![\"artistreception0812201201\"](\"http:\/\/www.sinclairclarion.com\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/artistreception0812201201.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\nHis happiness is focused and targeted on seizing opportunities to better him as a human being. It\u2019s not about being super human, it\u2019s about being a happy, pragmatic optimist, according to Veal.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt doesn\u2019t mean happiness is without a price or without the struggles,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Along with Veal being an adjunct faculty member in the dance and theater department, he is also in his second year as a completion coordinator in the creative studies for Connect for Completion at Sinclair.<\/p>\n
\u201cBasically, it\u2019s helping students connect within their disciplines, but then also outside of their disciplines such as resources, career advice and career coaching,\u201d Veal said. \u201cThis will help this whole process of getting a degree at Sinclair and to prep for the real world or transfer to a four year school.\u201d<\/p>\n
Valuing education and using it as an opportunity to explore who and what he is, is Veals way of evolving and making the most out of life.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s my belief system and philosophy of education,\u201d he said. \u201cIt\u2019s never just about let me do this so I can make money.\u201d<\/p>\n
He said that\u2019s the biggest issue with students today. It\u2019s not about finding passion and happiness within a major or career\u2014it\u2019s about money.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere is such a push and pressure to be financially solvent, but you can have a degree and still be jobless\u2014that can\u2019t be the only reason why you\u2019re obtaining your degree. It has to be that you love what you\u2019re doing because when the time comes that you get paid for it as a career, you\u2019re going to have to enjoy the hours and the effort that you put in.\u201d<\/p>\n
Veal said that even though it\u2019s important to be technically proficient, companies still look to see if you\u2019re a happy and whole person.<\/p>\n
\u201cYes in black and white you have your degree, but are you a good fit to the culture of the organization? Those factors do matter, so therefore, if you choose a job and major just because it\u2019s going to make you money, I guarantee you that it\u2019s going to trip you up at some point,\u201d Veal said. \u201cIt\u2019s either going to leave you hollow or flat. So why not choose the things that you honestly are saying to yourself \u2018this is what I want to do.\u2019\u201d Early on Veal said it was natural for him to be drawn towards arts and education. He said he had no desire to do anything else, except to always be learning and focusing on creativity.<\/p>\n \u201cAs a kid that\u2019s all I did\u2014just read about the world and then draw what I saw,\u201d Veal said.<\/p>\n He said he lucked out to have parents who supported him in what he chose to do with his life. His passion for art was always encouraged by his parents because they saw how happy it made him.<\/p>\n \u201cEven though they might not understand why I had an interest or a passion for these things, they weren\u2019t going to get in the way,\u201d Veal said.<\/p>\n Veal graduated from Eastern Michigan University with a dual major in Political Science and Visual Arts, and a Master\u2019s from The Ohio State University in Choreography and Dance. He said he likes combining different visual arts to create one performance or art show.<\/p>\n \u201cI like non-traditional dance,\u201d Veal said. \u201cIt\u2019s not just one discipline.\u201d<\/p>\n Not only does Veal choreograph and perform, but he also is the host of Think TV\u2019s \u201cThe Art Show.\u201d The show focuses on arts and culture and airs every Sunday at 5:00 p.m., covering local, regional and national artists, while trying to expose people to new and different things.<\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s a lot of importance and significance attached that I am an African American male on television talking about arts and culture,\u201d Veal said. \u201cI am really aware that my presence matters. I have a passion in arts in culture and I hope it comes off that way.\u201d<\/p>\n On July 25, Veal and The Art Show won a regional Emmy competing against other nominated arts and entertainment shows from Ohio, West Virginia, Pennsylvania and Kentucky.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s exactly like you\u2019re going to the primetime Emmy awards\u2014there\u2019s a red carpet, swag bag, the whole nine yards,\u201d Veal said.<\/p>\n Just when you think Veal has enough on his plate, he is still focusing on education and thinking about getting his PhD. He said he wants to design places that are conducive to the creative economy and use urban planning for an arts and cultural district in Dayton.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019ve cut into the bone as much as we humanly can for funding for the arts, even arts education, which I think is the biggest mistake ever,\u201d Veal said. \u201cArt is an economic tool and catalyst\u2014it can\u2019t be that frivolous if it can do all that.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n