Lynn Houston graduated from SBCC with a certificate in media arts and communication. Now working as the marketing coordinator for the Santa Barbara Airport, she is also the founder of A Different Point of View, an organization working to engage, inspire, and transform youth using flight lessons as a launching pad.
Who: Lynn Houston
Profession: Founder of A Different Point of View
How long were you at SBCC? 2 years
What was your focus while at SBCC? Media Arts & Communication
Best memory? Receiving second place in SBCC’s Lancaster Speech Tournament.
How did the SBCC experience influence your professional path? SBCC was a major influence on my path to becoming the marketing coordinator for the Santa Barbara Airport as well as a public speaker. I had just retired as a captain for an airline and wanted to catch up with the world of media, design, and communications. Prior to my aviation career, I had been a Hollywood photographer, and before that, an actor. So I decided to sign up for a Media Arts certificate. I was taught by some exceptional instructors like Scott Nelson, Mike Gallegos, Linda Lowell, and Alejandra Jarabo in the Multimedia Arts & Design program. They gave me a lot of new tools and a solid foundation for moving forward in yet another career in this extraordinary life I have led. I tell people every day that SBCC is the place to be, whether you are just starting out on a new journey or coming back from many. It’s an exceptional college and there is a reason it was ranked #1 in the country.
What are you doing now? I am the founder of a nonprofit called A Different Point of View. Our mission is to engage, inspire, and transform youth using flight lessons as a launching pad. Through aviation education and mentoring, we show students a world they have never seen before.
How are you making an impact on the world? We are teaching youth who lack a belief in their ability to succeed that they can succeed in the world. Our students come from all walks of life. Some have experience in the juvenile justice system, others do not. Some come from well-knit families, most do not. It’s a diverse group of student pilots, and I am happy to say, 50 percent of them are female.
Why is SBCC an important educational institution for the Santa Barbara community? SBCC is essential to the success of not only Santa Barbara, but to the entire Central Coast. Youth from diverse backgrounds have the ability to attend this great college, and are given the opportunity to find their way in their journey through life until they are set on a career goal that best fits their needs. I can’t imagine another college I could have attended after the life that I had led other than SBCC.
Are you proud to be a Vaquero alum? Why? Of course! SBCC helped me become who I am today and I am eternally grateful for every instructor and student I met…my tapestry is much richer because of SBCC.
