By Kristin Canning

A glance at Davy King’s resume is all you need to know that he’s driven to succeed.

King ’09 is busy juggling a number of jobs, while pursuing his goal of a modeling and acting career. His appearance in Sears print and commercial ads is evidence that his drive is paying off.

The theater arts alumnus is back home in The Netherlands, where he supports himself as a substitute physical education teacher and junior varsity boys basketball coach at his old high school. He also works part-time as a bartender and the TNT delivery service.

But he recently hit the mother lode in his modeling career.

“The Sears shoot is definitely the biggest project I have worked on so far,” King said. “Unfortunately we don’t have Sears here in the Netherlands, so I keep hearing from my friends in the USA that I’m in the catalog or online. It’s nice.”

King was flown to Prague in the Czech Republic for the shoot. 

“Picture this: They fly you to a beautiful city in a beautiful country, and someone at the airport awaits your arrival with the “Davy King” sign and a nice car. You get there and it feels like you are at a Hollywood studio — really nice people, plus great food on set,” King said. “They take you anywhere you want, and when you are tired you go back to the four-star hotel they reserved for you.

“I couldn’t have wished for anything better.”

King worked with eight other models in Prague. The shoot gave him important networking opportunities.

“While everyone was hanging out and waiting, I was sitting with the production people talking and networking,” King said. “I figured I might as well go all out. Networking is what I need right now. You can have all the talent in the world, but you have to get in somehow. So that’s what I tried.”

King is appreciative of the support he’s received from the Wartburg community.

“The reactions have been so loving. I feel so proud to have so many great friends at Wartburg,” King said. “Sometimes it is indeed nice to be in a small community where everyone knows one another. They all know how badly I want this, and they also know how much effort and the sacrifices I am putting in to see this acting thing pick up.

“I guess it’s a relief for them as well as for me that good things are happening right now,” he added.

Dr. Penni Pier, associate professor of communication arts and department chair, is one of those supporters.

“What I remember most about Davy was that he was a gentleman,” she recalled. “I loved it when he would come by my office just to chat and say, ‘hi,’ and talk about his dreams of acting and modeling. One of my fondest memories was a moving poetry recital he did in one of my classes.

“I look on him with great fondness and am thrilled when he comes to visit. I am very happy for him and his success.”

With a major ad campaign under his belt, King envisions more “good things” to come.

“In order for me to be happy, I cannot quit on my dream. I’m hard on myself and won’t take no for and answer,” King said. “I have a crazy work ethic. I want more of it. Right now.”