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I education | curriculum vitae
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“I will begin ab ovo -- at the very beginning.” I Leo
Tolstoy, War and Peace n I I Elementary School | Everyone seemed to agree that young Steven demonstrated a highly developed sense of storytelling
at an early age as well as an unusual flair for the dramatic. Admonishing the budding second-grade creative director,
beloved teacher Sister Odelia of the good Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur, firmly snapped her ruler on the blackboard and boomed
“Mr. Papa, please stop talking, get back to your desk and apply yourself this instant!” Crafting poems and
short stories in the fourth grade, Steven began writing plays with classmates as cast mates by the fifth. Encouraging
his talents, Lucille and Steven Sr. enrolled their son in private art and theater classes over summer vacations. He
received his first writing award in eighth grade for the American Legion essay “What Our American Flag Means to Me.”
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High School | Pursuing
his passion for writing and graphics, Steven devoted four years to the student newspaper and yearbook staffs. Joining
the speech & debate team as a freshman, he went on to win numerous state and national awards through his senior year.
A natural talent at directing entertainment events and organizing fundraising activities, Steven’s first major promotion,
a cartwheel contest, garnered Chicagoland newspaper and television coverage. His Veterans of Foreign War essay “The
Voice of Freedom Rings Loud and Clear” won a prestigious Voice of Democracy award.
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College | Steven
attended Northern Illinois University as an advertising major through the School of Journalism with a minor in
the School of Fine Art. As a freshman, he received the NIU Outstanding Student Employee of the Year scholarship.
While working his way through college, he: walked railroad tracks as a yard clerk; manually bundled stacks of
newspapers at a local printing press; cleaned offices; and waited tables at an all-night diner. Beyond
studies and extracurricular activities, he won placement and publication for short story and poetry submissions as well as
winning advertising tagline competitions available to college students. Upon graduation, portfolio in hand,
Steven hit the proverbial streets in pursuit of landing his first job.
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Post-Graduate Studies
| Although paved
with promise, the road to a fulfilling career is often dotted with detours, pitted with potholes and littered with rejection.
“Not enough experience.” “Sorry, we’re not hiring.” “No
openings at this time.” “You have no talent.” “Would you be
willing to work for free, for experience?” “Your hair is too long.” “We’ll
keep your resume on file.” “Good Luck.” I Establishing a career is difficult under the
best of circumstances but Steven, ever the optimist, believed (like classic scenes from 42nd Street, Rocky, The Godfather,
Wall Street, A Star Is Born, WWE grudge matches, LOST, Ugly Betty and any singular episode of Oprah) one day opportunity knocks
and we finally get our big break. I I
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“Imagination is more important than knowledge.” I Albert
Einstein n “I will prepare and one day my chance will come.” I Abraham
Lincoln n "Luck is a matter of preparation meeting opportunity." I Oprah Winfrey n “Real success is finding your lifework in the work that you love.” I David McCullough n “It’s not whether you get knocked down; it’s
how you get back up.” I Vince Lombardi n “Hollywood is like life, you face it with the sum total
of your equipment." I Joan
Crawford n
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| | the power of vision |
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