Catherine shares her journey of discovering her passion for media and entertainment inspired by her father. She lost her way in her teenage years but was encouraged by her father to follow her dreams. After high school she felt lost until watching a documentary that revealed how the media misleads youth. This motivated her to change her life by going to college to study media. She is now pursuing her dreams in honor of her father who always believed in her.

1. MY MCBS STORY
By Catherine Oduke

2. My journey has been eventful,
discovering who I am, and what I
want to be, has been an interesting
emotional roller coaster.

3. My father is my greatest influence,
he always told me education is the
key and it will open great doors for
me.

4. He was not an entertainer but he
commanded a room, he had such a great
personality, he was always the life of
any party and a great dancer.

5. He was a great story teller, he was funny
and he didn’t need a mic to get peoples
attention, once he entered a room people
would gravitate towards him naturally.

6. He had a powerful voice, and if he
was on camera or had a mic, every
body would be glued to him, and
nothing he did was scripted.

7. I was always blown away,
I told myself when I
grow up I want to be
just like him.

8. We loved recording ourselves especially
on birthdays, and when we listened to it
later it sounded like a real show, I knew
this is exactly what I wanted to do.

9. As I entered my teen years I lost track
of who I am, it’s so ironic how, in the
midst of discovering myself I lost my
way.

10. I was changing and I felt I
had no control, I felt
misunderstood, insecure, I
felt different.

11. I thought I needed to be a certain way to
be accepted, so I emulated what I saw on
TV, and the Media greatly influenced my
life negatively.

12. When I finished high school I was lost,
I didn’t know what I wanted anymore,
I kept putting my dreams on hold,

13. I was un happy and I was not headed to a great
path, I started working full time, in a job I
didn’t like.

14. My dad never gave up on me, he always
encouraged me to go back to school, he
believed in me and always said I
shouldn’t be afraid to stand out.

15. Just because I don’t do things like
everybody else doesn’t mean there is
something wrong with me.

16. He constantly
reminded me the
world is at my
finger tips, and
loved to say “the
ball is in your
court, what are
you going to do
with it?”

17. He encouraged me to do what I love,
and not settle. He couldn’t wait to see
me graduate, he was so excited.

18. Unfortunately he died before I went
back to school.

19. I felt like my world was coming to an
end, my best friend, my role model, my
number one fan was gone.

20. There were times I felt I would never make
it, but I kept hearing my Dad's voice saying ”
Don’t be afraid to stand out, be you, show the
world what your made of.

21. These words kept replaying in my
mind like a record.

22. One day I was watching a documentary on PBS
called Merchants of the cool, it displayed
how media purposely misleads young people, it
was an eye opener, I realized that’s me and
many other young people.

23. With the help of my parents who never gave
up on me and God, I changed my life, and
wanted to be a positive voice for young
people, I decided to go back to school, so I
can achieve this goal.

24. I joined Full Sail University and I am
living my dreams. My job is a daily
reminder of why I need to follow my
dreams.

25. I also want to make my father proud, he
wanted the best for me and paved the
way so I can succeed, and I have faith
God will get me through.

26. I have found my way, I am passionately
pursuing my dreams, and elated I will be
graduating on July 1 2016, and finally
doing what I love.

27. Looking at my classmates stories I
realized each of them has been through
a lot, every one had a moment where
they were at the bottom,

28. but they didn’t give up they pushed and
pushed to have a better life.

29. They were lost for a little while but they
found their way.

30. I am inspired by each of their stories
and I draw strength from them, I want
to encourage them and remind them

31. "All our dreams can come
true if we have the
courage to pursue them.”
Walt Disney.

32. Keep dreaming until your dreams come
true, and if you love what you do you will
never work a day in your life.

33. TO BE CONTINUED