Dragons are creative force behind SCHEELS national commercials

Whether directing, editing, or yelling "action!", the team responsible for bringing SCHEELS' commercials to national airwaves is filled with Dragons.

Moorhead alumni can be found throughout SCHEELS' 85-person marketing team, with a strong concentration on the video team.

"There's a ton of us there," says SCHEELS Creative Media Manager Cameron Aakre '14 (mass communications).

Kylie Van Den Einde '14 (film production), a creative media specialist, notes that culture is everything at SCHEELS. That's one reason Dragons are a great fit for the retailer.

"We look for people who bring passion, dedication, and a strong work ethic to their roles," she says. "MSUM does an outstanding job of graduating individuals who embody those values."

Kylie Van Den Einde and Cameron Aakre setting up video equipment

Van Den Einde enrolled at Moorhead after completing an associate degree in Wyoming. She pivoted from graphic communications to film production after one semester and was able to complete her degree in just two and a half years.

"The film program at Moorhead prepared me exceptionally well because it emphasized being both the producer and the filmmaker," she says. "We were responsible for managing our own projects from start to finish. In many ways, I'm doing the same work now, just on a larger scale with bigger budgets and higher stakes."

In her role, Van Den Einde handles pre-production and logistics for national campaigns, such as securing permits, coordinating with external crews, and developing production schedules. She also serves as production manager throughout the production process.

Andy Leines '17 (film production) also works as a creative media specialist, with a focus on video editing. On set, he works primarily with the camera equipment, ensuring shots are in focus. "The program was fantastic. For years, I've been raving about the quality of the equipment, the quality of the curriculum, and how it encourages you to find your path," he says.

Leines credits the connections he made at Moorhead with paving his way. A good word from a classmate landed him his first position, which led to future opportunities, including his current role.

Andy Leines holding screen

"What's really nice about SCHEELS is that we have our hands in a lot of different areas. Whether it's sports or fashion or more outdoorsy stuff like hunting or fishing, there's so much variety to what we do," he says.

Aakre values the connections and opportunities Minnesota State Moorhead offered him, including his work on the , which sparked an interest in sports marketing. "That offered arenas for me to do and learn and figure out what I enjoyed," he says. "It got me connected with the right people to learn hands-on, to figure out what to do in real-life situations and apply that down the road."

He notes that some marketing professionals work their entire careers to create the kind of big brand videos they produce. "Every day, we do a lot of cool stuff," Aakre says. "Things we create are on the screens in the stores, thousands of people see it daily."