“It’s a community event that really reaches out to area students no matter what their ages are, so that they can see what the media industry is all about,” said COC’s New Media Program Coordinator, Dave Brill.

For the past three months, Brill and West Ranch High School’s WRTV advisor Jennifer Overdevest planned to move the event hosted for two years at West Ranch to a larger venue at College of the Canyons.

“We wanted to elevate it to the next level,” Brill said. “We wanted to bring in not only high school and junior high school students, but college-level students as well.”

Multitudes of students filled the hallways and classrooms on the third floor of Mentry Hall, where various monitors and displays lined the building’s corridors.

Eighteen presenters, all from different professional media-related backgrounds, including TV and radio news, episodic show production and other industry crews patiently answered questions from the curious students.

“The students are really passionate about what they’re doing – if they weren’t, they wouldn’t be here,” said Industry Music Video Producer J.B. Adkins.

As a part of his presentation, Adkins launched his students into a real-life scenario where they wrote, produced and directed a music video of their own, each responsible for a different role in the creative process

“I made them do it because that’s the only way you’re going to learn – to be involved,” Adkins said.

KABC news anchor Phillip Palmer explained to students how he didn’t take the traditional path to becoming a news anchor, and how he didn’t expect them to either.

“Don’t do what I do, simply because you want to be on television. Do what I do because you love to tell stories,” Palmer said.

He explained to his audience how he started out in sports and moved on to radio.

“There’s so many different avenues that you can go into the media, whether it’s screenwriting, or being an author or even writing for television,” Palmer said.

The joint partnership between West Ranch High School’s media program and College of Canyon’s Media Entertainment Arts department made for a great venue for students to learn and interact and for the presenters to assist them in making their aspirations into a reality, Brill said.

Instructor Jon LaCroix teaches sound engineering at COC and founded his own music production company. He found the opportunity to teach a different age group unique.

“Hopefully they got a reality check on the way things actually are,” LaCroix said

“Pencils came out. I think they understood the difference between textbook knowledge and actual real world knowledge from a trained professional,” he added.

Perhaps her inspiration developed during her fascination with Beethoven as a child.

Perhaps it was the music’s creative process that captivated her interest.

Or maybe it was the collaborative efforts of those talented musicians creating something new.

Dr. Carmen Dominguez was surrounded by the arts as a child. As her curiosity grew, so did her knowledge and passion for music.

“You don’t know where you’re going to end up,” said Dominguez.

Now her journey has led her to another beginning.

As the new Dean of COC’s Performing Arts Division, Dominguez has brought with her a love and passion for, not just one, but all of those students striving to better their talents.

Her pursuit throughout the arts led her to Saddleback College in Mission Viejo where she conducted, created, and taught musical works of art.

Soon her love for service and support led her to understanding the “logical sequences” used in a college setting in order for it to function.

As Dominquez said, “I have been able to live my life in the arts, I have been able to help other students live their life in the arts, [while also] collaborating with this very bright, intellectual group of people here on campus.”

Thanks to her new role here on campus, Carmen wakes up excited and ready to come to work.

“It’s just this wonderful vibe…I get in my car and I can’t wait to get to work,” Dominguez said.
Meanwhile, it is no surprise to those acquainted with Carmen, that her belief is that “COC is the culture of yes.”

Her relentless exuberance and confidence in student’s abilities has begun to illustrate Carmen’s love for supporting COC’s aspiring students in reaching their dreams.

“As a conductor what instrument do I play? I’ll play the baton…well it doesn’t make any music. Every artist has a viewpoint and if you have an open heart and an open mind it changes you, it makes you better,” Dominguez said passionately.

Dominguez continues to work with COC’S faculty and staff in order to create new ideas that will make success a “yes” for all students.

“To me making a living in the arts is cool,” Dominguez added.