Where Are They Now: Chip Haskell--Class of 1989
August 19, 2018
Burwell High School is excited to continue to feature alumni students and their accomplishments. We hope this will inspire and encourage current BHS students! This month we feature 1989 grad, Chip Haskell. Check out his questionnaire and samples of his work:
Name: Chip Haskell
Graduation Year: 1989
Where do you reside (City, State): Salt Lake City, Utah
Education, Schools Attended, Degrees Attained:
University of Nebraska, Lincoln
Bachelor’s Degree in Advertising
What is your current job and how did you get started there? What kinds of things do you do in your job?
I work for an advertising agency called Love Communications as a Creative Director. In short, I lead teams of writers, producers, directors, designers, photographers, etc. in the creation of advertising (print, websites, TV spots, radio spots, long form video, etc.) for national and international clients.
I started out as a writer and television producer 20+ years ago and have worked for several different advertising agencies since college. I’ve been at Love for about 7 years.
Do you ever come back to Burwell?
Yes, although not as often as I’d like. I love Burwell.
What is your favorite memory of Burwell High School?
Honestly, my favorite memory was graduating – not because I was in a hurry to leave, but because it felt like an important milestone. That said, the memories of grabbing a shotgun and a box of shells out of my locker and going out to shoot clay pigeons for P.E. class are probably a close second. I’m guessing they don’t do that anymore.
How did your experience at BHS impact your career/life path?
One thing I learned early-on was the importance of finding my own way – of forging my own path. At that time, academics was not my path. Neither was athletics. So that’s when I started to get out of my comfort zone and try new things: learning to play the drums, giving acting a try, getting involved in student government. (I was horrible at all of those things too by the way. But if you don’t try something new, you’ll never know if you’re good at it or not.)
What piece of advice would you give current BHS students?
Don’t take the safe road more than once. It’ll make you boring. And being boring is the worst thing anyone can be.
What are your hobbies?
I’m in love with Utah’s mountains and deserts, so I’m doing something outdoors about every day: trail running, rock climbing, backpacking, mountain biking, canyoneering, etc.
What was the last book you read? Did you like it?
“Guns, Germs, and Steel” by Jared Diamond. If you want a big-picture understanding of the world, this is one of the books that you absolutely have to read.
What was the last movie you watched? Did you like it?
Well, it wasn’t the last movie I watched, but “There Will Be Blood” is one of my favorites. “The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford” is right up there as well.
What is your favorite place to vacation? Why?
Aside from coming back to Burwell to visit every once in a while, I rarely vacation in the same place twice. There’s so much of the world to see and so little time.
What do you feel is your greatest accomplishment?
Surviving. Life can be tough on occasion, and sometimes there’s no bigger accomplishment than just pushing through. That said, I’ve noticed that life is usually tougher for those who dropped out of high school. So stay in school. There – there’s my “Stay In School” speech.
