Brandon Mioduszewski '25 is often found behind the camera. Drawing on his filmmaking skills, his double majors and the support of $20,000 in research funding from Dartmouth, he's produced several documentaries exploring the various forces that shape identity.
How did you get started in filmmaking?
I've long had an interest in filmmaking, but coming from a first-generation, low-income background, equipment costs were a barrier. Dartmouth's Jones Media Center is a great resource—there, any undergraduate student can rent out film equipment, audio equipment, or gaming consoles for free. I also earned a grant from Dartmouth's Stamps Scholars Program that enabled me to start making documentaries.
How do your double majors connect to film?
Both of those disciplines are grounded in telling stories. Documentaries are a window into people's lives, so I see filmmaking as another medium for anthropology. The critical thinking and analysis skills I picked up in both departments will be helpful in any field—video or otherwise.
Can you tell us more about the podcast you helped to create about the Middle East?
I worked with Professor Ezzedine Fishere on a podcast called "Making Sense of the Middle East," where we interviewed Middle Eastern policymakers and politicians about conflicts in the region. We got thousands of listens. It was funded through multiple sources at Dartmouth, which allowed me to travel to D.C. for a few interviews and is a great example of how you can get support to do cool projects at Dartmouth.
Tell us about your experience finding opportunities outside the classroom.
I participated in Dartmouth's First-Year Summer Enrichment Program (FYSEP), a pre-orientation program that supports first-generation, low-income students. Someone sent a link in our group chat about a news internship at Bloomberg and said, "Hey, there's this internship, and they're specifically looking for FGLI students!" I wouldn't have found that opportunity for my junior summer without the FYSEP network and Dartmouth community.
Tell us about your future plans.
I'll be attending the University of Missouri to pursue a Master of Arts in Journalism with a concentration in Documentary Journalism. I'm interested in using visual mediums for accessible storytelling. Whatever I do, I know it'll be storytelling through nonfiction video.
Photograph by Don Hamerman
