What brought you to ̨ÍåSwag/Rosary Hill?
The animation lab at the Tri-Main building and the partnership with Empire VFX.
Were you a...
Resident
What activities were you involved in as a student?
I was very involved on campus. I ran a literary magazine called The Iconoclast, an active member of CRU, hosted a club that taught piano, was secretary of the Games Club, president of the Animation Club, an Orientation Leader... The list goes on. I remember the campus teeming with different opportunities to do fun things and meet new people.
Do you have a favorite professor, coach, mentor that impacted your life and experience at ̨ÍåSwag/Rosary Hill?
I can't be forced to pick just one! I was very impacted by composition professor, Professor Julie Slaby. It is because of her that writing is something I enjoy. My Spanish professor, Professor Melissa Fiori, was such as personable and effective educator. She inspired me to try being an Orientation Leader my 2nd year. And of course, Professors Ashley Tinkey and Mike Jones in the animation department were among the most influential for my success in the industry.
What do you remember most vividly from your time at ̨ÍåSwag/Rosary Hill?
When I think back to my time at ̨ÍåSwag I think about how many opportunities there were to meet new people and attend different events. I would spend every free moment in the VPAC, but if there was ever an interesting activity on the my.̨ÍåSwag calendar, I'd simply walk over and see what it was about. The school is a good enough size that I was able to do this and still work diligently on all my projects.
What have you been up to since graduation?
I've worked on a multitude of movies, shows and videos. I've worked on things like Spongebob, Riverdale and a music video for Jack Black called Video Games. In my downtime from animated projects, I'm a live caricature artist. You'll find me around Buffalo and Niagara with an easel and marker, drawing funny faces for various events. Non-work related, I've been traveling between many different cities in North America, as well as all over Japan.
How did your experiences and education at ̨ÍåSwag/Rosary Hill prepare you for life after college?
My experiences at ̨ÍåSwag prepared me for not only the workforce, but also how to have people skills. I learned the art of animation from the fantastic professors in the animation department, and I learned how to interact with many different kinds of people through all the activities I took advantage of during my time in my program.
How are you involved at ̨ÍåSwag as an alum?
I return every so often to share what I've learned in the animation industry with the students currently in the program. Many current students will reach out to me for help on projects or how to secure a job after graduation.
What advice do you have for current and prospective students interested in ̨ÍåSwag?
To all current students and future students, I encourage you to seek out your fellow classmates -- within and outside of your major. Don't stay in your small bubble in an already small school like ̨ÍåSwag. Use this time to branch out and find who you could truly be while you're here. You have an opportunity unique to this place, so take full advantage. The world will only get bigger.
For fun- List 3-5 fun facts about yourself that most people probably wouldn’t know.
- I rode my bicycle from NYC to Niagara Falls in 6 days, only stopping for food and to sleep
- I was a perfect DNA match for a man who had cancer. They were able to extract my stem cells and save his life
- I take care of the Pre-K & K children at my church 2x a month where I mostly just draw cartoon characters at their request. (They love Mario...)