He attended an accelerated Bachelor Degree Program to major in film. Derek received an award for perfect attendance and was chosen as the writer, director, and editor of the Degree Film Project. After college, Derek spent the next 5+ years in the Chicago TV & Commercial Industry as a freelance editor and project manager. There, he lead creative campaigns for major companies including, but not limited to: Lipton, Seattle’s Best Coffee, Sears, Whole Foods, & Discovery Channel.