2024 Resume

Curriculum Vita

I was 15 when I decided to make my first YouTube video. YouTube had a significant impact on me when I was younger, and there was nothing I wanted to be more than a YouTuber. I would watch videos posted by other YouTubers at the time, and I wanted nothing but to do what they did. In 2015, YouTube was only just becoming a career option for people. Even at 15 years old, I knew I needed to get started as soon as possible if I wanted to do th. So, I created a YouTube channel and started making videos.

My Mom always said that my future job hadn’t been invented yet, and for some reason, that stuck with me as I went through school. I was finally able to connect with people who did similar things to me, and it opened my eyes to the job and money-making opportunities of video creation. It also helped me to know that opportunities show themselves over time, saving me a lot of stress going through school.

Coming into college in 2020, I have amassed over 1 million followers across my social media platforms. I came to college to get a degree in digital media because that is where my interest was, but I wasn’t sure where that would fit with my content creation. I was self-conscious about my content because I was going through high school as the weird kid who would make videos every day after school instead of having a social life. In my head, I knew what I was doing was different, but it did not slow me down because my passion for creating overpowered everything.

Fast-forward to 2022, and I find myself making videos associated with NASCAR. I traveled to a small town called Martinsville, Virginia, and spent three days on the track. I was flown out by the great people working for NASCAR because they noticed my videos and saw the potential for collaboration. Being flown somewhere as a 21-year-old and getting through college was a surreal experience. I had never grasped the scale of what I was doing until I walked on that track.

Growing up, I watched NASCAR every weekend with my dad. Unrealistically, I wanted to be a racecar driver when I was younger. I didn’t understand the work and money it took to make that dream a reality when I was younger, so I settled on making videos about racing. No matter how you look at it, racing pushed me to be a content creator, and racing also got me connected with NASCAR. To me, racing is all about coming out on top, which I directly correlate to my mentality in the work environment. Competition is not only crucial to the success of my work, but it also pushes innovation through competition.

NASCAR is exactly like this. If you have never been to a NASCAR race before, you need to understand that every race is an event. People look forward to whenever NASCAR comes to their hometown and dedicate a weekend of their life to being at the track to watch some racing. The people in the racing teams do nothing that whole week but prepare for the 3-hour race on Sunday, and that is something you can only fully grasp by being at the track. The competition is fierce, and it is a feeling that is hard to describe. And that weekend in Martinsville was one of the most incredible weekends of my life.

Unfortunately, experiences like that can't last forever, and on my flight home, I had an opportunity to look at myself and my work. I thought about where I wanted to go from here. As a content creator, collaborating with a brand I connect with so much in such a significant way seems like an experience that can’t be beaten. My time with the people and the professors in the BI program changed my mentality. The BI has taught me many things, but nothing as important as being on the field. I don’t want to just be on the field. I want to belong there.

I realized on that flight home that being on that track meant more than anything when it came to my work. I had been making niche racing content without a direction for 7 years and for the first time, I found a direction. I knew what I wanted to do to grow as a person and as a creator. Since then, I have worked with NASCAR again and intend to continue working with them for as long as possible. I learned even more about the people who work with NASCAR and how the racing business works. It is astonishing to me how good NASCAR is at everything in the business world. I found confidence in my videos, and most importantly, I found a way to harness my competitive spirit with my other jobs.

Since 2022, I have amassed over 5 million followers across my social media platforms and have a unique insight into the business world that drives me. I am confident in my passion for social media marketing and creative video production as I find my place in the business world, and I will work my butt off to get on the track again.

Here, I will showcase my leadership experiences and responsibilities within school-based roles. Through this, I've honed my leadership skills and made meaningful contributions to various domains.

UCCS-based Leadership:

I ran the social media account for the UCCS swim club. My responsibilities included creating compelling social media posts with the UCCS brand identity, also affiliated with UCCS Club Sports. With my position on the Club Sports Officer Board for the UCCS Swim Club, I was in charge of leading swim practices for other members and also fundraising money for the team. This gave me experience raising funds to help support the team’s travel and supply needs, as well as learning how to set up fundraisers for a team or a group. My leadership impacted the UCCS community by increasing the attendance of the swim club and increasing the club’s revenue. By posting consistent updates on the UCCS Swim Club Instagram, I was able to communicate to UCCS students about the swim club schedule to get more club members.

In addition to my time as a leader of the UCCS Swim Club, I also led a team working with a client to create a brand identity for a podcast., My innovation team was tasked with revamping the Doc2Doc podcast to drive more listeners and make it the best quality it can be. To start, the podcast was pretty bare-bones, and produced a low-quality product, given that the audio was recorded over Zoom. To remedy this, my team and I devised solutions to improve the quality of the podcast.

My team was well versed in the realm of social media marketing, so we provided a plethora of strategies for the hosts to utilize maximum impact on social media. Overall, my team's mission was to make the podcast a clean, highly operational podcast that is easy to replicate for our clients in the future. The team provided high-quality deliverables, and the podcasts themselves have already gone through significant improvement under my leadership.

My range of leadership experiences across UCCS-based activities reflects my ability to adapt and excel in various roles. Through effective leadership, I've made meaningful contributions to my university, community, and professional endeavors, driving positive change and fostering innovation.

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The core of my innovation journey lies in an intrinsic need to create. I have always loved creating things, and it is why I am going down my current career path. The act of creation propels me forward with its immersive process and fulfilling outcomes. Through academic pursuits and varied experiences, I've developed a deep appreciation for the art of making, and I am committed to channeling this passion into crafting meaningful and enjoyable experiences in my future career.

As I write this essay, I am giving some thought to envisioning my future and what I want my innovation to look like as I get older. I picture a network of like-minded individuals who all strive to create. As for me, I strive to collaborate with other like-minded innovators because, in my mind, those are the best people to work with. Working with innovators sparks creativity like I've never seen before.

In the envisioned future, inclusivity is a prominent thread. Through innovations, I aim to bridge gaps, connect communities, and create a tapestry of shared enjoyment. Bringing people entertainment and joy is why I create, and in my envisioned future, I see a world where I can do that for a living. I have had a great start in my entrepreneurial career of creating content that brings people together, and I hope to continue doing that as an innovator.

Framing future opportunities through the lens of innovation and an "on the court" mentality, I am committed to my vision of collaborative creation. Through effective communication, collaboration, and a passion for spreading joy, I intend to inspire individuals to pursue a future where creativity flourishes and brings happiness to people's lives.

As I delve into the details of my future landscape, I recognize that the impact I envision goes beyond personal fulfillment; it is a commitment to contributing to the collective human experience. That might sound broad, but it is important to me to relate to people on a personal level. To see someone as an innovator and as someone with their own unique ambitions helps me connect with people who share the same interests as me. The joy derived from creativity is a universal language, and I have seen this in the content I create. If I didn’t receive comments on my videos telling me that what I am doing is bettering someone’s day, I probably wouldn’t be creating like I am today.

Looking ahead as an innovator, my future canvas isn't just about personal success; it's about creating a space where a community, connected by a common creative vibe, shares aspirations, dreams, and experiences. By intentionally fostering inclusivity and open collaboration, I want everyone to feel empowered to add their unique touch to the masterpiece we're building together.

As I navigate through the twists and turns of the ENTP 4500 capstone course, I understand the importance of thinking strategically and communicating effectively to turn my vision into real initiatives. This course is like a stage to not only showcase my creative ideas but also prove my ability to lead, inspire, and work with others to make those ideas a reality.

Thinking back on my experiences in the core of the Bachelor of Innovation, I'm reminded that innovation isn't just about coming up with ideas; it's about putting those ideas into action to make a positive impact on people's lives. The capstone course is where theory meets practice, where academic knowledge becomes real-world solutions. My journey, driven by a strong desire to create and bring joy to others, reaches its peak when I practically apply innovative thinking to tackle real challenges.

The power of innovation isn't only in coming up with ideas but also in making those ideas work to improve lives. In the capstone course context, I'm intentionally focusing on the present and future, not dwelling on the past. Innovation is an ongoing process of generating ideas, refining them, and putting them into action. The capstone experience is a chance to show how my thinking as an innovator has evolved and the concrete results of committing to creative excellence.

Looking at future opportunities through the lens of innovation and an "on the court" mentality, I'm ready to embrace the challenges and uncertainties of being an innovator. The idea of being "on the court" reflects the active, dynamic nature of innovation—a game where adaptability, teamwork, and strategic thinking are key. It acknowledges that innovation isn't a spectator sport but a hands-on experience where success depends on active involvement and a proactive approach.

The Bachelor of Innovation (BI) program at the University of Colorado Colorado Springs is a unique educational program that teaches students to be innovative. It brings together students from different majors and backgrounds to collaborate on creative projects. The program emphasizes the importance of innovation in various fields of study.

The BI program encourages students to turn abstract ideas into concrete solutions. Professors provide guidance, and external clients contribute to learning by sharing their thoughts and experiences. This collaborative environment fosters creativity and produces groundbreaking results, making innovation a central part of UCCS education.

Within the BI program, specialized courses serve as a training ground for developing innovation skills. These courses go beyond traditional classroom learning and immerse students in hands-on experiences. Students work in teams and collaborate with external clients to solve complex problems. These courses teach innovation as an active and practical process, encouraging students to participate actively. They are an integral part of the BI curriculum, where students from different disciplines come together to drive real-world innovation.

Client interactions provide invaluable real-world challenges, pushing team members to apply their diverse expertise creatively. These experiences are crucibles for honing innovation skills, encouraging active participation and idea exchange. The feedback loop with clients enhances problem-solving abilities and refines strategies, laying a robust foundation for future innovation endeavors.