I didn't grow up believing a career in film or media was out of reach. I just didn't know how to get there.

Nobody around me worked in production. I didn't know what a production assistant did, how someone became a camera operator, or what a gaffer was. Like many students growing up in West Texas, I had the interest but not the roadmap.

The path I chose was the United States Marine Corps.

Serving my country gave me something I'll always be grateful for: the opportunity to earn an education through the GI Bill. Without that opportunity, it's unlikely I would have attended college, earned my degree, taught at the college level, or found the career I'm building today. My access to higher education wasn't handed to me—it was earned through military service.

That experience shaped how I think about education.

I don't believe students should have to enlist in the military, take on overwhelming debt, or rely on extraordinary circumstances just to gain access to professional training and meaningful opportunities. There are many honorable paths into higher education, and military service was the right one for me. But it shouldn't have to be the only path available for someone with talent, determination, and a willingness to work.

When I eventually entered film school, I discovered another reality. Talent wasn't the biggest difference between students.

Access was.

Some students arrived with industry connections, professional equipment, and the financial ability to produce ambitious projects outside the classroom. Others were working with borrowed gear, limited budgets, and whatever opportunities they could create for themselves.

That experience didn't discourage me.

It clarified what I wanted to spend my career building.

I want to help create opportunities that lower the barriers to entry for students who have the talent, curiosity, and work ethic but may not have the same resources or connections. Whether that means access to equipment, industry mentors, hands-on productions, or simply someone willing to explain how the industry works, those opportunities can change the direction of a person's life.

That's why I teach.

Not simply to explain software or camera settings, but to help students build the confidence, experience, and professional foundation that allows them to believe they belong in this industry.