Middlesex Community College: Award-Winning Freelance Photojournalist Got His Start At MCC

Press release from the Middlesex Community College:

Caitlin Buckley

9/9/2021

For award-winning freelance photojournalist Gaelen Morse, the journey to pursuing his passion started at Middlesex Community College when his professor put a camera into his hands for the first time. Morse believes his professor Dr. Jennifer Bauer, MCC’s Communication, Art & Design Department Chair, “truly set me on the path I’m on today.”

Morse had what he calls a “life changing experience” at Middlesex. From Ohio, he enrolled at MCC intending to study music. In his first semester, he took a journalism class with Bauer that changed his mind and helped him realize what he wanted to pursue for a career. In the courses he took at MCC between Fall 2015 and Summer 2016, he gained the tools, knowledge and confidence he needed to succeed.

“I have found there are generally two types of instructors, those who want to see success in their classroom and those who want above all else to see students succeed in life – Jen embodies the latter of those two mantras,” Morse said. “Her aim is to provide people with the best instruction and guidance possible.”

At Middlesex, Morse appreciated receiving a well-rounded start to his education with high-quality classes and a relevant internship. Taking general studies classes with a focus on Communication, Bauer helped him establish his pathway and goals to get him toward a degree sooner. Inside and outside of her classes, she also made sure to provide Morse with practical experiences and networking opportunities to enhance his experience at the college.

While he was studying at MCC, the Communication program partnered with Lowell Telemedia Center (LTC) where Morse had the chance to work on projects and build his resume. He also had a summer internship working at HOWL Magazine in Lowell, which Bauer set up for him.

“MCC has a fairly wide range of communications classes and the gear to support it,” Morse said. “I think it’s important to be around like-minded people and that is something I found integral to my education – the communications program and classes allowed for that and I made lasting friendships.”

After Middlesex, Morse transferred his credits to Boston University to pursue a bachelor’s degree in journalism. He continued on to earn a master’s in documentary photography from Ohio University and start his career in Columbus.

Morse has published photos across national platforms, including the Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, ABC and NBC. He has had internship experiences at Hot Press in Dublin, Ireland, the Cape Cod Times and the Columbus Dispatch.

In 2018, he was recognized by the Boston Press Photographers Association for first place in a number of categories. He also won first place, best in show and honorable mention in several categories at the 2018 International Photography Awards. In 2019, he placed first and second for the Ohio News Photographer Association and was named Student Photographer of the Year.

With all of his success, Morse emphasizes the importance of lifelong learning and following one’s dreams. In order to succeed, he recommends fostering professional relationships and helping others on their paths. He also keeps a handout he received from Bauer in one of his classes to “remind me of where my passions started.”

“I think it’s safe to say that MCC – and employees such as Jen Bauer – set the very foundation for my career in photojournalism,” he said. “My time at MCC played an integral role in getting me to where I am now.”

Part of the Arts and Humanities pathway, the Communication program at MCC helps students go into – and succeed in – the workforce or transfer to four-year schools with its award-winning and affordable offerings, small class sizes and flexible schedules. For more information, visit https://www.middlesex.mass.edu/discover/dyp_artshum.aspx to discover a path to a career in Communications at Middlesex.

If you have ever taken a class at MCC, you are an alum! To share your story – and join the free Alumni Association – contact Amy Lee, Director of Annual Giving & Alumni Relations, at 978-656-3028 or leea@middlesex.mass.edu. Visit www.middlesex.mass.edu/alumni for more information.

Students can get back on track and reach their goals with a variety of options in MCC’s Fall 2021 semester. Visit www.middlesex.mass.edu/registration/ or call 1-800-818-3434 to register.

Discover your path at Middlesex Community College. As one of the largest, most comprehensive community colleges in Massachusetts, MCC has been a proven leader in education for more than 50 years. Middlesex puts the student first. Meeting each learner where they are, MCC provides them with a safe, welcoming and engaging place to learn. Offering more than 80 degree and certificate programs – plus hundreds of noncredit courses – Middlesex features flexible course formats and a variety of award-winning student support services and resources. Student success starts at MCC!

This press release was produced by the Middlesex Community College. The views expressed here are the author’s own.