Lighting Up Lives

[Jonnyeagle]

Joe Bessner ('15) has a blast at work every day, literally.

The UNT alum works as a pyrotechnician for the company Pyrotecnico, handling firework shows for music festivals, concerts and has even come back to UNT for the Homecoming bonfire. Pyrotecnico's latest contract is with Beyoncé for her Renaissance tour, and Bessner will be working at SeaWorld's nightly show HydroPower: Xtreme FX this summer in San Antonio.

He first came to UNT because of the radio, television and film program, that exposed him to theatre. He decided to switch paths and ended up graduating with a theatre degree. On campus, he was heavily involved with the UNT Talons, a student organization that upholds many UNT traditions such as the Homecoming bonfire, the cannon, spirit flags and more.

"I was always the kid who spent hundreds of dollars on fireworks growing up. And then at UNT, when I saw that I could shoot a cannon off and build fire legally, that swayed me into it."

When one of his classmates asked him if he'd be interested in helping the lighting company she worked for with a fireworks show, Bessner jumped at the chance and never looked back.
 

read more: https://northtexan.unt.edu/issues/2023-spring/lighting-lives