While most fans patiently wait for the multiplatinum-selling rock band Hoobastank to come back to the area for another show, Mendoza, a Monta Vista High and UCLA graduate, learned he would soon be on his way to Los Angeles, not only to see Hoobastank, but to work with the band.

The trip was a part of the "MasterCard Priceless Experience Internship" that was offered online.

"Each applicant had to write a 250-word essay," said Bryan Kirch, of Alan Taylor Communications, who works in public relations for the MasterCard company. "Those who were chosen got an all-expenses-paid trip to LA for hands-on work producing and directing."

For his final semester at UCLA, Mendoza decided to study abroad in Scotland. While there, he realized he needed to start looking for a job, but he was thousands of miles away from the United States and a job search would not be easy.

"It was sort of an act of desperation," he joked in a telephone interview with the Cupertino Courier. "I was astounded when I found out I won."

Mendoza said his father called him in Scotland and told him he had received a package and that he was to respond immediately.

Shortly after his UCLA graduation, Mendoza and the other 15 winners were flown to Los Angeles to work on production of the video Same Direction.

As a communications major, he had taken as many film classes as he could, and they have proven useful, since a lot of his duties on the video deal with setup and adaptation for filming.

"We even got to pitch ideas for the video," he said.

Mendoza got a rare behind-the-scenes look at what goes on in the industry.

"I was surprised that the band has so many friends in high places," he said. He said he saw other music superstars from the band Linkin Park, as well as hip-hop music producer Kanye West.

Aside from providing direct contact with the shooting of the video, MasterCard has also included lectures for the interns.

"We've been exposed to pretty much every angle of the business," Mendoza said.

"Lately, I have been working a lot with arts and crafts," he said, referring to his work with set construction.

Mendoza views this experience as more of a job than a simple experience.

As for his future, he said his path is still in the making.

"I'm not sure if I will continue in this field," he said. " But I definitely want to stay while it is exciting.