Today@Sam Article

Commencement Spotlight: Omar Shane Mickelson

Dec. 20, 2024
SHSU Media Contact: Campbell Atkins

Omar Shane Mickelson
San Antonio, Texas
Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communication, Minor in Film Studies

A common praise of Sam Houston State University among its graduates is the institution’s ability to foster numerous interests throughout the professional development process. Omar Mickelson, who celebrated commencement this month, echoed these sentiments as he prepares to take his broad skillset to the next level.

“This is a great place to study, work and build a repertoire of experiences,” he said. “I will miss the programs and resources offered here and the community of like-minded people willing to come together and help others work on their projects.”

During his studies as a mass communication major with a minor in film, as well as in his role as a student-worker in the university’s Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC) division, Mickelson spent his time in Huntsville developing a multitude of projects. This work included, but was not limited to, videography, photography, editing, writing and production.

“I enjoyed the pace of going from one project to the next and always having something to do,” he said. “It was hard. I had to stay on my grind with class and work, but I got a lot of help from my friends, family and community.”

Mickelson was astounded by the amount of individuals who assisted him in a variety of ways, from providing everything from guidance to last-minute resources. This help came from expected sources such as faculty and advisors, but also from those within his church and the area as a whole.

“This is more than just a college town, it’s a community,” he said. “I was always touched by that.”

While Mickelson was born in New Jersey, his family moved to Texas when he was just four years old. He spent the majority of his childhood in San Antonio and Corpus Christi.

“I was about 10 years old when I made my first movie,” he said. “It was a stop-motion Lego movie, and I became involved in that online community with other ‘brickfilmers’. I started making more of those videos and became familiar with a lot of different essential software. I also became familiar with a camera, which really got me interested in writing, editing and making films in general.”

His vast set of interests allowed him to distinguish himself at the high school level and take dual-credit courses, earning his associate’s degree at the same time he earned his diploma. He ultimately decided to begin his journey in higher education at Brigham Young University-Idaho, since he had a number of friends and family in the area.

“Around the time of the pandemic, I started to miss home a little bit more and felt like I wasn’t getting anywhere with my degree,” Mickelson said. “The program was more video production-centric, but I really wanted to study film, as well.”

Upon his return to Texas, Mickelson was accepted to both of the schools he applied to: The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, and Sam Houston State.

“At first, it was a tough decision; but Sam has a lot of different programs for a lot of different people,” he said. “I always felt like it would be a good film school, because you have people like Richard Linklater who went here. He has always been one of my favorite filmmakers and someone I look up to as a writer, as well. I knew that I’d find professors who worked for, and were influenced by, people like that in the industry.”

For Mickelson, these expectations became reality. He quickly became well-versed in all areas of communication and filmmaking while gathering copious experience by utilizing the cutting-edge equipment at his constant disposal.

“I have been able to hone my craft here and do what I want to do with people who are not just classmates, professors or advisers, but friends,” he said. “A lot of people who were in my first classes here are graduating with me, so it’s cool to see what we’ve all been able to accomplish while we were here. It’s all starting to pay off and culminate into something.”

On top of his studies, Mickelson contributed to a number of service efforts during his time at SHSU, including cemetery cleanup and working with the Boys and Girls Club of Walker County. He was also a member of the Film Coven organization, which offers students a platform to create and display a wide range of content.

While he has plans to move back to San Antonio, his work with IMC has inspired confidence in his ability to thrive in this industry. He plans to pursue a full-time position with a media department in higher education.

“I would like to continue doing what I’m doing, just closer to home,” he said.

Mickelson attributes his journey to his parents, siblings and family as a whole. While he officially received his degree from Sam on Dec.14, his brother was doing the same in San Marcos as he graduated from Texas State University.

“In a perfect world, we could have been in two places at once,” he said. “I’m just as excited for him, even though I couldn’t be there.”

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