TJ Alumni Dominic Garcia takes it from Communications Central at TJ to Denver’s CBS 4 News Room.
Dominic Garcia smiles for the camera after catching up with a few of his old teachers at TJ (from right, Laman, Garcia, Nicolo, and Spampinato). Photo by Mia Nogueira
One of TJ’s very own Spartan Alumni, Dominic Garcia, discovers a passion in TJ’s green room and can now be found in front of the cameras at CBS 4 News.
After graduating from TJ in 2003, Garcia planned on continuing to explore and master a career in Broadcasting at Colorado State University (CSU) in Fort Collins. However the tables turned when he was denied from the Journalism program, and then had to find ways through self-promotion to make himself stand out among those who had access to the program. Garcia had to become his own advocate to get the right experience that would help to make him a stand-out, and to build a positive reputation.
Rejection from the Journalism program at CSU was but a blink of an eye for Garcia, who was able to gain many opportunities from the school’s student-run TV station which airs real cable newscasts a few times per week. “I spent just about every day for four years at our student TV station. It’s like working at a small market TV station, and it’s completely run by students. I was able to work with real TV cameras, editing systems, as well as report and anchor for their newscasts. It was the best training I could ask for, and it really helped me out in my career,” said Garcia.
Juggling schoolwork and daily newscasts may have been time consuming, but Garcia did not let the frenzy drain him. Instead, he pursued his efforts by adding more to his plate. “Getting hands-on experiences and networking is one of the most important things you need to do to get noticed and put yourself out there,” said Garcia, who learned of the importance of networking when he hunted down an internship at Channel 4 News during his senior year at TJ. “It is a beneficial avenue when you chase the things you need, rather than wait around for it. You need to know people in the industry,” said Garcia.
Working for CSU’s student station bulked up Garcia’s resume tapes, and gave him enough coverage to be offered a job at a news station in Albuquerque, New Mexico. “I was the youngest one at the news station and it became very overwhelming working at such a fast pace. There were days when I went home and wondered if I would ever get the hang of it. I’ve learned that no matter what stage I am at in my career, certain aspects will always be very time consuming,” said Garcia, who spent three years working out of Albuquerque with the goal of returning to a news station located closer to friends and family in Denver. “While I was in Albuquerque I constantly sent tapes to the Channel 4 News station. I would ask them for feedback and ways to improve. I learned to take criticism and use it to my advantage,” said Garcia.
As his contract in Albuquerque came down to its final few weeks, all pieces came together, and a position at Channel 4 in Denver opened up. Garcia says that there are many experiences that contributed to his success he has earned, but it was the roots of the passion that truly sunk in. Taking it back to where the seed sprouted, Garcia said TJ gave him a one of a kind experience. “I’ve always felt like TJ is a true melting pot, more than other high schools I’ve come across. Whether it’s race or income, TJ has people from all different backgrounds. Going to a school like that really trains you for life, and those diverse interactions are worth more than gold,” said Garcia, who says the most beneficial classes he took at TJ were photography, video production, and the Spartan Edition.
TJ’s Computer Magnet Director Matt Spampinato worked with Garcia during his time at TJ and has had the satisfaction of seeing one of his own students move on to do great things. “When I see Dom [Garcia] doing such a great job on CBS 4, that is a major payoff for a teacher…seeing a student achieve success. It is a real motivation for current Spartans because they can say, ‘Hey this Garcia guy used to do what I’m doing now in this same classroom, and look how far he has come. That could be me someday’,” said Spampinato, who recalls how dedicated a student Garcia was in all of his classes.
Never losing sight of his goal, Garcia carved out his own path and tuned into his own direction. “Make sure whatever you do, that you love it. A career is something you have to do every day; you may get paid a lot but you may not enjoy it,” said Garcia, who says he loves how unpredictable his career is.
Garcia says he once set a goal to strive to make it to the network but has since changed his aim. “I have realized that Denver is where I belong. It would be an honor to one day anchor one of the nightly newscasts here; it would be a dream come true.”
Garcia also says he won’t be a stranger to his old alma matter. He has agreed to be on the TJ Communication Technology Magnet’s Board of Directors, and says he will be helping regularly to train students for broadcasting careers in the Radio & TV Broadcasting and Video Intern classes. “It’s great having Dom back in the classroom with the kids. He plans on coming by on a regular basis to help the students perfect their skills while putting together the Spartan Edition,” said Spampinato. “It was great, the other day we dug up some old footage of Dominic when he was a sports anchor on the show. We had a good laugh; he was interviewing (Grant) Laman about the basketball team’s playoff hopes in ’03, and now he’s in Grant’s class helping the kids do what he used to do.”
Not following the well-beaten path means Garcia is not sure if he will always be in the broadcasting career. With an interest in teaching and coaching for a possible future career, Garcia is bound to achieve whatever he sets his heart on. “High school was a life changing time for me and it’s a very important age. I had some great mentors who helped guide me to where I am now and one day it will be my turn to pay it forward,” said Garcia.
