"Music City" Insights: how MDM student Jaylin Evans is turning fieldwork into inspiration
When Master of Digital Media (MDM) student Jaylin Evans (cohort 18) traveled to Tennessee for TMU’s Nashville Global Intensive this past July, she stepped into a unique role within the cohort. Having completed her undergraduate degree at TMU in Creative Industries and currently serving as a Graduate Assistant to Creative School Professor Dr. Charlie Wall-Andrews, Jaylin brought both academic experience and professional context to the trip.
As the only graduate student in the group, Jaylin naturally acted as a senior peer, shadowing Dr. Charlie during high-level industry meetings. The intensive offered direct access to key players in the music business, including sit-downs with executives like the CEO of Reel Muzik Werks, and the owner of a well known artist management agency. For Jaylin, observing these executive-level conversations provided a rare look at the business strategy, talent management, and infrastructure required to sustain a global music hub.
Grassroots Discovery
Beyond the scheduled executive itineraries, Jaylin wanted to see how music culture operates at the community level. With their arrival day being unfilled with scheduling, Jaylin used ChatGPT to plan an impromptu road trip route from the airport, they ended up on a mini excursion out to historic local spots in Franklin and Leipers Fork, Tennessee.
In Leipers Fork, away from the commercial noise of downtown Nashville, Jaylin observed the heart of the local music ecosystem. Sitting down in grassroots venues and porch-style gathering spots, she engaged in open conversations with music industry veterans and local artists. She saw firsthand how deeply integrated a music community can be, where local heritage, small venues, and live performances work together to keep the local culture and economy thriving.
"Stepping into Nashville and exploring places like Leipers Fork allowed us to sit down and talk directly with people who had been in the industry for years. Seeing how local culture, infrastructure, and live events all feed into one another showed me how deeply integrated a music ecosystem can be."
Inspiration for the Future
Experiencing Nashville’s music infrastructure provided Jaylin with a clear, inspired vision for her career post-graduation: using her event strategy and digital media background to scale, curate, and produce high-impact live music events and cultural activations.
The trip also sparked a desire to help shape future global learning opportunities at TMU. Moving forward, Jaylin plans to continue collaborating with Dr. Charlie Wall-Andrews on new academic initiatives, drawing directly on the hands-on field experience she gained in Nashville to help mentor and guide upcoming student cohorts on travel-abroad trips.
Reflecting on her journey, her biggest takeaway for fellow and incoming students navigating the fast-paced, 12-month MDM program is to take chances and map out your time early so you don't miss out on life-changing field experiences:
"Don’t be afraid to put yourself out there and take chances on new opportunities. Express what you’re interested in to faculty early on, stay open-minded, and manage your time well in advance so you can balance your graduate workload. Most importantly, take advantage of travel-abroad opportunities like these global intensives, putting yourself out there in a new environment gives you networking connections and real-world insights you just can't get inside a classroom."
With her MDM degree wrapping up and new research collaborations on the horizon, Jaylin is well positioned to bring her blend of live event strategy, tech innovation, and global insights into the next chapter of her career.
Connect with Jaylin: LinkedIn (external link)