AMPD Testimonials

Wondering what it's like to study at York University's School of the Arts, Media, Performance & Design? Our students and alumni share their inspiring stories, career wins and how AMPD shaped their path across film, theatre, media, art, design and other creative fields. Get a glimpse of the experiences that could await you!

When looking at Canadian university Theatre programs, I was most impressed by York’s. There was something about the structure of the program, the choices to specialize, and of course, access to Toronto - a lively theatre city. My program encouraged me to get to know myself as a person as well as an actor/performer/English Lit nerd. Since graduating from York, I’ve been working at Mass Culture, where I do my part to support a thriving research infrastructure for the Canadian arts sector.”

Kathryn Geersema

Alumna, Theatre

International Alumna - Singapore

My film education at York helped me prepare to work in this industry. In particular, the hands-on experience provided by Professor David Roebuck was invaluable and instilled a deep work ethic in me. Meet like-minded people and never stop dreaming!

Howard Barish (BFA ’83)

President/Executive Producer - Kandoo Films, an Oscar nominated, Emmy award-winning entertainment company

I came to film school to find people to make work with. Almost twenty years since graduating, I still work with a large number of York alums. It’s no surprise, since this school tends to attract people seeking more radical ways to make films, and not just formulaic imitations.

Maya Bankovic (BFA ’07)

Award-Winning Cinematographer, with work featured at TIFF in both 2024 and 2025

Before Digital Media at York, I had creative ideas rooted in art and design; however, I didn’t always know how to bring them to life. This program gave me the confidence to turn my visions into reality, blending art, code, and storytelling. It’s helped me grow not just as a student, but as a creator.

Luca I. (Fifth-year Digital Media student)

York changed everything. My studies at AMPD reignited my curiosity, turning my confusion into exploration. The mentorship I received helped mend the invisible gap between me and my potential. My professors showed me that I didn’t need to be a virtuoso pianist to have a voice in music. I could shape my own path, create my own role and build a life in music that felt authentic to me.

Alokananda Dasgupta (BFA Music ’09)

Award-Winning Film Composer (Netflix, Amazon Prime)

Read our feature on Alokananda’s journey.

York’s Digital Media program allows me to use my love of coding for both creative as well as practical applications, and so much more. I have not only been able to learn and develop new programming skills, but I have also used them to create games, websites and algorithms which I am proud of, as well as many different kinds of art, with beautiful designs, sounds and messages that have been inspired by the wonderful nature of this program.

Robert J. (Fourth-year Digital Media student)

Learning the technical skills that are part of computer science gave me the backbone to create. I'm able to express my creative ideas in new ways, it's opened many doors for me in academia and personal projects.

Amir B

Digital Media Student

My first-year experience as a theatre and performance student was transformational. Sure, I had heard of York’s reputation as one of the best theatre schools around, though I was not aware of how comprehensive it was, from hands-on tech and design to a deeper understanding of theatre and performance. What amazed me was the collaborative nature, working with peers in a spontaneous whirlwind of creativity. It was electric and eclectic.

William Kerr

First-year Theatre Student

There’s a really great community of PhD students here at AMPD – it’s important to have those people there to challenge you in the right kinds of ways.

Shannon Garden Smith (PhD Student, Visual Arts)

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