Quest University sits high on a mountain perch overlooking the town of Squamish tucked away from the outside world. Sure, the university is a pilgrimage site for cheap lunches, basketball games, and mountain bike trails, but what do residents really know about this learning institution and most importantly, its students?With the flick of a switch, Quest University's new Media Club is getting stories off the hill and into the community. Quest has partnered with Shaw Cablesystems to air student-produced, monthly segments on The Express aired on Shaw TV."I personally got involved because I have always had an interest in different types of media, photography and filmmaking, but never took the opportunity to follow up on that curiosity," said Media Club member Alana Bliss. Every Tuesday, students interested in media and filmmaking meet over cameras and editing suites. While award-winning Squamish filmmaker Angela Heck mentors the students, the small group of five is left to their own devices; brainstorming story ideas, producing, shooting and editing story segments entirely on their own.Most members have no experience at all, but that didn't stop students such as Bliss from stepping in front of a camera. After 10 years of dance, she was no stranger to the spotlight, and was the perfect reporter to delve into the growing arts hub at Quest, the topic of the club's next story."We are trying to build that arts scene foundation for years to come," she said.Shaw Cablesystems is also helping build that foundation by airing Quest segments on The Express on Channel 4 in Squamish, Whistler and Pemberton. "We are really excited to hear their stories and not from an outside perspective, but right from the storytellers themselves," said television host Nicole Fitzgerald. "It's also a great opportunity for young media hounds to build their skills and resumes. With all eyes on the corridor in 2010, the more local journalists we have telling our stories, the better."The Quest Media Club's arts and culture story will air daily from May 19 to May 26 on The Express on Shaw TV on Channel 4.
