Producing a Bright Future

Samantha Washington, a 2015 Northampton Community College (NCC) graduate, is pursuing a passion that began early in her life – telling the stories of people, organizations, and companies through video. In 2019, she co-founded We See Productions, a company that provides live streaming and video production services to Monroe County and surrounding areas. 

“My love of video is almost life long,” Washington said. “I started making YouTube videos when I was 12 years old. My friends and I would interview each other and make video diaries. We captured parts of our lives that way.”  

Washington’s interest in video production continued through high school and was elevated further during her time at NCC’s Monroe campus, where she enjoyed making videos as part of her coursework. “The classes I took provided a lot of groundwork for the basics of media and how it worked,” she said. 

A general studies major at NCC, Washington was undecided regarding her future as she prepared to graduate in 2015. Recognizing her interest in video production, her advisor at NCC, John Tindell, introduced the possibility of pursuing it as a career.  

“I’d never thought about making videos for a job,” Washington said. “He opened my eyes to that possibility and assured me if I pursued the field, I’d be able to find work when I graduated.” 

Encouraged by Tindell and other NCC professors, after graduating, Washington enrolled at East Stroudsburg University where she majored in digital media technology. While there, she gained valuable experience working for the instructional resources department, a job that required her to film and edit campus events. She also worked with Blue Ridge Communications TV to organize and host live fundraising telethons. 

“It wasn’t glamorous work, but it was important,” Washington said. “I got some of that grunt work out of the way early, and I learned a lot.” 

After graduating from East Stroudsburg in 2017, Washington secured an internship in New York City with Oxygen, a NBC true crime channel. Serving as a production assistant, she saw first-hand the business side of the media industry. “I learned a lot about budgets and schedules, and I did things like write call sheets, edit schedules and hire contractors.” 

That experience, combined with the creative work she encountered at NCC and East Stroudsburg, has served her well when running the company she started with her partner, Bradley Swiatkowski. Like many companies, We See Productions was forced to alter operations during the pandemic but was able to pivot and eventually expand its services. It experienced its busiest year to date in 2022.  

Washington, who was named the Pocono Chamber of Commerce’s Young Professional of the Year in 2022, is looking toward a bright future. “We’re looking forward to growing a team and increasing our client list and our workload,” she said. “It’s great to be doing what we love.” 

Washington enjoys a strong sense of community, a trait she said was planted and nurtured during her time at NCC Monroe, where she was part of the honors program and founded and participated in the cheerleading squad.  

“There were so many experiences at NCC that shaped me. I really credit the school with building me as an adult and helping me recognize the importance of community and the value of giving back. That helps me in my work and makes me a better person.”