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Hometown: Kent, Ohio
Major: Operations management and marketing
Notable Activities: Produced, wrote, and directed “Mod of Cards,” believed to be the first full-length collegiate drama mini-series; regional director for Boston of Compass Partners; president, BC Entrepreneurship Society; Arrupe International El Salvador solidarity trip with Campus Ministry; TechTrek Ghana and TechTrek West.
Post-graduation Plans: Switaj is heading to Hollywood and hopes to be a screenwriter and film producer.
Overview: Involved in theater and film/broadcasting throughout middle school and high school, Switaj arrived at Boston College with an open mind to try new things. In the Carroll School of Management, he learned about start-up companies and took part in the University’s business and entrepreneurship programs, becoming president of the Boston College Entrepreneurship Society. Switaj also was involved with Compass Partners, a social entrepreneurship entity at 20 universities across the country, of which he also became president. The summer before his junior year, Switaj was inspired to write his own screenplay. An independent study led to a connection with a Los Angeles-based production company, followed by another summer in Los Angeles where Switaj met a former movie writer whose advice set the stage for his ambitious film project “Mod of Cards” [modofcards.com].
Meeting that movie writer during your summer internship seems to have put things in perspective, and in motion, after he suggested you prove yourself as a director first before moving into screenwriting. How did that lead to “Mod of Cards”?
The advice made a lot of sense and I let it ferment in my mind for a while. Then one night I just realized exactly what I should do during my senior year. I love “House of Cards.” When season two came out, my roommates and I had joked around that we should make a BC version of the series, and the name “Mod of Cards” got thrown out there but I didn’t think anything of it at the time. Then last summer, that idea comes back to me as I’m about to go to sleep one night. So I hop off my bed at around 11 p.m. and I write and I write and I write and the next thing I know, it’s 4 a.m. and I’ve got an outline for an entire series of episodes.
Is it fair to say “Mod of Cards” is what you are most proud of?
Definitely. We shot the six 30-minute episodes over a span of seven months. We brought together a team of 61 unpaid actors and 20 unpaid crew, with a $2,500 budget for some miscellaneous equipment. We put together 180 minutes of content, something that no one else has ever done in college, as far as I can find. Most film schools have you focus on five to 10-minute short films because the time and the manpower to pull off something like “Mod of Cards” is far beyond the scope of any one class. This type of endeavor was insane to undertake. I will always look back on what we accomplished with pride. I hope that the crew and people who acted in it are proud of it, too. BC isn’t expected to pull off something like this; we’re not one of the big film schools. This was a 40-hour-a-week commitment – it was a full-time job for us.
How has Boston College influenced you?
I had a lot of great mentors here and all of them have been really supportive of exploring anything you love or want to do. “Do it all if you can,” has been the message.
The other takeaway is, “Always keep in mind how I can give back and help others with my talents.” On the Arrupe Program trip to El Salvador, I saw the poverty there and realized how much of an opportunity you’re given here. Being a film director/producer has been one of the most fulfilling things I’ve ever done and a real privilege. But there are people who don’t have that privilege. I think if there’s one thing that BC has branded in me, it’s the Jesuit philosophy to pursue and flesh out those God-given talents – but remember why you have those talents and find ways to use them in service of others.
Which people at BC have had the most impact on you?
If I hadn’t met Mary Conroy of Fine Arts, I probably wouldn’t be pursuing a career in film. She was the first person to ever affirm that I had a talent for screenwriting, and she’s the one who told me, “Go to Los Angeles, get close to the film industry and see it firsthand.” And last summer I did just that.
Professor John Gallaugher opened up so many opportunities for me through the TechTrek programs and entrepreneurship initiatives here. [Associate Professor] Fr. Richard McGowan has become a really close friend and mentor. Professor Stephen Pope was an incredibly formative mentor my freshman year. [Office of Student Involvement Director] Gus Burkett has become a great friend of mine these past two years. [Carroll School Associate Director of Undergraduate Programs] Erica Graf has been another person who I can always stop by to say hello to and get advice from. Same with [Vice President for University Mission and Ministry] Fr. Jack Butler: He knows how to challenge you in the right way. There are so many great people at Boston College.
What advice would you give to an incoming freshman?
Get to know the faculty and staff. They will become mentors to you, and life-long friends. The more they get to know you, the better your experience becomes because they have advice for you, they know where to direct you, they know how to push you to help you grow as a person.
What will you miss the most?
I’m going to really miss the friends that I’ve made through “Mod of Cards,” and the family we built. I’m going to miss the all-night edit sessions I had with Ryan Reede ’16 and Max Prio ’16. I’ve spent more time with them in the last seven months of production than I have with anybody in the last four years combined. I’m going to miss the entire BC community, for that matter. I have so many great friends here and have gotten so much from this community. I leave it with a heavy heart, but with excitement for the opportunities that await me in Los Angeles.