TVCC alum joins Savannah Bananas

TYLER – According to a report from our news partner KETK, a Trinity Valley Community College alumnus is making his Alma Mater proud as he has become a vital member of the world-famous Savannah Bananas production team.

The Savannah Bananas, which pride themselves on putting on the greatest show in sports, perform across the country where they combine baseball and entertainment to create a unique experience for the entire family. The group even appeared on 60 Minutes last month to promote their unique brand of baseball.

Jesse Collins has become an instrumental part of the Savannah Bananas’ success and growing popularity, as he is now considered the production mastermind behind the team. Following his graduation from TVCC, Collins began working on the production side of things for well-known artists, including Thomas Rhett and Mariah Carey.

Although Collins was able to find substantial success in the entertainment industry, he realized he did not feel fulfilled by his work. “I missed being part of the performance,” Collins said. “I didn’t want to just set up stages; I wanted to be a part of the performance aspect of the show.”

In order to fill this void, Collins decided to apply for a position with the Savannah Bananas as a DJ and a part of the production team. After submitting a video audition, Collins was offered the role and given the opportunity to help grow the team’s social media presence.

Now in charge of helping to put on performances that entertain up to 65,000 fans, Collins is amazed by the reaction he has gotten as he gets to live out his dream.

“It’s a wild experience. Kids ask for autographs, people recognize my voice and I get to live a dream I didn’t even know I had,” Collins said.

Collins gives a lot of credit for his success to TVCC and claims they provided him with the strong foundation and the encouragement he needed to succeed in the entertainment industry.

“That encouragement gave me the confidence I needed to achieve my goals. Trinity Valley gave me the full college experience, without the $100,000 price tag of the universities I considered,” Collins said.

While he was skeptical of going to a junior college at first due to the stigma, Collins expressed that his preconceived notions of junior college were shattered during his time at TVCC.

“I’ll admit, I had a stigma about junior colleges before I came here, but TVCC shattered that. It didn’t feel like the community college experience I imagined—it felt like a real university, and I’d recommend it to anyone and everyone,” Collin said.

As he looks ahead, Collins reflects on what he has learned from his journey and advised others on how they can achieve their dreams.

“This journey taught me never to be afraid to explore new possibilities,” Collins said. “If you’re passionate about something, there’s a way to turn it into a career—you just have to find the right people and opportunities to support you.”