Texan Mosaic

by DOMINICK PUENTE//Editorial Assistant

Jazmin Salazar has big plans for her future as she prepares to graduate from South Plains College in May.

After she was born, Salazar’s mother decided to take her to New Mexico where she would spend the next six years of her life.

However, Salazar had no other choice but to move back to West Texas after losing her mother to an automobile accident.

Salazar then spent her childhood moving back and forth between Lubbock and Levelland with her father and grandmother until she decided to finish high school in Levelland.

With graduation around the corner, Salazar was still not certain about what career path she wanted to pursue. Any major that helped people in any way caught her eye.

“I have always been the type of person to help in any way,” explained Salazar. “For a long time, I thought about choosing a career that could help people, such as being a lawyer, doctor or even a veterinarian.”

Although the thoughts of pursuing those careers seemed possible, she always had a certain love for singing, performing, and acting.

“Being in the spotlight is what I loved to do,” said Salazar. “When I was a cheerleader through high school, the spotlight felt right for me, and I figured singing and performing was a way for me to do that and have fun.”

After graduation, Salazar made the decision to attend South Plains College and major in commercial music. As she began college, she wanted to be a vocalist.

She auditioned for multiple college ensembles, such as rock, praise and worship, jazz and funk.

Along with participating in a variety of ensembles, Salazar only lacks two classes to graduate from SPC with her associate’s degree in music business.

As Salazar progressed through the requirements for her major, she was required to take an Intro to Video class, which she enjoyed.

“I loved taking that class,” Salazar said. “It was very fun, and I enjoyed working with my hands and being active in everything that was taking place in the class.”

After taking Intro to Video, she decided to change her major from music business and enter the video program.

“Taking all these video production classes has been amazing,” she said. “I love the new friends I have made, and the fact that the classes are small are great.”

When she first entered the program, it seemed intimidating, since she was the only girl. But that has only encouraged her to be great at what she does.

“I was a bit intimidated at first, being the only girl, and I had no prior knowledge about video production,” recalls Salazar. “After I got the hang of it, I wanted to become the best I could be, and the guys I have class with have helped me a lot through the process.”

Putting in the long hours for quality work and getting a great product in return is what Salazar has enjoyed the most about video production.

“I am fine with putting in long hours to make something great,” she explained. “I enjoy working hard to get what I want exactly.”

She also explained that her favorite part about SPC is the Creative Arts Building.

“Everyone in that building is looking to enter some type of big industry, and we are all connected and intertwined because of that reason, said Salazar. “We help each other out and are networking with one another to do our jobs now and in the future.

Salazar will graduate in May with an associate’s degree in video production technology and will hopefully enter the workforce soon after.

Along with finishing the video production program, Salazar also plans to complete her music business degree in the future.

“Getting my degree in video production technology is where I am putting all my focus,” she said. “I eventually want to finish and get my music business degree. But the video production field is where I see myself becoming more successful.”

Although continuing her education is not in the immediate plans after graduation as of now, Salazar has played with the thought of attending a film school in Albuquerque to gain more information and insight about video production.

“It is directed more towards filming,” explained Salazar, “and I would like to lean towards live event production, such as sports. It would help me understand more about video production, but it is not my priority as of now.”

Salazar said she sees the benefits of joining the workforce as quickly as she can begin her rise through the ranks in video production.

“I see working sooner and trying to climb the position ladder as a big benefit,” she said. “I eventually want to go into more schooling, but working now seems more beneficial than sitting in a classroom for another two years.”

Salazar has been hard at work looking for job opportunities and is attempting to join a production company in hopes of building connections and relationships to climb the position ladder.

“Being able to work for a production company will give me a chance to get my foot in the door and open up a world of opportunities for me to be better at video production and do what I love,” explained Salazar.

As for the main career goal, Salazar would like to be a traveling camera person, director, or producer in the video production realm.

“Sports broadcasting and live sports recording would be a great opportunity, but my main goal would be contracted and franchised by the Carolina Panthers football team,” explained Salazar.

Being in a high level of live sports recording, televising big events all over the world is the biggest platform Salazar wants to reach before all is said and done. 

[Photo by NOEL LUNA/PLAINSMAN PRESS]