Award-Winning Faculty: Kelly Leahy

Kelly Leahy’s favorite part about teaching at the Newhouse School is helping her students connect their interests and passions to the career they are cultivating.  

She wants to help them find what she calls their “uniqueness.”  

Kelly Leahy (Photo by Addie Christopher)

“Entertainment media is an enormous field, and there are a wide variety of jobs out there,” Leahy said. “Each student is unique and has their own gifts and contributions to make.” 

Leahy, an assistant professor of television, radio and film, was honored by Syracuse University this past spring for her dedication to students with a 2024 Laura J. and L. Douglas Meredith Teaching Recognition Award for Early Performance.  

“I was moved to be chosen for recognition, and very proud to be selected for such a prestigious honor at the university level,” said Leahy, who teaches media literacy, research literacy, and audience, business and content research. 

Her teaching philosophy celebrates and recognizes the uniqueness of each student, de-emphasizing letter grades in favor of robust feedback for each student; critique for assignments; and the creation of an environment where students feel comfortable asking questions about course content.  

“I emphasize connectedness, cultivate dialogue and encourage students to challenge one another,” she said. 

Whether learning in Leahy’s Development and Production of Children’s Media or Research for Entertainment Media course, her students “come ready to grow and develop, eager to move into their professional careers,” she said.  

“The most important skill I can teach and model is critical thinking because it gives one the ability to analyze and solve unforeseen challenges,” Leahy added. She began teaching at Newhouse in the summer of 2019 as an adjunct professor and moved to full time in fall 2020. 

When looking back on her experience so far, Leahy said that her favorite memory isn’t one moment but the continuous process of helping students find what makes them special in the field of entertainment media.  

“You don’t have to fit in a mold, and so you need to identify what you enjoy doing, what you are good at, and then figure out where there is work to do these things,” she said.  

Samantha Rodino is a junior in the television, radio and film program at the Newhouse School.

This is the third in a series of four stories about Newhouse faculty honored by Syracuse University in 2024 for teaching and research excellence.

From Celebrities to Technology, Student Combines Diverse Career Goals

Madison “Maddy” de Vera ’25 is double majoring at Syracuse’s School of Information Studies and Newhouse School of Public Communications. The two schools are helping bring together her diverse passions.

For the longest time, Madison “Maddy” de Vera felt conflicted. She loved the entertainment industry and the glamorous world of celebrity interviews and red carpets. But she also loved the world of technology and the technical challenge of coding and problem solving. How could her two very different interests coexist? She found her answer at Syracuse University. 

Currently in her junior year, de Vera is double majoring at Syracuse’s School of Information Studies and Newhouse School of Public Communications. Bringing together her diverse passions, she is studying information management and technology with a concentration in information security at the iSchool, and she is studying television, radio and film at Newhouse. 

a person stands at the bottom of a flight of steps and lifts their left leg behind them. this person wears a black coat, jeans and black shoes
Maddy de Vera

“With my communication skills from Newhouse, combined with my technical skills from the iSchool, I will have built a magnificent skill set that can be applied to many different career paths,” she said. “At the end of the day, I firmly believe that the future of entertainment relies on the ever improving technology behind it. Knowing how to code, debug and problem solve, as well as film, edit and tell a story, makes me a more marketable applicant to future employers.”

She decided to double major after taking IST 195, an information technologies class with Professor Jeff Rubin. 

“This was hands down one of the most interesting classes I have ever taken at Syracuse, and it was so relevant to today’s society,” de Vera said. “I immediately knew I wanted to double major in the iSchool after taking that class.”

One of her favorite projects at the iSchool so far was in IST 263, Introduction to Front-End Web Development. Assistant Teaching Professor Laurie Ferger taught students the basics of HTML, CSS and JavaScript. For her final project, de Vera had to code a website from scratch and decided to make a travel diary about her summer. 

“Be kind! It was my first website ever,” de Vera said. 

At Newhouse, her favorite project was from TRF 450: Artist Representation with Assistant Professor J. Christopher Hamilton. Students created business opportunities for celebrities and pitched them to talent agents from United Talent Agency. For her project, de Vera came up with future career moves for singer and actress Miley Cyrus. 

“It really pushed me creatively,” she said.

Read the full story

2024 Newhouse Student Awards

Each spring, the Newhouse School recognizes those students whose dedication, ingenuity, academic excellence and creativity exhibit extraordinary talent and effort. We congratulate our 2024 award winners!

Undergraduate Awards

Advertising Awards

Deborah Fink Green Award

Harry D. Meyers Memorial Prize in Advertising

Most Promising Advertising Student

Newhouse Advertising Department Award for Academic Excellence

John Philip-Jones Advertising Student of the Year Award

Bandier Program Awards

Bandier Leadership Award

Bandier Innovator/Operator Award

Broadcast and Digital Journalism Awards

Don Edwards Broadcast Journalism Award

The Radio-TV-News Power Producer Award

Magazine, News and Digital Journalism Awards

Heather L. Fleishman Memorial Scholarship

Henry J. Leader Memorial Prize in Editing

Henry J. Wolff Prize

Lauretta H. McCaffrey Journalism Prize

Maria Riccardi Scholarship

Newhouse Award for Journalism Excellence

The Samuel V. Kennedy III Award for Newspaper Editing

William Glavin Award for Excellence in Magazine Writing

The John Mitchell Award for Sports Reporting

All Journalism Awards

Bob Heisler Award for Excellence

Photography and Graphic Design Awards

Bertram J. Davis Scholar Award

Dr. Frank Meola Photography Prize

Society for News Design/Marshall Matlock Designer of the Year

The Visual Communications Department Prize in Design

The Visual Communications Department Prize in Immersive Media

The Visual Communications Department Prize in Motion Graphics

The Visual Communications Department Prize Video Production

Public Relations Awards

Julie Mendez Diversity and Inclusion Award in Public Relations

The Public Relations Department Chair Award for Leadership

The Public Relations Public Service Award

The William P. Ehling Award

Television, Radio and Film Awards

Edward L. Hersh Award

Glenn Steinfast Award for Excellence in Documentary Film Production

Gordon J. Alderman Memorial Prize

Irene M. Sholkin Prize in Script Writing

Oscar Micheaux Filmmaking Award

Stan Alten Excellence in Audio Award

The Zach Trifone Love of Life and Music Award

Armando Doreste Award

All Undergraduate Majors

Dean’s Service Award

The Beth Mowins ’90 Award in Sports Media

Excellence in Web Development and Coding Award

Newhouse First-Year Achievement Award

George Plavocos Radio Achievement Award

David Rubin 1st Amendment Prize

Class Marshals

Newhouse Scholars

Graduate Awards

Graduate School Master’s Prize

A. William Bluem Award

Catherine L. Covert Research Award

Charnice Milton Award for Community Journalism

Public Relations Certificate of Achievement

The Magazine, News and Digital Journalism Graduate Achievement Award

The William Doescher Outstanding Public Relations Master’s Degree Student

Forever Orange: Aaron Partnow ’23

While completing a bachelor’s degree in political science and geography at Syracuse University, Aaron Partnow developed an interest in documentary film. During his senior year, Partnow learned of the Forever Orange Scholarship, which provides half of the tuition for students who enroll full-time in a qualifying graduate degree or certificate program at Syracuse University.

The scholarship is automatically available to all Class of 2024 graduating Syracuse University seniors who are eligible for admission—no separate scholarship application is needed. Graduating seniors who have already been admitted to a qualifying graduate program are also eligible.

Partnow saw the scholarship as an opportunity to obtain a master’s degree in television, radio and film at the Newhouse School, where he would get to work with and learn from the school’s experienced and knowledgeable faculty like Richard Breyer,  a professor and documentary filmmaker.

Aaron Partnow

Undergraduate Program: Political Science and Geography, 2023
Newhouse Master’s Program: Television, Radio and Film, 2024

Aaron Partnow headshot

What drew you to Syracuse University for your undergraduate studies? 

My mom grew up about an hour north of Syracuse in Watertown, and so she always rooted for the Orange. When I was looking for schools, I wanted a place that had a strong sporting environment and good academics, something that was really lacking in Alaska. Syracuse seemed like a place where I could be equally passionate about my academics and rooting for the sports teams. The more time I spend here and learn about it, the more I realize it is truly an “everything” school. There is a way to find passion and purpose, even if you never step foot in the Dome. 

What made you want to pursue a master’s degree?    

I had an unusual undergrad experience. My first semester was dictated by a racial reckoning on campus during the #NotAgainSU movement and later by COVID-19, which made the college experience I wanted impossible. I ended up spending a full semester at home managing a political campaign in my sophomore year, and a semester abroad in London my junior year. I then graduated a semester early as I had enough credits. Had the pandemic not happened, I think it may have been easier to take on a minor or double major at Newhouse, something I always wanted to do. For most of undergrad, my goal was just to focus on political science and getting those requirements done. Now that I’m in the television, radio and film graduate program, I see this as an opportunity to gain new skills and focus more narrowly on documentaries than I ever have, even if I do not go into the entertainment industry in the future. 

How did you first hear about the Forever Orange Scholarship and how did it play a role in your decision to attend graduate school?  

I hadn’t heard of it until late in the fall of my senior year. I was certain I was going to be moving on from school, but I thought it might be good to give myself a one-year buffer before going into the “real world.” It also allowed me to stay close with some of my friends on campus who were younger than me and still enrolled as undergraduates. Towards the end of undergrad, I found myself trending more towards the creative side of political discourse, i.e. documentaries, and I eventually learned that SU was a great place for that as well. It would allow me the flexibility to gain new skills while also avoiding the traditional path of law school or consulting, neither of which seemed as meaningful to me. 

The Forever Orange scholarship made a big difference. Especially as someone with a significant amount of student debt, I didn’t want to further burden my mom who had paid for my undergrad as much as possible. The scholarship made it more accessible to obtain a new degree without taking on additional debt, something I am very proud of. 

What unique features of your graduate program made you want to apply?  

I had always heard about Newhouse’s broadcast and digital journalism program but less so about television, radio and film. As I was doing research, I discovered there was a decent amount of faculty also interested in documentaries. In fact, there used to be a documentary, film and history program, an ideal career path for me. While the program no longer exists, I figured the remnants were still intact and it would be a great opportunity to learn more from seasoned professors I had wanted to work with in undergrad, including Professor Breyer. Because of this program, I was able to take Documentary Production with him, the highlight of my first semester. 

It also made a huge difference that this was only a one-year program. It made it easier to sell to myself that this was not a long commitment but more of a pit stop on my journey towards doing something impactful. 

What moments in graduate school have been the most exciting or defining thus far?  

I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed being a TA for COM 107. It was really exciting to get to know the students who are the future leaders in communications. I also appreciated the opportunity to develop a solid working relationship with Professor Faren Karimkhan and better understand that teaching is much more than what happens in the classroom alone. I think education is a great form of public service and the unique opportunity to TA as a grad student made me believe that even more so. 

What advice would you give to students that are in the initial stages of deciding to pursue graduate school? 

Come in with a plan. I think the students who find a one-year program most valuable are those who have an idea that they want to fully flesh out and a plan to use Newhouse resources to get there. In my case, I am learning that to make a documentary in a short period of time, you need to do a lot of research and find story inspiration outside of class time. If you just wing it, you are less likely to come away with something you are proud of, and which makes the grad school investment worthwhile. Overall, having a concrete end goal-and writing it out explicitly when applying-is a great way to determine if grad school or any program at Newhouse is right for you. 

Learn more about the Forever Orange Scholarship

For more information on Newhouse School graduate programs, please email nhmasters@syr.edu. 

Forever Orange: Jenna Cammerino ’23

A master’s degree at Newhouse felt like a second chance for Jenna Cammerino to explore her interest in writing screenplays and learning the film industry. While perusing a bachelor’s degree in physics and math at Syracuse University, Cammerino received an email about the Forever Orange Scholarship, which provides half of the tuition for students who enroll full-time in a qualifying graduate degree or certificate program at Syracuse University.

The scholarship is automatically available to all Class of 2024 graduating Syracuse University seniors who are eligible for admission—no separate scholarship application is needed. Graduating seniors who have already been admitted to a qualifying graduate program are also eligible.

Now at Newhouse, Cammerino has had the opportunity gain hands-on experience with film equipment as well as collaborate and learn alongside like-minded peers in the television, radio and film program.  

Jenna Cammerino

Undergraduate Program: Physics and Math ’23
Newhouse Master’s Program: Television, Radio and Film, G’24

Jenna Cammerino headshot
Jenna Cammerino

What drew you to Syracuse University for your undergraduate studies? 

Well, I had first applied to Syracuse because I had already taken some courses in high school. Instead of AP, my school offered SUPA classes so I figured my credits would transfer. But what really sold me was seeing the campus and the school spirit. I got to be a part of something called Own the Dome which is basically a giant sleepover in the dome, and it was the first time I visited the university. The buildings were just gorgeous, and it was the biggest campus I had seen so far. I also remember rooting for Syracuse later that year in March Madness. I grew up in a small town, so it felt really nice to be a part of this big community and have something to root for. 

What made you want to pursue a master’s degree?    

After graduating, I wasn’t really sure what I wanted to do in my career. There were still so many goals of mine that I had left unexplored or put on the back burner throughout my undergrad. It had always been a goal of mine to put out a written piece, whether it be a novel or screenplay, but I hadn’t really focused on writing since high school and I knew absolutely nothing about the film or entertainment industry. So, for me, a master’s program kind of felt like a second chance at trying for that. I think a lot of people view a master’s as expanding upon what you’ve already been learning and while that’s certainly one reason to pursue one, it can also be an opportunity to try something new. 

How did you first hear about the Forever Orange Scholarship and how did it play a role in your decision to attend graduate school?  

I had heard about it in an email from Newhouse. I think it was a mass email, but the subject line read something like “Don’t know what you’re doing after graduation? Get a master’s degree!” I didn’t know what I wanted to do so it felt pretty fitting. But the email mentioned eligibility for the Forever Orange Scholarship, and I figured it can’t hurt to try and apply.

What unique features of your graduate program made you want to apply?  

I think what attracted me the most, aside from the courses offered in the program, was how career-oriented Newhouse felt. There’s so much guidance and resources available to help you achieve your career goals and it’s not even just advising. There’s access to all kinds of software and film equipment too. And it all feels very close-knit. Even when I was applying, I had applied sort of late and had to communicate with the master’s program office a lot. They worked with me through the whole process, and it really made me feel like they wanted me here and wanted to see me succeed. 

Jenna Cammerino smiling at the camera
Jenna Cammerino

What moments in graduate school have been the most exciting or defining thus far?  

 I think mostly meeting new people and just getting to create. You become really close with your cohort, and you’re given a lot of liberty when it comes to projects. This semester I got to write a script for a film idea that I’ve had for years now, and it was really rewarding seeing that come into fruition. And now I’ve just begun collaborating with a friend of mine on another script, which is exciting. I’m really used to things being much more procedural. In my experiences in STEM, there were all kinds of steps you have to go through before you can even get your hands on a project. So, it’s definitely refreshing being in a space where you really can just get started and create. 

What advice would you give to students that are in the initial stages of deciding to pursue graduate school? 

I’d say don’t settle. I’ve seen countless students go through existential crises because they felt like they chose their career too young and now they were just stuck along that path. But there’s no reason it has to feel that way. Graduate school is a choice and while it will always be worth it, it’s definitely not something you can and should do half-heartedly. If there’s a program you’re unsure about, it’s probably not worth applying to. And if you don’t know what you want to do, there’s no harm in taking the time to figure that out. Gap years can be your friend! I actually planned for this to be my gap year and ended up finding a new career path in it. 

Learn more about the Forever Orange Scholarship

For more information on Newhouse School graduate programs, please email nhmasters@syr.edu. 

Newhouse Master’s Student Jordan Pierre Seeks to Amplify Unheard Voices Through Clothing Brand

Jordan Pierre ’23 wants to build a village—not a physical one, but a collective of people helping each other and using their voices to amplify those who may have gone unheard.  

Jordan Pierre headshot
Pierre (Photo courtesy of Syracuse University)

The platform for the television, radio and film master’s student to build that community is his clothing brand, VOICE, which he launched as a sophomore in high school. Pierre, who earned his bachelor’s degree in broadcast and digital journalism from Newhouse last May, maintained the business through his undergraduate career and now hopes to grow VOICE again while he completes his yearlong master’s program.  

“They say it takes a village to raise a child,” Pierre said. “I extended that quote and say now that it takes a village to raise a child and that village does not have to look one way, but they must share the same mission, which is that of equity.”   

The roots of VOICE go back to 10th grade, when Pierre said he witnessed the injustice of media coverage that existed back home in Brooklyn, New York. He noticed that news outlets only started to cover stories after tragedy struck, like when a young Black man in his community was killed. 

“A eulogy shouldn’t be the only time the voice of my community is heard,” he said.  

a person leans on a rack of clothes and smiles
Pierre at the VOICE pop-up shop on March 27. (Photo by Malcolm Taylor)

Pierre decided he would use his experiences to generate positive action and created VOICE as a “form of resistance and reaction to the conditions I was being raised under.”  

Classmates and friends have asked him for years for a VOICE sweatshirt. He began granting those requests on March 27 at a pop-up shop at 171 Marshall Street in Syracuse. 

The VOICE collection he promoted at the pop-up shop, called “Can’t Fold,” draws its inspiration from the streets of Brooklyn, he said.

“This phrase encapsulates the resilience of those who, despite facing adversity, refuse to succumb to despair.” 

Pierre knew the decision to stay at Syracuse after earning his undergraduate degree in May was right not only for him, but for the students who will follow in his footsteps.

“I felt like there was some work that was undone, and I didn’t effectively equip or teach young men how to carry the baton after I left,” Pierre said.  

Pierre is also the recipient of a Forever Orange Scholarship, which provides half the tuition for students who enroll full-time in a qualifying graduate degree or certificate program at Syracuse University. The scholarship is automatically available to graduating seniors who are eligible for admission and commit to attend graduate school immediately after graduation. 

VOICE is not only a brand or a sweatshirt, but symbolic of Pierre’s village of people that want to take a stand against injustice. Pierre said that someone making the choice to represent VOICE shows that they, like him, are not going to stay silent and know they are capable of evoking change. 

a person smiles and claps their hands
“This phrase encapsulates the resilience of those who, despite facing adversity, refuse to succumb to despair,” Pierre said of the VOICE “Can’t Fold” collection. (Photo by Malcolm Taylor)

Pierre makes sure no opportunity to use his platform is wasted, making his message clear in a powerful speech at Newhouse Convocation in May 2023 that landed him on “The Today Show” on NBC. 

As he completes his graduate year, Pierre is using his platform to build community. Every Thursday night, he facilitates a meeting of 15 to 20 young men on campus where he teaches them to navigate conversations about equity and making oneself heard.   

These meetings, like VOICE, are about “making other people understand that they, too, have the power to shift the paradigm of the nation,” Pierre said.   

For Pierre, the Newhouse School has equipped him with the understanding of language and the media to convey a message to an audience.  

two people playing basketball on a court
Pierre created VOICE as a “form of resistance and reaction to the conditions I was being raised under,” he said. (Photo by Carlos Magdeleno)

“We say that those who control media control the mind,” Pierre said, “And I’ve learned more about how media plays a role in shaping identity and shaping the lens through which we see the world.”  

That’s how Pierre decided that he wants to use his platform to educate himself “and then re-disseminate certain information that is learned” to people in his community. To do that successfully, Pierre said he has tapped into lessons from Newhouse faculty members like Brad Gorham, Robert Thompson and J. Christopher Hamilton, who Pierre said have provided him with foundational knowledge, the ability to critically analyze and a financial understanding of the media industry. 

With his clearly curated vision, Pierre feels that now is the perfect time for a resurgence of the brand he started in high school.   

“I’m at the time now where I believe God is making space in my life to build a village,” he said.  “And I think this will be the first time to see it visibly, the impact I’m having based on the amount of people willing to be a part of the village.” 

Brooke Borzymowski is a junior broadcast and digital journalism major at the Newhouse School.

Newhouse Alumna Honored with Academy Award Nomination for Producing Film “Nimona”

When film producer Karen Ryan ‘06 heard the science fantasy graphic novel “Nimona” was being turned into an animated film in 2018, the Newhouse television, radio and film alumna left Disney Animation, where she had worked for 11 years, and moved across the country to produce the film with Blue Sky Studios.  

a person stands on a red carpet with the word "Oscars" behind their head
Karen Ryan (Photo courtesy of Karen Ryan)

After a series of unforeseen challenges worthy of its own movie—including Blue Sky shuttering its doors in 2021 and the team thrown into a desperate mission to save “Nimona”—the film was finally released last year on Netflix. The hard work paid off: Ryan and her fellow producers earned a nomination for Best Animated Feature Film at the 2024 Academy Awards. It’s Ryan’s first nomination.

The Oscars will be awarded Sunday in Los Angeles.

How did it feel to be nominated for an Academy Award for “Nimona”?  

It was pretty wild, because of what it took to get this movie made. This has been, for me personally, a six-year project. This movie has gone through multiple studios-we were shut down and canceled at one point-so the fact that we were able to bring the movie back without compromising any of the things we wanted in it and see it embraced with an Academy Award nomination felt great. It was awesome. 

What were some of the challenges you faced when producing “Nimona,” especially after the closure of Blue Sky Studios in 2021? 

This movie was tricky. It was the hardest project I’ve ever been a part of and the challenges were just getting the film to the screen. So there’s all the typical challenges that come with animation when you want to push the medium. And then [Blue Sky Studios] closing was just heartbreaking. We were all family over there. We had this film “Nimona,” which was such a special project at Blue Sky. And then all of a sudden, in this one phone call, it’s “Everything’s gone, but we have these reels. What are we gonna do?” We just spent every minute after that trying to find a way to save the movie. So we went around Hollywood, we played it for everybody we could, and Megan Ellison at Annapurna Pictures saw it and supported it immediately. We got her to fund it, Netflix wanted to distribute it and everything just kind of changed from there. We got to make the film that we wanted to make. 

How did you get the opportunity to be a producer on the film? 

I was working at Disney Animation where I was for 11 years, and I heard about “Nimona” being made at Blue Sky Studios. A good friend of mine, Patrick Osborne, was the director at the time. So I knew him, I knew of the graphic novel and when the opportunity came up they called me. They needed a producer and I just couldn’t pass it up. So, I left and went over to Blue Sky. 

a group of people stand in front of a screen that says "Nimona" and hold champagne flutes
Ryan (first row, second from left) and the “Nimona” team celebrate a screening of the film. “I also hope it makes people get to know each other a little bit more and not judge people so quickly by what we assume they are,” Ryan said of the film. (Photo courtesy of Karen Ryan)

What does “Nimona” mean to you and what do you hope audiences take away from it? 

I love Nimona. That character is the reason I came to the story. What I think is so special about her and the first thing that really got me is that she knows who she is and she doesn’t want to be somebody else. She just wants people to see her for who she is and to feel loved and accepted that way, and I think that is very relatable and a story we don’t really see much, especially with female characters. So, this movie was our love letter to people who feel like an outsider or like they don’t belong. To people who watch the movie, I hope they’re entertained because I think it’s hilarious and I love this film. I also hope it makes people get to know each other a little bit more and not judge people so quickly by what we assume they are. There’s space for everybody and you shouldn’t have to compromise to be able to find a community.  

What opportunities did you take advantage of as a television, radio and film student at Newhouse? 

I think, for me, I really wanted to work in production. I wanted to make films, and we had a lot of opportunities to do that at [Newhouse]. I took the production track, even though we didn’t have it [at the time]. I took every production class I could. At colleges like Syracuse, try all of it. Do the story you were not sure about because this is your time to experiment. When you get into the workforce, you’re mostly working on other people’s stuff for a long time. So, if you have a crazy idea and you want to make it, do it.  

What advice do you have for current Newhouse students looking to be a film producer? 

I think there’s so many different tracks. There’s no one way to do it, but the more you kind of let your path wander and go towards what excites you in the moment, I think that’s how you build experience that leads you to producing. So, if you want to be a producer, get to know how movies are made, understand the story process and understand the medium in which you’re working. If it’s live action, who’s your creative team? How do you work with the cinematographer? How do you get a director’s vision on screen? In producing, you’re responsible for the entire thing, so it’s not just the money, it’s not just the delivery or selling the movie. So, you really have to understand as much of it as you can and I think that makes the better producers.

Samantha Rodino is a sophomore in the television, radio and film program at the Newhouse School.

Newhouse Students Honored in Berlin Indie Film Festival, White House Eyes of History Contest

Alexandra Siambekos ’23 won the Best First Time Director, Documentary award in January in the Berlin Indie Film Festival’s monthly competition. She won for her documentary film “The Keepers of Manari,” which served as Siambekos’s honors thesis while she was a television, radio and film student at Newhouse. 

Alexandra Siambekos filming “The Keepers of Manari” in Arcadia, Greece. (Photo courtesy of Alexandra Siambekos)

Eyes of History

Four Newhouse students earned accolades in this year’s Eyes of History contest—sponsored by The White House News Photographers Association—including three wins for broadcast and digital journalism (BDJ) senior Nicole Aponte and a First Place honor for BDJ senior John Perik. This contest is held annually to select the best in visual journalism across still, video and multimedia disciplines, with a division exclusively for students.

Winners will be recognized later this spring at the Eyes of History Gala.

TOP HONORS
Runner-Up – Nicole Aponte
View gallery

GENERAL NEWS OR FEATURE: NARRATION
First Place – John Perik
Second Place – Nicole Aponte
Third Place – Nicole Aponte
View gallery

LONG FORM FEATURE
Second Place – Collin Bell
Third Place – Murphy McFarlane
View gallery

Master’s Alumni Profile: Justin Maccagnan G’22

Justin Maccagnan G’22

Newhouse Master’s Program: Television, Radio and Film
Current Position: Production Support Engineer at NBCUniversal and CNBC Business Channel

How did you obtain your current position?

This position, weirdly enough, came through a LinkedIn recruiter. My profile was suggested to her as I had a large technical background working as an engineer for trucks, stadiums and universities. I’ll be honest, I thought it was spam, so I ignored it, but after looking her up, I decided to talk to her. We had two interviews and here we are. It has been nothing short of spectacular since. 

What’s an average day like for you on the job?

As a production support engineer, I support all technical equipment for CNBC business channel and NBCUniversal, specifically the New York offices at the NASDAQ. This includes camera equipment, graphics operation systems, INews software, transmission technology and control room operations (any equipment breaks, I am fixing it). Aside from this, our shop has also merged with the IT department. So, I am also tasked with making new employee work accounts, troubleshooting computer programming issues, internet software updates, fixing PC routers and dealing with any issues that may be IT related. 

Any given day can be vastly different, which is why I love this job so much. We are a call support shop, so we respond to whoever calls with an issue, meaning one day I could be working on an INews issue and the next I am working on a camera problem in one of the main studios. On a regular day, I am also working on major projects that the network needs done. These projects come in spurts, but they are very exciting, and I love knowing that I am working on the future studios/equipment of CNBC.  

How do you feel Newhouse prepared you for your current position?

Classes in sports and TV production were what helped prepare me the most for my current position. With professors like Olivia Stomski and Andy Robinson, I was able to obtain base knowledge of how to work in sports production and operate cameras as well as learn technical aspects of production. Specifically with Robinson’s class, the greatest part was staying after our show tapings and studying the technical aspects that went into operating the graphics system as well as the TD switchboard. I never thought staring at wires would be so enjoyable but after seeing how every wire contributed to the broadcast, I was hooked. Without Robinson’s class, I don’t know if I would have gone in the direction I did. 

All of the hard skills I learned were from being an engineer intern for the ACC Network and Syracuse Athletics. I did this job for the entire time I was in Syracuse. Things I learned included how to make ethernet cables, hardwiring cameras, setting up audio consoles, troubleshooting video signal issues and cleaning fiber cables. I developed a very close friendship with the chief engineer of Syracuse Athletics, and that friendship both led to my current job and is a friendship I will have for the rest of my life. In truth, Newhouse as well as Syracuse Athletics helped guide me to what my true-life passion was. 

Did Newhouse open your eyes to new professions or aspects of your field you may have not considered when applying? 

Through Newhouse, I was introduced to the ACC Network and Syracuse Athletics. At first, my objective was to just get in the door and work live sporting events. Scott Hecht, the then director of ACC Network, appreciated my enthusiasm and asked if I wanted to be an engineer intern. I had no clue what engineers do, but to me, it was an opportunity, so I jumped at it. That one leap of faith was what led me to where I am now. 

The greatest thing that happened to me while at Syracuse was working for Tom White, the chief engineer for Syracuse athletics. Up until I met Tom, I had never known what an engineer does. Tom took every chance he had to teach me something new. As an engineer, your main task is knowing every single piece of equipment, wire and cable that goes into a specific broadcast. You are the line of defense if something falls apart and all eyes look to you to fix said problem, so you are always learning something new. With Tom, we dealt with lots of issues, and I began to realize this is the career path I wanted to pursue. Very few people want to become broadcast engineers, so this helps the field as there are usually job openings for these positions. I saw this as not only an exciting growth opportunity, but one that I could make a full career out of.

What unique features of your graduate program drew you to it? 

One of the key features of my program was that I was brought on as an instructional associate. As someone who aspires to be a college professor one day, I saw this as a wonderful opportunity to get some teaching practice. I worked with first year and sophomore production courses and loved every minute of it. 

The television, radio and film program is arguably the most unique program at Syracuse. It is an amazing program in that the objective of both the professors and the curriculum is to allow the student to grow their mind as well as tap into their creative potential. The program’s objective is to help you find your creative voice and run with it. Aside from that, this program also uniquely combines all facets of the film and entertainment industry into the coursework, including screenwriting, pitching films, business models of the film industry, production and law practices that all networks/film houses follow, giving a well-rounded knowledge of the entertainment world. 

Lastly, if you join the program and you feel you may not be bonding with the film material as much, Michael Schoonmaker, the television, radio and film department chair, is more than willing to help find you electives that are in the other programs of Newhouse. I had several graduate friends take courses outside the normal TRF curriculum and they couldn’t have been happier.

Did the Newhouse Career Development Center aid you?  

The Newhouse Career Development Center did help me, both with my resume as well as job leads. Bridget Lichtinger was crucial to my success at Syracuse and my resume looked a lot better once we went over it a couple of times. She is a true asset to the school. 

What are some obstacles or misconceptions about your field?

A lot of young students that get into the broadcast engineering field may think they just set up the equipment and then leave it for the people to operate. Unfortunately, this is anything but true. As an engineer, your job is to know where everything goes for a broadcast. And when I mean everything, I mean EVERYTHING.  

I’ll use an example: Say you are using a Sony camera. As an operator you just need to know which buttons on the camera do what, how to shoot and what to shoot. As an engineer, you need to know button functions, where do the wires that are connected to the camera go, what signal goes to those said wires, what is the lens type of the camera, what unit powers the camera and what signal sends to the operator so they can see what they are shooting. When you think about this, most people’s minds explode and you’re not expected to know all this right out of the gate- but when you work many years in the field, you are expected to eventually know all the information pertaining to those systems spoken about. 

What moments in your career have been most exciting or defining thus far? 

There have been many, so I’ll name a couple:

The engineer job with CNBC and NBCUniversal: This is a position most people don’t get until they are in their 30s due to the level of knowledge required. By a stroke of luck, I was brought on with an expectation they would train me on equipment for the long term, so I am always appreciative that I got such a unique and amazing opportunity. 

Phillies corporate event: This was the first major corporate event I had worked for the Phillies and due to a callout, I was left to man the event by myself. I set up everything, operated all consoles and broke down everything afterward. It was a big moment for me as it increased my confidence that I could do these events by myself.

What advice do you have for current or incoming students?

One of the greatest assets of Newhouse is the main control room for Syracuse Athletics and ACC Network out of Syracuse. Go inside, look around and talk to the people that run operations there- they are always looking for dedicated students that can work events and want to learn. Whether you are someone that wants to be an on-air talent, producer, replay operator, or even engineer, they always have spots available for people to get involved. 

Even if you don’t enjoy it as much as I did, I promise you the most successful producers and on-air talents are the ones that know about the technical aspects of a TV broadcast. It can only help you in the long run. 

The classes I recommend are any production classes with Olivia Stomski and I also recommend any courses with Kelly Leahy, Robert Thompson and Shaina Holmes. Three of the best professors I had while at Syracuse.

Master’s Alumni Profile: Aahliyah Halloway G’22

Aahliyah Halloway G’22 

Newhouse Master’s Program: Television, Radio and Film
Current Position: Content Producer at WSET-ABC13

How did you obtain your current position, and what positions did you hold before it?  

This was my first job after getting my master’s degree and before that, I was a development intern at American High and Alta Global Media. 

What’s an average day like for you on the job?

I get to work at 2:30 in the afternoon and check my emails to see what stories the reporters were assigned to for the day, check for breaking news and any big national stories I need to follow. Then I get ready for our afternoon meeting. This is where we discuss the reporter’s stories in more detail and come up with backups for them in case their story does not pan out or we need to put it on hold for the day. We also lay out the plan for our late newscast during the meeting. I produce two shows, the 6 p.m. and 11 p.m. newscasts. My job is to make sure the shows are as clean as possible. To make sure we start and end on time and put out any fires that may happen. After I finish the 6 p.m. newscast, I prepare my rundown for the 11 p.m. and take a dinner break. Then it’s kind of the same as when I first get to work, we have another meeting and discuss if there are any changes we need to make. Then I get ready to produce the 11 p.m. newscast.  

How do you feel Newhouse prepared you for your current position?

The beauty of Newhouse is that they offer you ways to really see what the industry is like, so when you enter it’s less of a shell shock. Through Newhouse, I learned time management (which is very important) and creating a schedule (it really helps you to stay on track) and I think the courses at Newhouse are a great pre-introduction if you will to the industry.  

Did Newhouse open your eyes to new professions or aspects of your field you may have not considered when applying? 

When I first entered Newhouse, I had a limited view of creative language and thought screenwriting was the sole avenue for its expression. However, my experience in various courses and group projects introduced me to diverse writing forms that demand just as much creativity, such as magazine articles and news stories. Newhouse has truly expanded my horizons, showing that having a specific skill in mind upon entry can open the door to a world of unexpected possibilities. 

What unique features of your graduate program drew you to it? 

The sense of collaboration is what cemented my choice to join the television, radio and film program. It was wonderful not only to see my own ideas come to life but others as well. 

Did the Newhouse Career Development Center aid you?

The Career Development Center was a tremendous help with perfecting my resume. If you haven’t gone by the center yet I would definitely recommend it. 

What are some obstacles or misconceptions about your field? 

In television, things rarely go perfectly. You have to have the ability to pivot and stay somewhat calm. And when things go wrong, and they will, don’t get too hung-up on your mistakes. Luckily, this is one of the few careers where you can start each day with a clean slate. 

What moments in your career have been most exciting or defining thus far?  

I think the whole process of putting something together and then watching it come to life has been so great. I look at my job as a way of storytelling and I’m always eager to tell the next one. 

What advice do you have for current or incoming students?

Be open and willing to learn and embrace group projects. You never know what new skill you might pick up or what new journey it might put you on. If you have the opportunity, take any of Dr. Kelly Leahy’s courses. She is brilliant and will push you to think in ways you haven’t before.