A challenge to face

Over the past four years, I’ve genuinely enjoyed all of my broadcasting classes; however, there is one class that, despite my enjoyment, was extremely difficult. broadcast journalism, or simply BC 311 to students, was quite a bridge to cross for me. It wasn’t so much the difficulty, but really the work and extreme effort that needed to be put forth. Broadcast journalism forced me to strive for perfection in my newscasts before they were aired. Week after week, I found it challenging to collect sound bites or to form stories around the sound bites I already had. Attending the New Wilmington Borough meetings was a great help. There was always a story going on there and borough council members were always willing to speak on the record after the meetings. Most of the time, they gave great information that could really enhance a story.
Weekly deadlines for ACTs and WRAPs really put the pressure on me. When there were weeks when the news around the area was slow, I struggled and really went hunting for things or looked for updates on a previous story of great importance. The other issue was people not wanting to talk or refusing to comment over the phone. Hospital employees and police stations were some places where comments and sound bites were hard to come by. That was another difficult issue, because when a big story broke, especially an accident or fire, sometimes police or other emergency authorities could not comment on the situation or victims involved. It was a struggle to call them sometimes repeatedly in a newscast, but when you need information it became a necessary component when I was in the newsroom.
Things eventually got easier. I began preparing earlier and more often before my newscasts. I even made breakthroughs with the emergency agencies, which began to realize my persistence and would disclose information once it became available. My stories became stronger as the semester progressed, through hard work within class and having my peers along with Prof. Weaver read and revise each of my stories. The red marks on my stories decreased and I became more confident when seeking out stories. Borough stories became more vital to campus and the borough itself, such as the construction on Maple St. and the eventual elimination of some parking along that same street. I made sure my bites were concise, but to the point, and involved the most important people tied to that story.
Since completing broadcast journalism, I have kept all of my air checks from each newscast as well as a copy of many of my scripts. I’ve been able to help younger students in the major with their newscasts, in addition to their EP. The stories I wrote for broadcast journalism helped me overall with my writing and my confidence in asking and calling for sound bites. It also challenged me to go after the hard and sometimes controversial stories. It also helped me when I had to call for stories in the sports department this summer at KDKA. While I wasn’t collecting sound bites, many times we needed a comment from a coach or athlete regarding a story or situation. I made the calls and without hesitation. I knew my experience from broadcast journalism had prepared me for this. This experience will help when I enter the professional world, whether in news or in another career. I will be creating stories and need to use what I learned to create an exceptional piece of work.
Professionally, broadcast journalism was a wake up call. It forced me to act even more professional than I ever had before. I’m actually very thankful for this class. It forced me to work my absolute hardest, please my executive producer as well as my peers and professor, and make my stories interesting and informative, while also being easy to listen to and read. Since broadcast journalism, I’ve taken my new work ethic and ability to write concise and radio worthy stories, along with new found confidence in seeking out news worthy stories and making calls for exceptional sound bites. It was a challenging class, but in the end became the most helpful. Through all my hard work, I believe I can effectively craft news stories and all the challenges that go along with it.

My hope for a close friend in the furute

Going back to Westminster after 10 years is an interesting thought. When I arrive back on campus in 10 years one of the first people I hope to see is Nate Dodd. Nate is one of my closest friends both in and out of the newsroom. We met when he transferred from Bloomsburg University after first semester of freshman year. We remain extremely close and I consider him one of my few best friends. It’s great having something as understanding and fun loving as him around to give both advice and humor.
Nate’s work ethic will take him far in life. Since his arrival at Westminster, Nate has jumped head first into broadcasting. He has had many Titan Radio news shifts along with a radio jock shift every semester. Nate has also lent his hand into production, camera, and several other duties on the set of The County Line. His positive energy and hard work always shine through, even in seemingly difficult situations. Both of these qualities are testaments to Nate’s ability to take his career to the highest level. I have no doubt that they, in addition to his charismatic personality and assertive nature, will carry him far. These qualities will shine through in the future as he embarks upon his career.
Along the way, Nate developed an interest in public relations, which resulted in him picking up a minor in it. His work within his public relations courses improved his work within the broadcast department. Nate incorporated what he learned in PR into broadcasting by creating promos and other valuable ways of informing the public about the work within the broadcasting department. Despite a busy schedule of both PR and broadcasting classes, Nate remains involved in both departments. Along the way, he has gained a great deal of responsibility in both departments along with exuding much personality and ambition to succeed. Through his senior Capstone project of better promoting The County Line and Titan Radio, Nate has used both broadcasting and public relations skills to convey his message. His course work in both departments has enabled him to craft a professional and informative Capstone. With this display of work, Nate has put himself in a versatile position to pursue a career in either broadcasting or public relations. That said, I can easily see him working in a public relations department of a television news station. This gives Nate the best of both words. He loves working in television and public relations all at the same time and with a stellar background in broadcasting and grasp of public relations would be able to find a great job that incorporates both. Nate could use his saved work from broadcasting and PR, such as air checks, news scripts, production run downs, experiential work in PR, and overall Capstone project, to obtain a career that incorporates both fields. I believe he could really establish himself as a leader with his experience in these fields.
Nate may have to start out small, just as all of us may have to, but I can see his professional career moving along at a good pace if he pushes himself to work to the best of his ability, which I have seen him done many times before. In 10 years, I hope to see Nate back at homecoming gabbing about his job in both broadcasting and public relations. I certainly will not be surprised if Nate is very successful in one field or the other after his hard work and dedication in both departments during his time at Westminster.

Someone to look up to in broadcasting

There are several alums within the broadcast department here at Westminster that have helped me adjust over the past 3 years. While all of them helped me in their own way, one person stands out amongst the rest. Mike Wolenski was a great help when I became involved in broadcasting. From the time I took on my first jock shift, Mike was around to show me how to operate the board and teach me about doing a good talk break and how to lead into songs effectively. It was a great help to have someone who knew what they were doing helping me making each shift better. At the time, Mike had a busy schedule and was in the radio station constantly. I know there were probably days where he had a ton to do, but still stayed to help me get adjusted to the station. Mike was always very understanding and great with explaining how to operate everything. He always make sure that I had a good grasp on what I was doing and if I needed any other help. Best of all, Mike was personable. I could comfortably ask him for help, even if it was something really insignificant that I forgot to do. Mike used his Titan Radio expertise to give us tips and tricks on how to improve our presentation on the radio. He was also around when I transitioned into radio news. Though another BC major was my executive producer, Mike was always there for extra help. It was reassuring to have someone around who was as helpful as Mike. Because of him I was able to have great talk breaks for my air check tapes and to be creative during these breaks and when I introduced songs with long intros. Mike was also someone who was really driven and always working hard. He really provided a great example to follow for the students that he helped.

Someone to admire

When I look back at my time at Westminster, I know I could not have accomplished as much as I have if it weren’t for some professors and a few older student mentors. I’ve recently blogged about a couple professors I admire and who have helped me, but now it’s time to put the focus on someone who I’ve continually looked up to for many years now.
I met Jordan Hinds in grade school at Holy Trinity. I was good friends with his sister, Haley, and their family lived right down the street from us. Jordan has been a shining example of strength, hope, courage, and unfailing work ethic. I watched him go through many medical issues throughout his childhood and teenage years. Though Jordan overcame some serious obstacles, he always remained positive. I remained friends with Haley throughout our time in high school and watched Jordan graduate in 2002 and ultimately go onto Westminster. When the time came for me to apply to college, Jordan’s family encouraged me to visit Westminster. When I arrived on campus Jordan was one of the first to greet me and also one of the first to help me in the broadcasting department. As a broadcasting minor, Jordan helped me out when he was around the station with little things for my jock shift.
Jordan’s work ethic was an example I made sure to follow. As a speech communications major with a double minor in broadcasting and public relations, Jordan was always busy and working to his potential. I recall enjoying listening to his radio shows he had on Titan Radio and talking with him on almost a daily basis my freshman year. He was always good for advice on what to do for my breaks in between songs during my radio shifts.
Jordan’s professionalism is something I would like to emulate as I leave Westminster and enter the real world. He remains involved with causes such as the Darfur Emergency Coalition and the ONE Campaign, both causes committed to helping other people. He has remained extremely dedicated to these issues and to advancing their causes. Jordan has always maintained a positive and driven demeanor in his personal and professional life. It’s really no wonder that so many people who have come into contact with Jordan look up to him and consider him their role model. In all my years of knowing Jordan, from grade school to now, he has been dedicated to whatever challenge is facing him and to furthering his professional life by working for these causes. Jordan has and always will be someone I really look up to in a professional and personal sense. His unfailing dedication to hold down a major, two minors, and running cross country, in addition to his other activities, is a shining example of someone who strives for the best. I hope to continue to model my professionalism and personal outlook to that of Jordan’s.

Westminster College Football: Recruiting the best from the rest

In the college athletic recruiting world, schools at the NCAA Division I level have extensive tactics for recruiting blue chip athletes. They have the ways and means to visit and contact each athlete individually, conduct extensive recruiting events for these athletes, and obtain the best players in the country. But what about the talented players who may not be big, tall, or fast enough to get to that level? Are they excluded because they’re not NCAA Division I material? What about the young student athlete with a stellar grade point average who is his high school’s talented quarterback? That is where recruiting at the Division III level comes in to play. Recruiting high school football players at Westminster is crucial to the football program. Players must have ambition both on and off the field. They must be willing to play for the love of the game, since no athletic scholarships are given at the Division III level, as well as handle a full course load of work during the season. Players must be excited to compete for their school and have the talent to back it up. These players must be intrigued to attend Westminster by being exposed to the team, best plays, and overall atmosphere. A well crafted, edited, and produced recruitment video can showcase all these aspects of a college and its football program.
Through my Capstone project I plan on capturing all the elements that make Westminster football so enticing, in addition to selecting the best plays to show perspective student/athletes. This project, titled Westminster College Football: Recruiting the best from the rest, will be a complete recruiting tool with background music, such as the Westminster fight song, and brief interviews with the coaching staff and current players. This product will be a change from a normal recruiting video, which sometimes may only have a compilation of the best plays from that season. By showing eye catching graphics, interviews, cut away shots of the band and crowd at a game, but keeping the focus on the best plays from each game, the video will keep perspective recruits interested during the visit by the Westminster coaching staff. The coaching staff will be able to view my project as it progresses to suggest any changes or additions they would like to see included. I want to produce this video to their expectations and make sure they are completely involved in the entire production.
I will produce every aspect of this product for the Westminster football program. I believe this is an extremely interesting project, especially for someone like me who enjoys football and all of its aspects. I am working on a week to week basis, editing the weekly highlights to select the best plays and implementing graphics that fit with the video. My final product will be shown on Monday, November 24, 2008 in the Sebastian Mueller Theatre on the campus of Westminster College. I will show my final product and explain my journey through producing the project. It is my hope that the final product will please the Westminster coaching staff and that it will be a valuable tool as they embark upon recruiting the next Titan football players.

The Epitome of Sportscasting

In the sports world, there are many broadcasters who are able to break into the business as former sports starts with many accolades. Then there are those broadcasters who aspire right from the get go to become sportscasters. Bob Costas is one of these sportscasters. Born in Queens, New York, Costas attended the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University. During his time at Syracuse, Costas became an announcer for a minor league hockey team, the Syracuse Blazers. Despite never graduating, he was able to secure a job as the play by play announcer for American Basketball Association team the Spirit of St. Louis. After two other brief stints at KMOX radio in St. Louis and WGN-TV doing play by play for the Chicago Bulls, Costas joined the NBC network, where he is still employed, in 1980. Costas has also hosted “On the Record with Bob Costas”, a celebrity and sports star centered hour long program, as well as “Inside the NFL” and “Costas Now”, another interview segment show. From football to baseball, basketball (college and professional) to hockey, and even the highly coveted Olympic Games, Costas has been there with the call. He has proved to his viewers time and time again that he is the face of sports broadcasting. His knowledge and ability to articulate play by play for almost every sport makes him the most versatile voice in sports. Bob is a shining example of having to start off small in the business. His example is a good one to follow. Even if I decide to not do on air sports, starting out small is a good idea for my career. I’ve always admired and looked up to Costas, along with his versatility and presence. Much of what I have learned about sports and certain jargon have come from watching Costas’ broadcasts. Being extremely conversational is a key part of his broadcasts and a big part of what I try to include in mine. It’s one thing to just read sports; it’s a totally different thing to understand and convey it to your viewers. Costas’ broadcasts are so well crafted that someone with absolutely no knowledge of the sport could understand. That element is a must in sports. Costas also puts feeling and emotion into his broadcasts. This isn’t just reading news; it’s a sportscast. Yes, there are newsy parts of sports, but for the Olympics, World Series, Super Bowl, etc. there has to be feeling and emotion. It’s the rush of the game. As a person who aspires to work in sports, I’d love to meet Costas and ask him where he acquired the knowledge on all the sports he’s commentated and how he generates the emotion for every single sport. I feel like watching a sportscast from him would give me many ideas on how to greatly improve my own. It is my hope that I can follow Costas’ example of solid and enthusiastic sportscasts to build my own career.

Growing to appreciate and enjoy my academic life

Throughout my years at Westminster, I have grown fond of a handful of my professors. Dr. Jeff Bersett is one of those professors. From intermediate Spanish II to Hispanic American Literature, Dr. Bersett has been there for me every step of the way. In a way, he has become a second adviser to me, guiding me through my Spanish minor and my overall collegiate career.
When I met Dr. Bersett my freshman year, I was still scared of college and certainly scared of taking up a minor in Spanish, despite a year of honors Spanish IV to close out my high school career. It didn’t take long for that fear to go away. With Dr. Bersett’s encouragement to embrace college for what it is and to work extremely hard on my Spanish studies, it was easy to see he would become a major influence on me, not to mention one of my favorite professors. He understood I was nervous, but he also recognized my eagerness and willingness to learn. For the first time in my overall scholastic career (grade, middle, high school AND college thus far) I genuinely enjoyed class. Starting with Spanish, my interest spread to speech class, broadcast writing, voice and diction, and others. Through Dr. Bersett’s encouragement, I learned to love college and the challenges that came with it. I saw my grades rise from a 3.1 my first semester to a 3.6 my second semester. I credit him a great deal for that increase, because, if not for his motivation, my grades may have slipped or just stayed the same.
To this day, Dr. Bersett remains a critical part of my academic success. The classes’ a part of my Spanish minor have remained extremely important to my scholastic and social life. I study Spanish extensively and speak it almost daily, whether to myself, in class, or to others who understand. It is my hope that this minor and one day being bilingual will carry me far into my career. It is because of Dr. Bersett’s urging that I am even in this minor. He saw potential in me and pushed me to study hard and work with the language. His assistance and advice has carried over to broadcasting. He has always been an avid supporter of my work within the department. It is with his help and excellent class instruction that I now love class and embrace my broadcasting and Spanish studies. I credit Dr. Bersett, along with a handful of other professors who have taught me, with enriching my academic life as well as my daily life. His concern has gone a long way with my pursuit to learn and ultimately succeed.