After college graduation, Garinger spent three years at Marquette University in campus ministry before going to work on his MFA. So his time there now is a return of sorts. As he works at getting back in “teacher mode” after so many years as a student, he is trying to come up with his next directing project. Garinger has an idea about a man who dies and meets God, only to tell Him he doesn’t believe in Him.

“ Most of what I’ve done has some sort of spiritual element,” he said of his art. “My first goal is to tell a story. I think Jesus was a great storyteller. … I guess that’s kind of been a subconscious goal of mine.”