As a senior Global Media major with a concentration in sound and music, Jake Smith flexes his creative muscles around the clock. On campus, the Dallas, Pa., native heads the ARC radio station, while off campus, he interns at Termite TV Collective, a group of creatives that come together to create installations that combine the various styles and disciplines of the artists’ work. 

As an intern, Smith works with Alan Powell, professor emeritus of Media and Communication, who serves on the board of the organization. Smith assists in the planning, installation, and production of events and displays at the Cherry Street Arts Pier in Philadelphia. He is responsible for installing and operating both the audio and video workstations in the Termite TV studio space to create his own projects, which will then contribute to the Collective’s larger exhibit. The equipment he uses includes a Mac computer with Digital Audio Workspaces (DAWs) like Abelton, Garageband, Pro Tools, a keyboard, and an Akai Workstation drum pad.

He also educates the public on how to use the workstations during Philadelphia’s First Friday city-wide art celebration events, which at the Cherry Street Arts Pier take place from 4 to 9 p.m. on the first Friday of each month, or at Termite TV’s workshops designed as creative learning experiences for the community.

“On March 1, our first official open house on the First Friday, I was tasked with gathering insect sounds and creating an ‘insect symphony’ on the drum pad,” Smith recalled. “I programmed all the sounds into the drum pad and sequenced them to play at once to create the symphony, and additionally, I showed some kids how to use it. It was a very fulfilling experience.”

At Arcadia, as part of his senior thesis creative project, Smith has assisted in updating the equipment in the ARC radio station, gathering and refreshing the content aired, building a radio schedule, and revitalizing the station’s use and influence on campus.

Upon graduating, Smith plans on continuing to work with the Termite TV Collective to exhibit creative projects to the public in new ways. He also hopes to find more creative work in sound and video within the Philadelphia area.