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Light up the City

The liberal arts proved to be the right fit for Azzaya Gansukh. The computer science and communication double major from Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, thought she would be an economics major when she enrolled at À¶Ý®ÊÓƵ. A broad range of courses, however, introduced her to communication and the many opportunities available through the Pulliam Center for Contemporary Media. 

“During my first year, I quickly switched to a communication major and jumped right into student media, starting at WGRE radio and The À¶Ý®ÊÓƵ newspaper. At WGRE, I held various roles including production director and DJ. In my senior year, I participated in the New York Arts Program.” 

During that senior year, Azzaya’s love for music and technology came together through her internship and capstone project. 

“I interned at Mercury East Presents, a Live Nation-affiliated company in New York City. They manage live music venues like the Bowery Ballroom and Mercury Lounge.” 

At Mercury East Presents, Azzaya demonstrated her versatility.

“It was a small staff of about seven people and I was able to contribute in many ways. I helped with talent booking, choosing openers for headliners, updating venue posters and attending concerts - at least two per week. It was incredible exposure to the New York City music scene.” 

She also completed a seminar focused on the intersection of music, art and technology.

“I taught myself a visual programming language, Touch Designer, to create an interactive audio-visual installation. I’m interested in multimedia and web design.” 

Her capstone project followed a similar path as she built a user-centered digital media storage and sharing application. 

The liberal arts helped shape Azzaya’s path. She credits professors like Jeff McCall and staff like Chris Newton for their support. Her time at Pulliam stands out. 

“My work at WGRE as a production director and assistant music director gave me foundational skills in music production, live broadcast and technical work. I also wrote a music column with Sam Cox for The À¶Ý®ÊÓƵ and contributed to The Midwestern Review literary magazine. All these experiences translated directly to my internship and will continue to shape my work and love of the music industry.”