When Jansen Sangala isn’t attending his UM-Dearborn College of Business classes, the finance major can often be seen supporting the independent music scene, and is frequently found in venues like Sanctuary Detroit in Hamtramck. When he travels to Ann Arbor it’s not for a career fair or a student organization meeting on the U-M campus. Instead, it’s to catch concerts at venues like The Blind Pig.
These trips are often in the name of business. Sangala, 27, owns Jansen Sangala videography, a company he started at age 18. “I’m currently working on a music video for the band Valaura and filmed their live show at The Blind Pig,” says Sangala, an indie music enthusiast. Valaura is a Michigan-based rock band. In addition to a full-length music video, Sangala shot B-roll footage to create promotional spots for their social media channels and website. Although music is a focus of his enterprise, he does digital work with local businesses and corporations too.
Sangala says he doesn’t want “that 9-to-5 life,” which makes him stand out from many of his COB peers. But come Dec. 20, the summa cum laude grad will have his Bachelor of Business Administration in finance — and he couldn’t be happier. “Getting a corporate-sounding degree might seem like a sell-out thing to do. But if it is, I’m a proud sellout. Accounting is the backbone of any business. If you want the creative freedom that comes with running your own business, you need your finances in order and have a business plan,” he says. “I’m here because I care about being an entrepreneur and want to keep my dream alive and well.”
Sangala, who attended the Specs Howard School of Media Arts on a full-ride scholarship and graduated in 2018, says he initially didn’t see a need for a four-year degree. In his late teens and early 20s, he worked on digital media projects — from assisting with livestreamed events for Fortune 500 companies to helping develop websites for local businesses. One of Sangala’s clients, Fredi the PizzaMan in Melvindale, ended up on a Barstool (One Bite Pizza) YouTube review by Dave Portnoy while Sangala was in the restaurant shooting footage for the business’ autism-focused foundation in 2021. The Barstool review, which was very favorable, ended up getting 1.3M views on YouTube; Sangala is seen at the 9:10 mark.
As time went on, Sangala wanted to scale up his business in a post-pandemic landscape. But the Livonia resident didn’t know how to do it. “My clients were happy with my finished product, but behind the scenes, I was winging it,” he says. “I didn’t learn anything about running a business in trade school. I realized that I needed to whip myself into shape.”
So, in late 2021, he enrolled part time at Schoolcraft College. After making the dean’s list and realizing how much he learned in the business courses, he decided to transfer to a four-year university and go full time. A self-described cynical and pragmatic person, Sangala says he realized that college is one place where any investment is a good investment. “There’s always something new to learn and gain,” he says. “You are improving yourself.” He became a Dearborn Wolverine in January 2023.
Sangala chose UM-Dearborn for the close location to his home, the Block M reputation, the evening and hybrid course offerings, and the scholarship package. UM-Dearborn’s Go Blue Guarantee helped Sangala finish college with minimal student loans. “I can’t explain how important that scholarship was,” he says. “It saved my life. It gave me access to the education I needed.”
He says there was a learning curve to get used to the rigor of the courses. But professors like Lecturer of Accounting and Finance Ahmet Tuncez made lessons easy to understand. “I had Professor Tuncez for both Corporate Finance and Managerial Economics. There were tough classes, but he laid out the material in a way that made it clear why the information was important and how to apply it,” Sangala says. “All of my business professors have been really good.”
Outside of class, Sangala joined the American Marketing Association and became treasurer. He joined Alpha Kappa Psi business fraternity and organized fundraising events. He signed up for a General Motors finance-focused mentorship program. And he gained experience working as a bank teller at Public Service Credit Union in Redford.
“I wanted to see the ways different industries and organizations handle their finances. Accounting is not my favorite — it’s like the least joyous thing to me, but I can say that I’m proficient in it now,” he says. “Since the program at UM-Dearborn gives you a well-rounded business education, I understand marketing data and analytics better too. Sharpening my business management skills increases the value of visual storytelling. I believe produced media only tells part of the story — for the rest you have to look at the data.”
As fall commencement approaches, Sangala plans to celebrate by attending a post-ceremony hard core punk concert at Tangent Gallery in Detroit. Come Monday, he’ll get right back to work.
“I’m a ‘don’t trust people in ties’ type of guy. But I’ve learned that there’s a time and a place for everything. UM-Dearborn and the people I’ve met here have improved my life,” he says. “I might not be overly passionate about finance, but I am very passionate about what my business education will help me go out and create.”
Story by Sarah Tuxbury
