Family teamwork is working pretty well for two former Pueblo Community College students.
While studying in PCC’s mass communications program, brothers Mark and Mike DeHerrera produced commercials, live games for Altitude Sports, and broadcasts of high-profile local events. They helped create dozens of episodes of a national TV show for Little Britches Rodeo – planning, scripting, filming and editing.
It was the epitome of hands-on education and took place while they worked in the Center for New Media with the late Scott Richards, who taught at PCC and led the CNM for more than two decades.
“At CNM with Scott, we weren’t reading a book on how to broadcast a football game, we were actually going out and broadcasting a football game,” said Mark. “(Mike and I) were able to combine our strengths and help each other in our weak spots.”
The Pueblo natives graduated from South High School. Mark started attending PCC in 2007; Mike followed in 2009. Their commitment to their future careers even spilled into assignments for other classes: The pair created a rap video to make their case for net neutrality.
The DeHerreras began working in the broadcasting industry immediately after attending PCC. Both now work as digital media specialists for GOAL High School and recently returned to the PCC campus to create videos featuring GOAL students who take concurrent enrollment classes at the college.
As with their PCC experience, Mark was the first on board at GOAL. When the organization needed to add people to the media team, he knew where to find a qualified candidate. They are responsible for all video production for the statewide organization, including live broadcasts, filming and editing.
“People are surprised when they learn siblings can work so well together, but we complement each other’s work tremendously,” said Mike. “As they say, ‘The whole is greater than the sum of its parts.’”
Having the opportunity to create a strong professional rapport with each other was another advantage of attending PCC, they said – one more benefit of choosing a community college to learn their trade.
“My advice would be to look at community college the same way you would look at any university when it comes to choosing your education,” said Mike. “Not only can you save yourself from decades of debt with a community college, you can receive a top-notch education that prepares you for any workforce. My experience at PCC was invaluable to my current career.”
