“Thank God we found your resume.”
This was the first thing an employer said to me during an interview for an internship I had applied for last year. Probably about 70% of the experience on my resume came directly from WTOP 10, the campus TV station. I hit the ground running when it came to involvement and since my first week on campus, I’ve been an active member. After four years, my final weeks at WTOP 10 are upon me. I definitely have mixed emotions as one of the highlights of my last four years comes to an end.
I started off doing a position in the control room where I queued up and played videos and commercial breaks for the station’s nightly news show. The next semester, I had a great on air audition and became a reporter for the station’s news show. By the end of my journey, I have directed TV shows, trained members both for on air and behind the scenes positions, and executed new ideas to make the station better. I progressed forward by becoming smarter and meeting new members at the station who would help me to learn new things.
WTOP 10 taught me so many important things that will be useful for my upcoming career. I learned how to work well with others, how to be a great leader, and I’ve developed incredible problem solving skills. My favorite moments have been pulling huge shows where people from different departments in the station come together and create something magical. The one that I am most proud of was last year’s Media Summit Red Carpet Show which I had the honor of directing. It was a huge task and everyone put in their best efforts to make it as great as possible. It was a huge success.
The friends I’ve made at WTOP 10 are some of my closest on campus. Not only are they good friends, but I’m also sure that if I’m ever in need of a job in the future, they may be able to provide me with one. The network WTOP 10 creates between students is very strong. Some of the alumni I know are doing incredible things such as working for Time Warner Cable News and ESPN. I can only hope to have as much success and I think I can with them as my role models.
Joining WTOP 10 was easily the best decision I made while at SUNY Oswego. Through being a member, I gained real experience in my field, made many new friends, and gained leadership experience through training members in new skills. I didn’t think it would come to an end so fast and I am very sad that it is. I’m just so glad it happened. I did get a job offer this past week and without WTOP 10, I probably wouldn’t have even been considered.
For those on the fence, WTOP 10 is an amazing club to join. Whether you want to gain real experience in the broadcasting field, be a play by play announcer or news anchor, or just want to make a silly show starring you and your friends, WTOP 10 makes gaining these opportunities very easy regardless of one’s class or major. It’s an amazing ride and I recommend you take it.