills,” Foreman said.

Despite the unpredictability of the event, the team was able to capture the excitement of the day and produce a feature that highlighted both the university’s presence at the Capitol as well as the tradition that it celebrates.

“Reporter Alyson Mizanin and Videographer and Editor Jenny Cen did an outstanding job highlighting the university’s recent FSU Day at the Capitol event,” Fordyce said. “A testament to the professional quality of this student-produced feature is that it has been widely shared across the Office of Governmental Relations’ media outreach platforms.”

The completed video feature capturing FSU’s Day at the Capitol can be viewed here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pwlonoSLPKI