Receiving not one but two degrees at State, Amy Trent first majored in communications, receiving a degree in 1999 before continuing her education in media design. She received her second degree in 2007.
“Currently I am working at St. Albans High School, heading up their new TV/Radio/Film Broadcasting program. I also teach Dance and run the dance company at SAHS, and I work at St. Albans Studio of Dance in St. Albans,” Trent said.
While pursuing her education at State, she studied directly under Dr. Charles Byers and worked with Garvey Price. That allowed her to teach the TV/Film/Production classes and run the Television Station while working on her own film projects.
“I worked on various film shoots and submitted my own work and won a few awards,” she said. She was recognized as one of the top women filmmakers in West Virginia and through The State Journal’s 40 Under 40 awards program in 2012.
Because of layoffs in 2012, Trent continued as a freelance media designer and worked in the dance studio until her current position opened up in 2017.
She said her mentors, Daniel Boyd and department chair Steve Gilliland, “were amazing at preparing students for the real world application of production. Without them, I feel no student would be prepared.”
Trent said her future include getting the St. Albans High School TV/Film/Radio program up and running and working on her own personal projects.
“I am currently working on a documentary of my own, ‘The Lives of Dancers,’” she said. “I plan on traveling and continuing to take my dance teams to dance in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.
“This is our 10th year.… I always want to make a positive difference in the world and help young people find their way. I hope that I can continue doing that for as long as I can.”
Trent said her career is not always steady and will be difficult in this region.
“With the Film Commission, gone many things have died out and the industry has slowed down a great deal, but if you hit the ground running and keep working hard, freelance will keep coming your way, and the News Stations need people all the time,” she said.
