Multimedia Storytelling for Tourism, a class offered in spring 2024, was a collaboration between the University of Kentucky Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment and the College of Communication and Information that gave students the opportunity for cross-disciplinary learning.  

Through a partnership with VisitLex and the DiverCity Festival, students worked together to create multimedia projects that highlighted the multicultural communities and experiences that Lexington has to offer. Hospitality management and tourism (HTM) students brought their tourism knowledge, while integrated strategic communication (ISC) students contributed their video production expertise.  

“We were able to make the groups very intentionally based on students’ skills and experiences,” said Jason Swanson, associate professor in the Martin-Gatton CAFE Department of Retailing and Tourism Management. “Each individual project took individuals’ strengths and brought them together as a group, which is what we do in real life all the time.”  

For several years, Swanson had been interested in multimedia storytelling for tourism. For example, his Lex-plorations video series with VisitLex and WTVQ is a multimedia project that promotes Lexington tourism.  

Swanson wanted to equip his tourism students with multimedia knowledge. What he needed was a media expert to teach with him. 

That’s where Jennifer Greer, UK College of Communication and Information dean, and Elizabeth A. Spencer, assistant professor in the CI Department of Integrated Strategic Communication, came in.  

“I thought the collaboration sounded really exciting,” Spencer said. The class was a good opportunity for ISC students, many of whom go on to do public relations or strategic communication work, including for tourism-related organizations.  

For HTM undergraduate student Liz Dolsen, strategic communications sounded scary. But she had taken classes with Swanson before, and his promotion of the new course increased her interest and led to her enrolling in it.  

Dolsen’s student group focused on the Irish community in Lexington, including a video about Failte Irish Imports. The students divided tasks based on skillset; Dolsen interviewed the subject and really enjoyed it.

Her classroom communications skills improved, Dolsen said, through interacting with two professors and students from multiple majors.  

“All questions were welcome, and Dr. Swanson and Dr. Spencer made you feel really heard,” Dolsen said. “It was one of the best classes I've taken, and I learned so much from it.”  

One benefit, Swanson said, is that students produced work in class then could see the immediate application for a real-world organization.  

“This was an excellent opportunity to gain some fresh and creative ideas on how to reach a broader audience,” said DiverCity co-founder and current board member Brad Ingram. “We were provided with quality videos and interviews that showcased the many different cultures we have here in Lexington. We will be able to use these in the future to promote and grow the festival.”  

After a successful first class this spring, Swanson and Spencer hope to offer Multimedia Storytelling in Tourism again in the future. 

To learn more, visit the Department of Retailing and Tourism Management at https://rtm.ca.uky.edu. 

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Writer: Bailey Vandiver, bailey.vandiver@uky.edu 

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