Two Mondays

Bright lights everywhere, green screen, makeup stations, actors milling about… it was just another Monday at Pivto Digital Learning when I was asked to stand in as the clapper for a healthcare video. It didn’t matter that I had never been on a film set before. Pivto taught me early on that when you work for a startup, an open mind and willingness to try new things are vital. I knew from studying film that the clapper marks when the camera begins recording, and that the “clap!” sound of the clapperboard helps editors locate where the video and audio are synchronized. But knowing how something works in theory and putting it into practice are very different things! It took a few tries to get the hang of timing, but by the end of the roll, I had learned a lot about what it takes to properly film a professional-grade video. The team thanked me and moved on to their next shoot.

I returned to my desk and began revising a visual script for the University of Missouri-Kansas City’s Clinical Training Center for Sexual & Reproductive Health. They hired Pivto to create a three- minute animated video to teach their clinicians about implicit bias. Based on the feedback they gave in Monday (a project management system), I delivered an updated script to the VP of Production, Nolan. Pivto’s talented animators then brought the revised script to life a few days later. I write constantly in my English literature PhD program, but this was the first time I had ever seen my writing translated into audiovisual images. The effectiveness of using colorful, dynamic animation to teach healthcare professionals played out in real time on my laptop screen.

Why I Picked Pivto Digital Learning

I first approached Pivto’s founder and CEO, Kelley Robson, because they deliver engaging, learner-centered healthcare content. I also liked that Pivto is a woman-owned startup, which is rare in the startup space. Only 15% of tech startups are owned by women, according to a 2023

study from Startup Genome. In 2022, Pivto won an Arch Grant competition. Arch Grants are a St. Louis based organization that offer equity-free business startup funding. Among many achievements, winning an Arch Grant award signals a startup’s commitment to building community.

Following a promising conversation with Kelley to discuss fit and goals, I enthusiastically arranged my internship with Pivto for the summer. Kelley’s vision for her team aligns with the objectives of the Pivot 314 Fellowship, which include strengthening Fellows’ leadership and communication skills and fostering contributions to the entrepreneurial ecosystem. Starting on my

first day I was empowered to make decisions, from integrating Articulate content into Canvas under the guidance of the VP for Learning, Kristy, to offering feedback on a beta version of frame.io (a video production software). Since I have extensive experience teaching and writing, I felt that I could offer valuable input on some instructional design projects, and my colleagues trusted my suggestions. The team demonstrated repeatedly raw talent does not get the job done, but agility, grit, and the ability to learn from mistakes.

The Power of Communities

Spending as much time as possible with Pivto’s community quickly became one of my favorite parts of the internship. For a team bonding event, I took the MetroLink to Busch Stadium and we watched the Cardinals (in a rare feat) crush the Marlins beneath July’s blazing heat.

On a rainy Friday later that month, Kelley, Nolan, and I drove to Columbia, Missouri, where we met with the Missouri Telehealth Network. Senior Program Director Rachel Mutrux told us the purpose of the network is to increase “access to patient-centered care via telehealth for rural and underserved Missourians.” In partnership with Pivto they are currently developing an online course for clinicians who want to better serve patients living in more remote regions. The telehealth team’s passion for expanding care to hard-to-reach communities is met only by Pivto’s passion for improving the learning experience for healthcare professionals.

Working with Pivto’s clients made me realize just how often some startups collaborate with higher education institutions. Graduate students possess a wealth of information about college communities. My experience as both a student and an instructor served me well when I conversed with university clients. In turn, Pivto taught me how to translate edtech practices to non-startup audiences. Pivto’s client base continues to grow rapidly, and I look forward to staying on as a consultant for the remainder of my time in graduate school. I highly recommend all grad students seek work experience outside of academia. If the opportunity happens to be in St. Louis, all the better!

Laura Evers is a 2023 Pivot 314 Fellow and a fourth year PhD student in English literature with a concentration in film and media studies. Her work focuses on the genre of the American campus novel and documentary poetics. She serves as an Associate Editor for RHINO, a poetry journal based in Chicago, and is on the advisory board for the Center for Teaching and Learning and the Workday Student Sunrise Project. She’s also a graduate student affiliate at the Center for the Study of Race, Ethnicity & Equity.