Sacred Heart University is where I fell in love with telling stories—where I discovered my passion for capturing moments and exploring the unknown.
Thank you to the School of Communication, Media & the Arts for allowing me to live out my dreams over the past four years, offering support and encouragement at every turn.
To any underclassmen who are reading this: If you have an idea you’re passionate about, the professors in this program will help you make it happen.
I never expected to spend my undergraduate years the way I did. Searching for crocodiles in Everglades National Park, traveling the country with one of the world’s largest music labels, acting as a translator on a documentary shoot in Costa Rica and sleeping in dozens of train stations to save money on my adventures certainly didn’t make for the typical college experience.
During my sophomore year, I wrote an editorial titled “On the Road Again” about my love for travel and newfound appreciation for change.
I had just signed up for CIEE Madrid, a study abroad program that would take me to Spain for four months. I didn’t know anybody in my program and had no idea where I’d be living, studying or traveling. It ended up being the best decision of my life.
I fell in love with Madrid—it was a place where I felt truly at home. The art scene, outdoor markets and amazing food were matched only by the easygoing, authentic buzz of the city. I met a number of lifelong friends and traveled across Europe, backpacking through the Swiss Alps and Sistema Central.
Two of my Madrid roommates have stayed very close friends, becoming creative collaborators through my recent work as a wildlife filmmaker and touring photographer.
Last week, “Flyway of Life” premiered in a sold-out event, drawing a crowd of 450 people for an Earth Day celebration. This feature-length film centers on bird migration and conservation movements, all brought together by my good friend and mentor, Tomas Koeck. I first joined this project as a production assistant, but became a cameraman and associate producer as my confidence and skills progressed. Tomas, thank you so much for bringing me into the field with you. Working on this documentary over the past three years has taught me so much.
My senior project has been the culmination of all my time at Sacred Heart. I first conceptualized the idea while sleeping on a deck at the Loon Preservation Committee’s headquarters in New Hampshire this past July.
From there, the planning stages began. I applied for permits from the National Park Service, contacted wildlife guides and built a shoot itinerary for the upcoming multi-week expedition. My fall semester was dedicated to obtaining funding and partnering up with organizations like Yellowstone National Park.
On Dec. 27, it was time to embark on my journey. What followed was three weeks exploring the vast wilderness of the Rocky Mountain region in winter. One of the planet’s largest temperate ecosystems, this land is home to the most diverse gathering of ungulates in the western hemisphere.
“Frozen Prairie” explores the American Bison’s relationship with the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. A keystone species, bison play a major role role in maintaining a healthy and balanced environment. The largest terrestrial animal on the continent of North America, they have long served as an iconic symbol of our people and culture.
In the 19th century, the westward expansion of European colonists across the continent drove the species into rapid decline. The slaughter of Bison is the largest extermination of an animal in modern history, led directly by the United States government in an attempt to defeat and submit Indigenous tribes who resisted the takeover of their lands.
Protected land like Yellowstone National Park has led to the remarkable recovery of these animals, with numbers in the park growing from only two dozen in 1902 to 4,500 in the park today.
“Frozen Prairie” is available to watch now on YouTube. I put my heart into making this film come to life and I’m so excited for everyone to see it.
Because I’ve always loved ending articles with a quote, I’ll do it one last time.
The motto behind “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty” and a line that has driven and inspired me to take risks and jump into the unknown: “To see the world, things dangerous to come to, to see behind walls, draw closer, to find each other, and to feel. That is the purpose of life.”
