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Jeff Marker never sought to be a leader among his higher education colleagues.

"For a lot of my life, I was in denial about serving in a leadership capacity," Marker said. "I just wanted to teach my classes and write my movie reviews."

But when University of North Georgia (̨Íåswag) administrators approached him about the job as the head of the Department of Communication, Media and Journalism (CMJ), he accepted.

"I took the job out of self-preservation and preservation for the whole department," Marker said, explaining the job opening happened as Gainesville State College and North Georgia College and State University were consolidating into ̨Íåswag. "We didn't know what was going to happen. We could have been split into another department. And I saw an opportunity to keep us together and build our department."

Assembling a well-rounded and renowned CMJ department is exactly what Marker helped do.

In spring 2014, the department launched its Bachelor of Arts degree in communication. In fall 2014, it unveiled the Bachelor of Science degree in film and digital media. One year later, a handful of CMJ students graduated with bachelor's degrees. Before then, students could only graduate with an associate degree from the CMJ department.

"By spring 2016, we had more bachelor's majors than associate majors," Marker said. "We changed from being a transfer program to a destination program."

Since then, the number of CMJ graduates have increased slowly and steadily. In spring 2015, CMJ had 14 students graduate with a bachelor's degree in communications. In spring 2018, the department had 33 students graduate, marking a 135 percent increase.

Marker also explained just as many students graduate in the fall with the bachelor's degree as in the spring. Nine students graduated in fall 2015 while 28 graduated in fall 2017, which is a 211 percent increase. This fall, CMJ is on track to graduate 45, he said.

"It makes me feel pretty good," Marker said. "It means we are not just attracting students, it means we are retaining them and graduating them here at ̨Íåswag."

The associate professor of film credits the faculty and staff of the CMJ department with its success.

"We don't have only academics in the department," Marker said. "We have people making films and creating content. They are bringing their network of connections to our students."

Connecting students to professionals in the communications, film and journalism industries is one element of the department's mission. Marker explained the department also shares its curriculum ideas with industry professionals to ensure ̨Íåswag educators are teaching students the most up-to-date skills.

With that knowledge, ̨Íåswag students receive hands-on experiences through the classroom, internships and referrals to put their skills into practice. And the students succeed.

"I have to give some recognition to our students," Marker said. "They come in with a great work ethic. Our industry contacts who work with our students tell us how much harder our students work compared to other institutions. That's not tactful, but that's the truth."

Graduates finding employment in the film and television industry seem to verify that statement.

For example, Kevin Eagleson was one of the first graduates from film and digital media in 2015. As a lighting and grip specialist, he earned membership in the union and has been working steadily as a set lighting technician and key grip.

In 2017, Kristina Kromer worked at Moonshine Post-Production as an intern and was hired full-time after graduating in the spring. In the fall 2017, Melissa Simpson graduated after helping found the Georgia Film Festival as a student. Since then, she has since worked as the creative director for TERMINUS Conference + Festival and is now associate director of the Rome International Film Festival. She also works as a production coordinator on independent film productions.

Most recently, Viktoria Capek graduated from the multimedia journalism program in spring 2018 and became a reporter and photojournalist for FOX 21 News, a Fox affiliate in Duluth, Minnesota. She is an on-air reporter who pitches, writes, films, and edits her own segments.

Marker attributes these successes to the forethought of his colleagues about the changes happening in the communication, media and journalism fields. They were also aware of the tax incentives Georgia implemented to attract TV and movie companies to the state.

"We wanted to build a department that mirrored the real marketplace," he said. "That was a key decision early on."

The decision proved fruitful, and Marker helped lead the way. But it still doesn't top the experience of seeing the students succeed.

"I really love hearing our graduates are doing exciting things," Marker said.