 Coming from a large family of business owners and entrepreneurs, Jiaxin Tong ’23 was the first to show an interest in the performing arts. As a child, he often imagined stepping into the performances he enjoyed so much, or befriending the characters he knew from the screen.
At the age of 10, he was accepted into an art school in China, and he continued to explore the performing arts in high school. “My parents were always telling me how important it was to study business, engineering, or computer science,” he explains. “The stage was the only place I could escape to. I could put myself into any situation. It all came from my imagination. While my family was focused on how to monetize, I just wanted to perform and deliver happiness to the world.” Tong continued to study creative enterprises in college, earning a BS in Cinematography and Film/Video Production from Boston University. Up until that point, he had dreams of becoming an actor … but the thought made his parents nervous. He also knew that acting in the United States could be difficult, especially since English is his second language. Film production seemed to be a good compromise, offering a way to tell stories from behind the camera instead of on stage. The decision turned out to be a blessing in disguise: He discovered that he loves filmmaking and production just as much as performing. “I realized that acting wasn’t the only way to bring happiness to the world,” he explains. “Directing or producing could let me do that on an even broader scale. It’s a great way to deliver positive energy and make the world a better place by telling a story.” As graduation approached, Tong wanted to continue learning—specifically the communication side of production. And after watching the pandemic’s impact on the industry, he wanted to find new ways to keep movies relevant. “At the time, people couldn’t go to the theater or cinema,” he says. “They could only watch films or performances at home by themselves on television. It made me wonder: ‘How can we apply immersive technology like augmented or virtual reality to filmmaking so people feel like they can walk into a film and interact with people on the screen?’ ” As he sought graduate programs that could support him in this journey, he found Northwestern’s MS in Communication (MSC) program. While attending a top university was important, it wasn’t the only deciding factor. He wanted to find a program that aligned with his interests and career goals. After reading about MSC faculty and their backgrounds, Tong knew he found a program that would challenge and inspire him. “I wanted to hear their ideas and learn from their expertise,” he explains. “These were the experts I wanted to work with. With their help and knowledge, I knew I could reinforce the foundation of my education.” One of the things Tong enjoyed most about the MSC program was interacting so closely with professors inside and outside the classroom. Even though he graduated a few years ago, he keeps in touch with many of them today. He also loved the hands-on approach the program took to help him develop critical communication skills. In Leading Collaboration, taught by Professor Leslie DeChurch, for example, Tong and his cohort worked together to learn how to lead collaboration among teams and overcome common challenges along the way. In Persuasive Message Design, led by Professor Nathan Walter, Tong studied all the factors that come together to enhance or diminish the effectiveness of strategic messaging. To put knowledge into practice, he completed a research project to test the effectiveness of persuasive messaging. “We analyzed a video to determine whether it was persuasive or not. It was my first research experience, so it was very valuable and memorable. Professor Walter was fantastic to learn from, and he was very patient.” When Tong started his job search, he kept in close contact with faculty like Adjunct Professor and Director of Administration and Academic Affairs Anne Marie Adams, Professor Walter, Professor Steve Grand, and Lecturer Randy Iden to talk through concerns and get their advice. Shortly after receiving his MSC, Tong joined Publicis Groupe as an associate. In this role, he leads research and implementation of strategic planning. He also crafts press releases, speeches, briefing books, and other materials for clients. Because Publicis Groupe is a global company, Tong quickly encountered major differences between what the term “public relations” means in China vs. the United States. For example, common business terms used in America, such as “CSR,” “ESG,” and “sustainable growth,” are used differently in China. “One of the skills I gained from the MSC program is adaptability. I’m able to adjust messaging, tone, and approach based on audiences and platforms. To execute a campaign, I need to connect with different parties, from journalists to CEOs—sometimes from different countries—and they all need to be on the same page. For example, if a U.S. journalism or media company is about to open a new location, then we typically write a note of congratulations. In China, however, it’s expected that we write a poem. We need to deliver the right concepts to the right places at the right times.” His ability to adapt will help him carry out his future career plans, too, as he works toward launching a startup studio to explore the future of cinema and bring his vision of immersive and interactive content to life. He’s already doing research on immersive art to shape his vision, observing different audiences and how they connect with viewing experiences. Compared to the United States, for example, Chinese viewers tend to create immersive experiences themselves, bringing costumes or props to take engagement to another level. His dream, he says, is to enable viewers to “walk” into the content they’re interacting with—a goal that requires communication and adaptability. “If you truly love communication and learning about the connections between people, the MSC program is definitely the top choice,” says Tong. “You have access to all the great experts here. The faculty are supportive of your academics and your career. They’ve helped me become the person I want to be.” |