ABINGTON, Pa. — Penn State business graduate Chris Trinh is the literal man with a plan for his future. As a student, he was a tireless photographer for Penn State Abington sports teams, a dedicated student, and heavily involved in student activities.
He graduated in December, but one can easily find him on campus wearing his trademark Abington athletics jacket, carrying a camera, and shooting games for athletics. He can be spotted, too, sitting in the front row of an upper-level entrepreneurship course.
All of this Chris does and has done in pursuit of his goal: to be a professional photographer for Getty Images, the international provider of stock images, or for his friends in the Trans-Siberian Orchestra rock band.
The plot of each person's Abington story is different and Chris, low-key with a broad smile, shared a few chapters of his story recently.
Question: You've been involved in Abington athletics in many roles. How did that come about?
Chris Trinh: I took photos for most of the lacrosse games, and Noelle Powell (assistant athletic director and women's lacrosse coach) saw my determination and passion for athletics and photography. She asked me to manage the women’s lacrosse team the following season, and I was her intern last spring as well as the team’s manager. We had a great connection from the start.
Question: Is there an Abington faculty member who served as a mentor?
Chris: John Pachence (lecturer in music and integrative arts). I enrolled in John’s class my first semester. I was always interested in music and the history of bands and artists, but John took my interests to another level. Over the years, I took his History of Rock & Roll, beginner and one-on-one guitar, and Music Business classes.
John knows that I want to take photos for the entertainment and sports industries, and he helps me with his connections.