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Myles Matsuno was recently awarded Lee University’s Department Alumnus of the Year Award for the Department of Communication Arts during Homecoming celebrations.

“While at Lee, Myles was a passionate student filmmaker using the limited resources we had at the time to tell compelling stories,” said Matthew Fisher, associate professor of communication. “By doing a lot with a little, students like Myles paved the way for the progress we’ve made in the area of cinema and digital media. Myles went on to achieve great things as a filmmaker, and alumni like him proved that cinematic storytelling has a place at Lee University.”

Born and raised in Los Angeles, California, Matsuno is a film writer and director. He focuses on developing meaningful stories that carry strong messages through visual aesthetics, and everything he creates comes down to two final factors: the audience and moments.

Matsuno led efforts for ABC Los Angeles in technical directing, working on shows such as The Academy Awards, Dancing with the Stars, and the Country Music Association awards. He gained recognition for his films, which bring honest and inspiring messages through his directing and writing.

His works have been shown on television, in theaters, and in festivals, and have won awards throughout the country. His latest works include the feature “Christmas in July,” a documentary titled “First to Go: Story of the Kataoka Family” based on his family’s experience in Japanese Internment Camps, and an online series, “We’re The People.”

The award was presented to Matsuno at the Communication Arts departmental breakfast during the university’s Homecoming earlier this month.