A great Alumni connection

Many people have helped me stay encouraged and persistent during my academic career here at Westminster including professors, coaches and faculty members. This week however; I would like to focus on a fellow classmate that has helped me in the field of broadcasting. Pat Sandora has been a great person to look up to all 4 years of my college years even though he graduated a year before me. I knew of his name even before I transferred to Westminster College my freshman year. Jumping into the broadcasting department was quite intimidating at first and I was a bit scared. I didn’t know many other students in my classes because I had just transferred and the seniors seemed to run everything in the radio/television stations. I originally met Pat in the spring during Greek Week because he was in fraternity and came back to visit the fraternity house. From the first time I met him Pat was very interesting, enthusiastic and captured my attention. I learned that Pat was a broadcast major while here at Westminster and that he was very involved in his time as a student. I eventually established a friendly relationship with Pat and we communicated quite often via email and instant messenger. I first expressed to Pat that I wanted to get more involved in the broadcasting department at Westminster and asked him for advice on how to get my foot through the door as a freshman. He suggested that I start taking practicums, especially radio news since I just had BC writing and knew the radio news format. I decided to take the news practicum the fall of my sophomore year and really enjoyed it! I met a lot of my fellow students that worked in the radio station and learned the ins and outs of radio news. The first television project I was involved in was a unique segment called “On the road” where a group of students travel to interesting places in the county and reported about their experiences. I was so eager to get into the television aspect of broadcasting that I signed up for the show as a reporter just for the experience. I learned from Pat that he also helped with the On the Road segment while at Westminster and he gave me even more advice on the segment. Eventually as my college years continued I went on to get more and more involved. I needed less guidance as I built up more confidence and relationships with my professors and classmates in the major but I will always remember being a young, scared freshman. I think it is important not only as freshmen to obtain guidance from a role model but also to keep professional contact with people as you progress. It is vital to have people in your social network who understand your goals and whom you can also lend a helping hand as well!