46th Annual Telly Awards Honors ORU Film with Six Awards, Including Gold and Five Silvers
Tulsa, Oklahoma, July 21, 2025– Oral Roberts University (ORU) Cinema & Media Arts students won six awards at the 46th Annual Telly Awards, including the University’s first-ever Gold Award for “Art of Kindness,” directed by ORU’s Michaela Ray during her senior year. The annual competition draws over 13,000 global entries from leading institutions and production companies. Winners were selected by a panel of over 250 industry experts from leading networks, studios, and creative firms such as Netflix, Adobe, and Meta.
“Our students continue to develop their creativity, technical excellence, and spiritual depth as redemptive storytellers,” said Dr. Norman Mintle, Associate Dean of the College of Arts and Cultural Studies. “This national recognition affirms the power of our hands-on, Christ-centered approach to media education at ORU. I couldn’t be prouder of their growing expertise as artists who tell powerful stories.”
Of the seven Gold Tellys awarded in the Student Film & Shorts category, five were won by graduate-level MFA programs, making ORU’s undergraduate win an exceptional achievement. “Art of Kindness,” ORU’s Gold Telly winner, was inspired by Ecclesiastes 3:12-13 and follows a hard-working single mom hungering to escape her lonely limitations. Eventually, she encounters a gifted young waiter who serves her a creative helping of hope.
“The Art of Kindness has become something truly beyond words,” said Michaela. “Kindness through creativity is something I’m deeply passionate about, and I believe we captured that through our story. I’m so thankful for my team, our support from ORU and staff, and all the equipment and resources that made this possible. We faced plenty of challenges, but we overcame them through prayer, creativity, and teamwork. My biggest takeaway is if you have a vision, the courage to go for it, and an amazing team—anything is possible. Even winning a Gold Telly.”
ORU's Media Mastery Institute program helped bring the film to life. Credits include:
- Director, Producer, Editor – Michaela Ray
- Producer – Renato Sanchez
- Writer, Gaffer, Composer – Daniel Navarette
- Production Design – Natasha Perez, Kiora Brooks
- Director Of Photography – Cin “David” Sing
- Writer, Director of Photography - Noë Smith
- Writer, Foley – Kody Mundt
- Production Assistants – Ella Abney, Michaela Nelson, Mark Travis, Dan Ost
- Lead Actors - Dr. Hayoung A. Lim, Jacob Sanders
- Executive Producer/Faculty Advisor - Prof. David N. Ray, MFA
The Silver Telly-winning films also competed against entries from top universities in the nation. The 2025 ORU Silver Award winners are:
- Silver: Fake It ‘Til You Make It – Directed by Natasha Perez
- Silver: Be Good – Co-directed by Meagan Dryden & Renato Sanchez
- Silver: Washed – Directed by Adanma Jibunoh
- Silver: Remember – Directed by Joel Foga
- Silver: Student Sizzle Reel – Directed by Daniel Navarette
These unprecedented wins at the Telly Awards reflect ORU’s continued investment in student filmmakers and future artists. Last August, ORU opened a new building for student filmmakers: the 74,000-square-foot Peggy V. Helmerich Media Arts Center (MAC). The MAC is home to ORU’s growing film department, along with ORU's theatre, dance, music, and digital media departments. This two-story, 74,000-square-foot building features a proscenium-style auditorium, a music performance hall, and a black box theater, serving as versatile performance spaces and classrooms.
ABOUT ORU’S CINEMA & MEDIA ARTS PROGRAM
The Cinema & Media Arts (CMA) program at Oral Roberts University prepares students to become Storytellers to the World—technically skilled, spiritually grounded creatives who lead in today’s rapidly evolving media industries.
Students receive hands-on experience from day one, working in state-of-the-art facilities including three professional sound stages, a fully equipped XR virtual production stage, TV control rooms, edit suites, and podcast studios. Academic offerings include the B.F.A. in Cinema & Media Arts, focusing on cinematic storytelling, and the B.S. in Cinema & Media Arts, emphasizing multi-platform production, including sports broadcasting, church media, and live event coverage.
CMA students regularly crew Division I broadcasts through the ORU Sports Network (ORUSN), livestream campus events to global audiences, and complete internships with leading media organizations.
To learn more about ORU's Cinema & Media Arts program or view student work, visit https://www.instagram.com/artistsatoru/
ORU has been ranked by U.S. News & World Report as:
- #1 in Undergraduate Teaching
- #2 in Most International Students
- #3 in Best Value
- #6 in Best College for Veterans
- #7 in Best Regional Colleges in the West
