Seeing What Education Would Do for Him

Sean Broderick graduated from high school not knowing what he wanted to do. So he took a menial job. And then another one. After a few years of unfulfilling occupations, he had a realization: "Hanging out like I was, working the jobs I was, I wasn't going to get anywhere fast. I probably wasn't going to get anywhere period," he says. "I decided to see what education would do for me."

Sean started his search for a school with no idea of what he wanted to study. He did know that because he already had some real-world experience, he was more interested in a practical program rather than a theoretical one. "I wanted something more on my level. I didn't want to waste time learning things I wasn't going to use." Sean's search ended at the International Academy of Design and Technology in Tampa.

Initially interested in several of the school's departments, Sean eventually settled on Digital Movie Production. "I was up late one night watching the Sci Fi channel and there were some pretty poor movies on. I knew I could do better." Sean talked to his admissions representative about IADT's filmmaking classes and decided he liked the sound of the digital movie production program. Sean graduated with his Bachelor's degree in December, three years after his realization he wasn't going anywhere with menial jobs.

Now, Sean is already at work on a screenplay for a former teacher. He wants to continue to write—he says it comes pretty naturally—and perhaps even move into directing.

Even though excited to be out in the real world and armed to go wherever he wants, Sean does already miss certain aspects of life at IADT. "Most of my teachers were really down to earth and could appreciate where I was coming from. At IADT, I always felt like an individual and not like some stereotypical cardboard cutout college student. I really appreciated that."