Feature Friday: From Classroom to Camera – Madison’s Story

Posted September 26, 2025 in Feature Friday, Featured News, Giving to JMU Libraries News, JMU Libraries News

Every year, students nearing the end of JMU’s Physician Assistant (PA) program are required to complete a Capstone Project. As part of the Capstone Project, students are given the opportunity to play the part of a PA in a mock physical exam that is filmed by JMU Libraries’ student employees and staff. These recordings are then used to train other Physician Assistant students in the program. 

In this Feature Friday Q&A, you’ll have the chance to hear from Madison Denham, one of the former Student Media Production Assistants in the Libraries responsible for this video work.  

Gaining professional experience: Madison supported the entire video production process for three Physician Assistant capstone videos, from packing and transporting camera equipment to setting up cameras, filming, editing, and post-production work. Through this experience, Madison honed her professional skills and gained invaluable hands-on experience, making a significant impact on her future and the educational experience of fellow JMU students. 

Helping fellow students: Physician Assistant students Katie Schluederberg and Carly Lucas appreciated the support they received from Madison. “The process was smooth and well-organized, and Madison was professional, respectful, and ensured we felt comfortable throughout the recording, even when we needed to do multiple takes! It was especially meaningful to have a fellow JMU student supporting us during such an important moment. She really helped ease our nerves and made the experience feel more personal and fun!” 

Let’s Hear from Madison! 

How long did the filming and editing process take from start to finish? 

The filming process usually takes around 3 to 4 hours. Editing usually takes a couple of weeks, including time to get feedback and revisions.  

Were there any challenges or unexpected moments during the filming or editing process? If so, how did you handle them? 

Sometimes due to unwanted background noise we had to replace audio from one take with better quality audio from a different take, then needed to sync the audio and video correctly.  

What else did you do as part of your student job in JMU Libraries? 

I also worked on photography, podcast production, faculty and staff video projects, and 3D modeling projects.  

How did your role in JMU Libraries help prepare you for your future career? 

I wish to pursue educational media, so this work was right up my wheelhouse so to speak. I got real educational experience and was able to provide resources and skills to students, faculty, and staff at JMU.  

If another JMU student was considering applying for this student job, what would you tell them about it? 

I would say please do it! It is a unique opportunity, and you get to learn so many diverse hands-on skills. It applies to various media careers, not just educational media. And it’s a lot of fun, too! 

This story is part of our Feature Friday Q&A series. If you know of a person or project connected with JMU Libraries that you’d like to feature, contact us at libraries@jmu.edu.  

Visit our website to learn more about our Media Production Support services and Student Jobs and Assistantships.