It was a treat to see many of our recent -- and not so recent -- grads last week at the Michigan Association of Broadcasters Foundation Job Fair that we hosted here at the school last Tuesday. In addition to our grads, there were literally hundreds of others seeking information on jobs in the broadcast industry. We broke our old record of 250 with a total of 300-plus attendees.
The Specs Howard Placement Department also emailed a quick newsletter out to our grads last week, which resulted in increased traffic on our website. Visit GRAD CENTRAL regularly and keep us updated. That way, you’ll have access to our alumni directory, get our e-newsletters, and we can brag about you too. Here are some of the updates we received recently:
(Note: the locations are in Michigan unless indicated otherwise)
Tina Burnside is a producer at KTNV-TV in Las Vegas, Nevada. Samantha Watha is the media coordinator at Frankel Jewish Academy in West Bloomfield. Nick Candela is now a videographer, writer and editor for Fox Sports Net in Detroit.
Amanda Mitchell is an air personality at WYCD just down the street here in Southfield. Danielle Roper co-hosts the morning show (and reports on entertainment news) for WSAQ-Q Country 107 in Port Huron.
Mark Whitehead of RTV-08-05 started WJLB’s “Off The Air” video and continues to shoot, edit, and produce the entire show himself. In addition, he’s a promotions assistant for WJLB and a board operator for WMXD. In his spare time, he’s filling in for one of WJLB’s morning show producers while she’s on maternity leave!
Students often ask why they have to learn “everything,” and I’d say Mark is a good example of the need to have multiple skills in this field to get ahead, especially in the early days. But it’s not just radio. Steve Richardson from RTV-01-04 is an associate producer, editor and videographer for WDIV-TV and Fox Sports Detroit.
We also heard from Ivory Moore, who is a talent executive for One Source Talent in Troy; Laura Brown is doing promotions for Clear Channel in Farmington Hills; Ross Mullican is the news director for KURM-100.3 in Rogers Arkansas; Tameka Wright is Media Coordinator for Pitney-Bowes Marketing in Farmington Hills; Kelly MacIntyre is Morning Co-Host and News Director at WMDH in New Castle, Indiana; Doug Lapp is over at Mad River Post working as an assistant editor; Richard Smith is in Lima, Ohio at TV 67, Inc. (Fox 25, ABC 18 & CBS 38), holding down the title of Senior Production Editor; Michael DeVille is managing Audio-Visual Services for Carnival Cruise Lines in Miami, Florida; and Emily Lahtinen is a producer at Speedy Spots, a voice over service in Chelsea.
Kevin Seguin-Scollin (Placement Director for Specs Howard) and I also got a lovely letter from Jennifer Hobson of RTV-10-89.
Dear Dick & Kevin,
Thank you so much for your help last year with regards to helping me get back into a broadcasting career. I wanted to drop you a line and let you know how I am doing. As you might recall, I have been over here at WMUZ/WEXL/WRDT for almost a year now as their assistant engineer.
Thanks to your lead on this job, and the training I received at Specs Howard many years ago, I am very blessed with this opportunity to be here and learn as much as possible about my field. Specs Howard has given so many people in this business the best start possible to follow their dreams of working in broadcasting. I am very grateful for the skills that the instructors gave and the leads that the school has given me over the years with regard to on-air work at various stations in Michigan.
Dick, you have always been there to lend an ear when I needed it to give me encouragement or to talk to me about a possible lead. I feel I have found my calling in this business and I have great ambitions to become a valuable and seasoned broadcast engineer. Thanks again for giving me this opportunity!
I also heard from Tim French from RTV-8A-07:
Hi Dick,
I haven't kept up much with the Specs crowd lately but I just wanted to drop you guys a line to tell you what’s been going on with me. Early in June, after graduating from Specs in April, I took a Job with WEYI-TV NBC25 here in Flint as the producer of their newly formed 7 o'clock news broadcast on their CW sister station.
In less than four months time, I have been promoted to producer of the 6 and 11 pm newscasts. It’s been a really fast ride, and honestly a hell of a lot of hard work, but every bit of it has been worth it.
I just wanted to say thanks to you guys in the placement department for helping me find this job, as well as my internship at WDIV (which I am almost positive got me this job).
And finally, Kevin heard from Tabetha Lott who is now over at Pluto Post in Birmingham:
Hey Kevin! I just wanted to take a minute to thank you. I really appreciate you lining me up with this AMAZING job! I absolutely love it here and for once I’ve started looking forward to work! I know this is going to be an incredible learning experience and a step in the right direction. I really can’t thank you enough!
WHEW! And I remember when we only did radio!! If you haven't checked in, please let us know what you’re up to!
Until next time.... UK
