Professor Introduction

Hello!

I'll be your professor for Mass Media 199 Boot Camp. I grew up in the small town of Lindsborg, KS. Despite having a population of only 3,000 people it is known for many art galleries, Bethany college, and close ties to Swedish culture. After graduation I went to the University of Kansas in hopes of becoming involved in the film or video game industries. Pursuing a degree in journalism and Japanese, I launched a website covering the video game industry which featured a live internet radio show that could be downloaded later. Now, this sort of thing would be called a podcast. Somehow, people in the industry listened and I started networking withthem. This was a great experience and facilitated me going to industry events, including E3 in Los Angeles, and making connections with more people in the industry.

I had also always had a dream of going to USC's film school. I took a summer class there and did my best to figure out how I could get into the school, without really believing I'd be able to get in. I changed majors to religious studies with a degree in psychology, and after graduating KU achieved my dream of going to USC and then working in the film industry for several years. I had many great experiences including working for a few academy award winners (Fred Roos, The Godfather, Apocalypse Now, Star Wars; Dane Davis, The Matrix) and working on the Warner Bros. studio lot.

While I loved working out there, my family has always come first. After cancer struck my parents, I came home to help out. After they fully recovered, I decided to stay in Kansas and work in the film industry remotely. This intersected with my third passion; teaching. In high school I set up classes after school to teach web development, and on my website I enjoyed teaching the other content producers how to use technology, create content, and navigate the industry.  My favorite part of the podcast had been discussing video game history and the medium as an art form. The more I learned about Washburn, the more I found it to be a perfect fit for me and I absolutely love it here. I get the best of both worlds of still getting to work on creative projects, but also doing my best to help other people achieve their dreams.