When George Mason University Communication student Cheyenne Elizabeth Singleton sat down to choose a subject for a first-person narrative project, she didn't have to look far. The story she wanted to tell had been unfolding in front of her for years. It was her mother's.
A junior at George Mason, Singleton, who is pursuing her Communication degree concentrating in Media Production & Criticism, created a first-person narrative centered on her mother, a breast cancer survivor whose journey included three diagnoses, years of treatment, and an unwavering determination to keep moving forward. What began as a classroom assignment became a moving portrait of resilience, hope, and family.
Students in COMM 208: Introduction to Media Production, an assignment envisioned by Professor Dan Reed and now implemented across multiple course sections, are challenged to identify a compelling character and tell their story. Singleton immediately knew who hers would be.
"I wanted to do my mom," Singleton said. "When I thought about what makes her compelling, the first thing that came to mind was resilience. She really doesn't quit."
Her mother's first breast cancer diagnosis came in 2018, followed by recurrences in 2021 and 2024. Through chemotherapy, radiation, and years of uncertainty, she continued to face each challenge with remarkable strength. Today, she is cancer-free and continues regular monitoring with her healthcare team.
"Cheyenne found exactly the kind of compelling character I encourage students to look for, someone whose story matters deeply and reveals real courage," said Professor Dan Reed.
For Singleton, however, the project was never intended to focus solely on illness. "I wanted it to impact people," she said. "Especially people who might be going through something similar. Even if you're diagnosed, it's not the end."
Finding the Story in the Edit
Singleton entered the project, knowing that storytelling was what drew her most to media production. The experience reinforced an important lesson: some of the most meaningful storytelling happens in the editing process. As she reviewed interviews with her mother, sorted through family memories, and shaped hours of footage into a cohesive narrative, she discovered how editing could reveal the deeper truths of a person's experience.
"I really like the storytelling aspect," Singleton said. "You can tell a person's perspective and story. Depending on how you edit it, the story can go in a completely different direction."
Reed believes that approach is what made the project especially powerful.
"Not only did she capture her mother's tremendous resilience," he said, "but also her positive spirit and hope at the center of that journey."
Piecing Together a Life
To build the narrative, Singleton returned home to the Norfolk and Chesapeake area, gathering family photographs, home videos, and archival footage documenting her mother's treatment journey. One of the most meaningful moments included footage of her mother ringing the ceremonial bell marking the completion of treatment. Those personal details helped transform the project from a story about cancer into a portrait of a person.
The experience held special meaning because Singleton had lived through much of the journey herself. Her mother's first diagnosis came when she was in seventh grade. Over time, she evolved from concerned daughter to advocate, supporter, and occasional voice reminding her mother to slow down and rest.
That perspective shaped one of the film's central messages: emotional well-being is just as important as physical recovery. "A lot of people focus on the physical side," Singleton said. "They don't always think about the mental side of it."
A Full-Circle Moment
The project's most memorable moment came at the Department of Communication's annual student media production showcase. Although her mother repeatedly asked to see the completed film beforehand, Singleton insisted on saving the premiere for the big screen.
When the film finally played before family, friends, and classmates, her mother's reaction meant more than any grade. "You made it very much for me," she told her daughter. For a filmmaker telling a real person's story, there may be no greater compliment.
The project also marked a significant milestone in Singleton's academic career. In Spring 2026, she received the Emerging Excellence Award in Media Production, recognizing her talent, creativity, and commitment to meaningful storytelling. Her narrative project serves as a reminder that powerful stories do not always require distant locations or elaborate productions. Sometimes the most compelling stories are the ones closest to home. By telling her mother's story, Singleton not only honored a survivor's resilience but also discovered her own voice as a filmmaker.