Rejected in Act One

Let’s rewind the tape. 🎞️

Western Michigan University said “pass” to my theatre dreams, and that moment hit harder than a dramatic closing monologue in Act II. I was devastated. Curtain call? More like credits rolling on my Plan A. Truthfully, even if I had gotten in, we couldn’t afford it anyway.

I looked into Compass Film Academy for a hot minute. If I remember correctly, they didn’t accept grants at the time, which meant relying entirely on student loans and paying for independent housing—so that was a no-go. Fun fact: the dean-equivalent’s nephew was the cameraman for Rebecca Black’s Friday. (Yes. That Friday. Try getting that earworm out of your head now. You’re welcome.)

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Cue the Community College

🎤 Enter: local community college life.

I had a scholarship for Jackson Community College—two free years, thanks to a Women Empowerment program. But ultimately, I chose Lansing Community College (LCC) because it was closer to home and Federal Pell + Michigan Tuition Incentive Program (TIP) grants covered my tuition.

So I enrolled in LCC’s Digital Media, Audio, and Cinematography program (DMAC).
🎬 And suddenly, I had a new dream.

Behind the Camera, Finding My Lens

We mostly used Panasonic cameras, but on special occasions, they let us wield the mighty RED camera—a filmmaking Excalibur. The program wasn’t huge, which meant smaller class sizes and a tight-knit crew of creatives. Some of us leaned into audio, while others (👋 hi, me) went full-on film geek.

With my student loans (which I deeply regret 💀), I invested in gear—my familiars of glass and wire:

🎥 Two large Sony camcorders I lovingly named Jack and Sally
🎥 A compact sidekick called Zero (who’s still with me!)
📸 A Canon Rebel T5i that became my photography ride-or-die

Armed with my own equipment, I launched Nicki Owen Multimedia & Design. Weddings? Booked. Concerts? Lived for them. I filmed a music video. Shot promos. Captured love stories. The wedding gigs paid the bills, but nothing beat the thrill of the pit at a rock show. 🤘

Side Quests and Stage Makeup

📚 I loved my instructors—they were smart, fun, and genuinely invested in our success. And because the DMAC program wasn’t super packed, some classes got dropped. Total bummer? Nope. That opened up room for me to explore Phlebotomy and even some theatre classes (hello, full-circle moment). They actually counted toward my degree in the end!

🎓 I collected certificates like Pokémon. Still bugs me I didn’t catch ’em all—but toward the end, I started working for the State, which meant fewer in-person classes.

By the time I wrapped up, I walked away with not one but two Associate degrees in Digital Media—Specialist and Technician—plus a stack of certificates that could wallpaper a small office.

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Rolling Credits at Siena Heights

To keep my job as a student assistant for the State (you had to be enrolled at least part-time), I kept going—right into a Bachelor of Arts in Professional Communication from Siena Heights University (SHU).

Thanks to LCC’s 3+1 program with SHU, I only had to spend one year at Siena after three at LCC. I proudly walked across the stage at SHU’s Adrian campus in full regalia, and when the dean shook my hand, she leaned in and whispered:

“Don’t stop here. Get a master’s degree.”

That moment stuck to me like tape on a clapperboard. 🎬
I’ve looked into grad school many times—but without emotional or financial support, the timing’s just never lined up.

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The Dream That Got Away

Do I still wish I chased Plan A—got that theatre degree, auditioned for Disney, and became a character performer? Absolutely. I had visions of hugging kids in full princess garb under the Florida sun. 👑☀️ But that wasn’t the story the universe wrote for me.

And that’s okay.

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Magic in the Edit

I carved a new path—with a camera instead of a crown, in skinny jeans and concert tees instead of ballgowns. I may not have made it to Disney, but I did find magic behind the lens.

So here’s to LCC, to every “no” that rerouted me, to Jack and Sally, and to a future that’s still being edited.

Scene: ongoing. 🎥✨