a deep dive into James Vasquez ‘ experience in the COMM department at ONU
The Man Himself
James Vasquez, having been at Olivet for only two years, is already on the road to graduate in the spring semester of 2025. The quiet, quirky, yet determined sophomore student has a unique story for his vision of the future after college.
Though Vasquez describes himself as an “indoors” person, his contributions to college life, especially within the Film and Multimedia Communication program at ONU has made his life turned from screen to scriptwriting. As he looks forward to graduating, Vasquez reflects on the experiences he had at ONU that has shaped his faith, friendships, and dedication to scriptwriting.
“I’ve always been creative,” Vasquez said. His passion for storytelling extends ever since he was a boy, writing stories about comics and animation, hoping to land a career in that field after college.
Creating and crafting original adventures and intricate worlds are not just hobbies, they’re what he believes he was born to do. While his dream is to work at a studio for a big company, he wants to work on mostly animated films/shows, with the purpose of creating authentic content for the world.
How it all started…
Vasquez’s decision to join ONU has to be credited by his faith and cousin, Mathew Lee, for recommending him to take a tour at Olivet. As a Christian Protestant, he wanted to be in a community where his values and beliefs are respected and not judged.
“Choosing ONU was partly about growing my faith with God,” Vasquez said. The faith-centered community of Olivet has been fulfilling for him, making him grow spiritually and creatively.
Present Time James
Vasquez’ involvement in college extends beyond academics where he has a hobby for video games, especially Overwatch, and is a member of the ONU esports JV team for the online game. He competes as a Tank, which is a ranked member in the game, soaking up damage so that he protects his allies. He plays with his fellow friend, Phoenix Parksley, who has been his best friend since coming to Olivet.
“That’s how we became friends; it was a shared interest,” Parksley said.
Though they didn’t initially know each other well, their love for video games and watching films helped sparked a friendship between the two.
Reflecting on his short time at Olivet, Vasquez has shared fond memories with his classmates in the COMM department, as well as bonding with his buddies at Chapman and Hills, and attending occasional gatherings and events that have helped him get out of his comfort zone.
Now in fourth floor Hills, Vasquez is preparing to graduate in the spring by completing all the workload, trying to end the school year strong. He knows the road won’t be easy, but he is determined and resilient to chase his lifelong dream, to become a scriptwriter.
Today, Vasquez is currently working on his latest project, a comic book that he, himself wrote, and hired two artists internationally to help paint his comic book to life. he is currently working on the second edition of his comic book, out of five, about a scorpion which he refers to as his “masterpiece.”
Whether he lands a job in an animation studio or as a freelancer, as a backup plan, Vasquez is ready to bring his imaginative and creative ideas to life, one story at a time. He will never forget the friendships he’s made at Olivet, and he is ready for his next chapter of life, where he can expand his creativity for the world to see.
