Following graduation from Salt Lake Community College, students take their degrees and the skills they’ve gained into the world to forge their paths.
SLCC alumnus Sam Jessing, a 2022 graduate, is using his associate degree to help further his career and his love for music. During his time on campus, Jessing honed his skills and learned how to better apply them to the many musical projects he is currently working on.
“I’d say some takeaways from SLCC [were] that I learned how to teach students, and it helped with my communication skills, despite not taking many communication classes,” Jessing said.
College experience
Beyond learning mindful skills, Jessing’s college life was filled with new experiences and challenges. He explained how one of his classes had stressed him out to the point where he couldn’t wait to be done with it.
“Relative pitch training was one of the hardest classes I’ve taken,” Jessing said. “I became better at it after graduation, and it has a huge effect on how I hear music nowadays.”
In 2022, SLCC hosted a battle of the bands — the first such contest in eight years — which gave aspiring musicians a platform to bring their projects to life.
In light of his academic hardships, Jessing won first place with his jazz band, Spaghetti and Legato Sauce, and placed second with his other band, Trainsurfing. He recalled how this endeavor encouraged him to take risks and try new things, no matter how out of his realm it was. The experience also helped him learn more about himself and the way he performed.
Jessing’s two-and-a-half years of schooling proved to be difficult financially. But with the help of friends and family being accommodating to his schedule and supporting him in any way that they could, learning how to balance school and work on top of his music projects came easy for Jessing.
Life after SLCC
Life after graduating became quite eventful for Jessing. Without having to focus on school, he became fully immersed in what were once his after-school activities.
Jessing does freelance work, from watching over a rehearsal studio called Space and Faders to helping set up stage equipment for Anchor, a production company. He also plays drums for metal band Inhuman Form and indie hardcore band The Madeline as well as bass for the band Dog Paws.
While he enjoys keeping busy with his many musical projects, Jessing’s main focus is playing drums for metal band Acid Hologram, a band he’s been in since the age of 14. Acid Hologram was one of his earliest projects, aspiring to become something more than every average metal band.
Acid Hologram is said to be versatile with the way they play and perform. One example of this style can be found on the track “Reverse C-Section,” which has a jazz break towards the end of the song, unlike many other metal bands.
“Music in general is a very chaotic career where you have to be your own boss. No one can tell you what to do, but that’s the problem, no one is going to tell you what to do,” Jessing said. “You have to fail and try and fail again, but keep pushing, to know that something is gonna be there on the other side. Lots of trial and error.”
Planning for the future
Jessing has many plans for the future, and for some of them, he’s already got his foot in the door. He has made connections in the local Salt Lake City music scene and also toured with one of his former bands, Trainsurfing.
Zach Nunley, guitar player for Acid Hologram, gives high praise to his bandmate.
“Sam has been a crucial part of what we’re trying to create for our band; without him and his skills, we wouldn’t be as far as we are now,” Nunley said.
Jessing aspires to learn more about music and make his mark on the industry, and sees traveling as a way to achieve those goals.
“One of the main goals right now is [to] start to travel more. I’ll take any opportunity to travel and with Acid Hologram, we want to tour soon, to get out of the state and do some more with our work,” Jessing said.
For future students interested in an associate degree in music, Jessing said: “Find those opportunities and take them.”
