At the University of Washington Bothell, students have ample opportunity to apply what they learn to real-world settings and gain the skills and experience they need for their future careers. Some students apply their learning to on-campus jobs, while some get experience through internships with industry.
And there are those, such as Joseph Gacula, who seize both opportunities to expand their portfolio and jumpstart their careers.
As a senior majoring in Media & Communication Studies and in Applied Computing, with a minor in Visual & Media Arts, Gacula is a passionate multihyphenate. His interests range from graphic design and filmmaking to game development and programming.
One thing his passions have in common is the reality that the best way to learn how to do them is often by, simply, doing.
Gacula has set out to do just that during his time at UW Bothell — from leading the Student Marketing & Design team on campus to his role as a communications intern for King County Parks.
Uplifting campus voices
Gacula started picking up many of his video and graphic skills in high school. His classes at UW Bothell then helped him put them all together to make a more finished product from beginning to end — from filming to making the final video edits, for example.
When he saw that the Student Marketing & Design team offered a means for him to share his new skills with his peers, he jumped at the chance.
“The primary purpose of the Student Marketing & Design team is to uplift the voices on our campus — whether that’s an individual, a club or other group,” he said. “I try to get as involved with the campus community as possible, so leading this team has been a really great experience for me.”
Situated within UW Bothell’s Student Engagement & Activities, the student-led team offers free creative services such as logo and poster design to promote campus club activities, video and photography to capture events, and more.
“I think it’s a great opportunity for students like me who are wanting to further their experience in any type of media production,” Gacula said. “I’ve made a lot of pieces that I can put in my portfolio.”
When applying for an internship with King County, he included several of these pieces. “One of the things I attached was a promotion video that I made for UWave Radio,” he said. “I put a lot of time and editing into that video. It’s one of my favorite things I’ve made so far, and I think it’s part of the reason why I got the job.”
Chomping at the bit
In January, Gacula found the posting for the King County internship on Handshake — the UW’s online job and internship database — and was drawn to the opportunity to continue doing the same work he loves while also getting outdoors and meeting other people.
“The internship turned out to be almost exactly the same responsibilities I had on the Marketing & Design team, just at a higher level,” he said. “It’s been the best way to get more experience, just being in the field.”
Some of his favorite projects so far have included designing tickets for an upcoming food festival event, CHOMP!, and doing photo and video work for multiple park openings — including filming himself putting a salmon in the water at the Des Moines Creek Park in SeaTac at its May opening. He has also learned new skills in content management for the park’s website.
“The park openings have definitely been my favorite,” Gacula said. “It’s kind of the best of both worlds, getting out there, having fun and then practicing my technical skills editing the final video when I have time at home.”
His work outside the classroom has influenced his coursework — and vice versa — giving him a well-rounded breadth of learning and expertise from which to launch his career.
“My college experience in general has really prepared me to work in the real world. Each project and role has taught me a new skill,” he said. “It’s kind of like each one of my college years have fed into my skill set at the moment, which is really cool to see.”
“My college experience in general has really prepared me to work in the real world. Each project and role has taught me a new skill. ”
Joseph Gacula, senior, Media & Communication Studies and Applied Computing
Never giving up
Gacula’s internship is slated to go through the end of December, and he plans to graduate in spring 2027. His goal is to work in communications or user experience design.
His advice to his peers who are seeking opportunities for real-world experience is to not give up on looking.
“It may take a while, but if you keep at it eventually you will find something that suits you. And in the meantime, it never hurts to boost your chances by working on your technical skills. There’s something out there for everyone.”
