by Allyson O'Bryant, Student Public Relations Writer
In today鈥檚 digital-first world, it鈥檚 easy to unknowingly infringe on intellectual property. With the growth of artificial intelligence (AI) and the rapid pace at which content is created, shared and reshared across platforms, the line between legal use and copyright violation can blur 鈥 especially for content creators and filmmakers looking for music to help them tell compelling stories.
At Cedarville University, students learn that prioritizing ethical media use is just one way to engage with real-world issues with faith. In classes, professors emphasize creative excellence and integrity for how content is sourced and produced.
That commitment to ethics is part of what led Cedarville to partner with 鈥 a music licensing company founded by Matt Arcaini, Mark Stuart and Caleb Grimm. The company helps creators access high-quality music that complies with copyright laws, supporting storytellers while protecting artists鈥 rights.
WavMaker partners with independent artists who create a wide variety of music, then provides licenses for this music to individuals and organizations to meet their content needs. With a subscription, users gain access to tracks with full copyright protection.
The model is extremely helpful for institutions like Cedarville. In the past, the platforms students used to access legal music but often came at higher prices or with low-quality tracks.
Through mutual connections at Kingdom Story Company, Sean O鈥機onnor, associate professor of broadcasting, digital media and journalism, connected with Mark Stuart, leading to the university鈥檚 partnership with WavMaker. Now, Cedarville broadcasting and digital media students can enhance their storytelling with licensed music 鈥 ensuring both creativity and compliance.
鈥淲e don鈥檛 just teach our students how to use a camera and how to edit a video,鈥 said O鈥機onnor. 鈥淏ut how are they sharing God through their projects? How are they living differently?鈥
As students strive to fulfill Cedarville鈥檚 mission 鈥 Love for God. Love for Others. Integrity in Conduct. Excellence in Effort. 鈥 partnerships with organizations like WavMaker help bring that mission to life through responsible, impactful storytelling.
Cedarville University, an evangelical Christian鈥痠nstitution in southwest Ohio, offers undergraduate and graduate residential and online programs across arts, sciences, and professional fields. With 6,384 students, it ranks among Ohio's largest private universities and is recognized by鈥疶he Wall Street Journal鈥痑s being among the nation鈥檚 top three evangelical universities. Cedarville is also known for its vibrant Christian community, challenging academics, and high graduation and retention rates. Learn more at鈥cedarville.edu.鈥&苍产蝉辫;