“It was when the Corps of Cadets brought our colors for the National Anthem, and then the cadets and cheerleaders ran out for the tunnel walk, stadium yell, and of course, my first Enter Sandman. The high energy 10-year-old me loved it. (Hell, the high energy almost 21-year-old me still loves it.) I was hooked. We blanked the ‘Hoos 17-0 that day, and I told my uncle that I wanted to be a part of that when I grew up.
Fortunately, I got in. I decided to go into engineering since that's what everyone else in my family did; I thought that was just how we were wired. My parents never pressured me. I pressured myself. Needless to say, I wasn't happy. After an up-and-down first semester of school, I decided to live my life how I envisioned it in my second semester.
I researched how I could get involved with Virginia Tech Athletics, tried to find a major that would fit in with that job, and tried to earn as many connections as possible. My opportunity came when Hokie Vision came to COMM 1014 with Buddy Howell to discuss a student video job within the Athletics' Video department. I wasn't sure they would want a zero experience ex-engineer like myself, but after the interviewing process they decided to hire me. I couldn't have been more thrilled. I had just achieved the goal I had set for myself when I was a 10-year-old kid at his first game. It also taught me something very important: if you have a vision, don't be afraid to take the small steps necessary to make that vision a reality. If everyone around you is an engineer but you want to make videos, then you go make videos. Ambition is such an underrated quality.”
