Bridgewater, Va.- The Digital Scholarship Gurus went through a rebranding process this summer. Now called the Digital Media Creatives, the new name comes with the same mission and values as in past years.
The Digital Media Creatives (DMCs) are a small team of student workers, including myself, that provide assistance with digital media projects to all students, faculty and staff at BC. From taking professional headshots to setting up WordPress sites for FILA-450, the Digital Media Creatives work to limit potential digital barriers to success for everyone on campus.
While this rebrand may come as a shock to those that were familiar with the Gurus, it has been in the works for a few years. Grayson Preece, a senior DMC, stated that “there wasn’t much talk of the name needing to be changed, so students weren’t expecting it.” With news of this rebrand, many students are left wondering what brought about this change.
In 2017, Emily Goodwin, Director of Instructional Design, created the program to help others on campus with digital platforms and projects.
“Research shows that peer-to-peer support is more effective and students are more willing to use it,” Goodwin stated “The IT Center is always willing to help, but if students have questions about projects, they’re not going to go to the IT Center, they’re going to go to their peers. With more and more digital projects becoming a part of courses… students will have that support for these projects from their peers.”
After six months of going through potential names, Goodwin landed on the Digital Scholarship Gurus, which was colloquially shortened to the Gurus. This title combined the term “scholarship” to convey high levels of education and “gurus” to convey teachers or tutors. At the time, this title seemed like the strongest option and maintained its positive reputation throughout its use. However, throughout the years, some issues did arise.
The main and recurring problem with Digital Scholarship Gurus came from “scholarship,” as students that were unaware of the group’s true mission often confused it for a financial aid organization. “I had people asking me how to get a digital scholarship,” explained junior DMC Paul Bauer. Though the students that worked as Digital Scholarship Gurus would happily explain the difference and what their jobs entailed, this confusion made it clear that the name did not perfectly represent the group.
Additionally, conversations surrounding the use of “guru” in the title also began within the group. As an institution with a majority white population (~70%), it is always important to reflect and be conscientious about the use of cultural practices and terms. “Guru” is a Sanskrit word meaning “teacher,” or someone who “removes the darkness from one’s life.” While its use at BC was intended to convey appreciation and respect, the group recognized that the usage of it could be problematic. Based on recommendations from former chair of the Intercultural Advisory Council Gauri Pitale, it seemed like it was time to rebrand either way.
As the Digital Media Creatives begin another year at Bridgewater, they are excited to share their name and logo with BC students, new and old, and help them with any of their digital media needs. “I’m hoping that our rebrand will be effective,” Preece stated. “It won’t seem like the Gurus have disappeared because we didn’t, we’re just the Creatives now.”
