Ryan majored in digital media and journalism with concentrations in journalism, sports media, and digital media production, along with a minor in communication. He says he knew he wanted a career in media and always envisioned himself working in sports media. But Ryan found that the more courses he took, he realized he wanted to broaden his horizons and get out of his comfort zone.
The Fundamentals of Journalism and Broadcast Journalism courses that Ryan took with faculty member Doug Stewart, who works as a web producer at FOX61, led him to make professional connections. “One of the things that I loved about being a part of the School of Communication, is all of my professors have had real-life experience in the media industry,” says Ryan. “The opportunity to learn from those who have worked in the industry that I wanted to work in motivated me to perform to a high standard in all my classes.”
Ryan now works weekends and Mondays conducting interviews and capturing footage that will air during the 4 p.m. and 5 p.m. newscasts. “What I find to be really cool is that every day is different, and I learn more about what is happening both locally and around the world,” he says. “What I am most proud of is simply just watching the video packages that I edited and knowing that I played a part in telling a story.” He also says he enjoys the work environment and the adrenaline rush he gets as the newscast deadline nears.
UHart’s clubs and organizations were a huge part of Ryan’s college experience. He was involved in Greek Life as a member of Alpha Sigma Phi and was the vice president of communications for the organization. In addition, he was a member of the National Society of Leadership and Success, wrote sport stories for The Informer campus newspaper, hosted a sports show for the on-campus radio station WSAM, and produced live Hartford Hawks athletic events on ESPN-3 and the America East Network.
Ryan advises first-year communication students to get out of their comfort zone and try new things. “You might feel stressed out and feel like you don’t have time to do everything, but just know that you don’t have to join every club at once,” he says. “You have four years to try new things so take advantage of the time that you have. Not only is it a great way to build your resume, but it is a chance for you to meet new people that you could be friends with for the rest of your life!”
Ryan now works weekends and Mondays conducting interviews and capturing footage that will air during the 4 p.m. and 5 p.m. newscasts. “What I find to be really cool is that every day is different, and I learn more about what is happening both locally and around the world,” he says. “What I am most proud of is simply just watching the video packages that I edited and knowing that I played a part in telling a story.” He also says he enjoys the work environment and the adrenaline rush he gets as the newscast deadline nears.
UHart’s clubs and organizations were a huge part of Ryan’s college experience. He was involved in Greek Life as a member of Alpha Sigma Phi and was the vice president of communications for the organization. In addition, he was a member of the National Society of Leadership and Success, wrote sport stories for The Informer campus newspaper, hosted a sports show for the on-campus radio station WSAM, and produced live Hartford Hawks athletic events on ESPN-3 and the America East Network.
Ryan advises first-year communication students to get out of their comfort zone and try new things. “You might feel stressed out and feel like you don’t have time to do everything, but just know that you don’t have to join every club at once,” he says. “You have four years to try new things so take advantage of the time that you have. Not only is it a great way to build your resume, but it is a chance for you to meet new people that you could be friends with for the rest of your life!”