Saints Studios: Dedicated to telling our stories

Carroll College added a student video club on campus this semester. 

Saints Studios was officially approved in the final week of the 2026 spring semester, but officially began in the first week of the fall semester. Students both formed the club and pitched it to the Associated Students of Carroll College (ASCC).

Saints Studios is led by faculty advisor Garrett Thompson, adjunct professor of photography at Carroll since 2019. The goal of the club is for students to help “tell the stories that matter on campus,” says Thompson, a former Carroll football player who graduated in 2009. 

The idea for the club came to Thompson and a former teammate as they dug into the extraordinary success that the Carroll football team had, with four straight national championships from 2002-2005. In digging through the Carroll archives, they discovered so many more stories that needed to be told. 

“We can’t let Carroll history disappear,” says Thompson.

This led to the creation of a short documentary, The Book of Saints: Episode 1 – The Four-Peat, which was shown on the football field at homecoming last year, attracting more than 600 viewers. 

In the creation of this video, Thompson realized that creating videos that tell Carroll’s stories would be a unique opportunity for Carroll students to get involved and express themselves, and so Saints Studios began.

The four-peat documentary is only the beginning of what Saints Studios plans to produce. There are more videos in the works, including a spotlight on the Talking Saints’ 36 years of conference championships and an inauguration video of Carroll’s new president, Dr. Jennifer Glowienka, which will be shown at the Founder’s Day Gala on November 5.

“There’s a real value in what we’re trying to put together here, and the coolest part to me is watching the students gravitate towards it,” says Thompson. 

He says the club gives hands-on experience, allowing students to jump in and use the equipment. Whether students are writers, editors, storytellers, or just want to help set up equipment, there are a number of different ways for them to be involved.

The club meets on Thursdays at 6:30 p.m. in O’Connell Hall 125. There are currently 35 students on the mailing list, and around 10-15 are consistently attending meetings.

“Students will be the heart and soul of this club. It is created by students, for students,” says Thompson. He hopes that every student on campus will eventually know about the club, and says that there is a home for everyone in some capacity. “The more people that get into this thing, the better it is going to be. Come help us create world-class content,” says Thompson

The club will provide a variety of opportunities for students, such as travel for assignments, real-world experience using professional-grade equipment, and training from industry professionals. 

Thompson hopes that eventually Saints Studios will become a part of Carroll curriculum, potentially as a minor, major, or certification of some kind.

For Carroll students looking to join the club, fill out this Google Form.