People of Point Park: Josh Croup, '18 Is Calling It Like It Is Monday, December 21, 2015

Student Spotlight

Major: Broadcast Reporting
Minor: Broadcast Production and Media Management
Class Year: 2018
Hometown: Butler, Pa.
Campus Activities: Editor-in-Chief of The Globe, Reporter for U-View Television and WPPJ Radio
Other Experiences: Apprentice for Point Park Athletic Communications, Student Advisory Board for Center for Sports Media & Marketing, Honors Program Mentor

It Started on Day One

When applying to schools, broadcast reporting student Josh Croup, '18, was not willing to wait to get his hands on real reporting work.

"I looked into larger schools with broadcasting programs. There were a lot of opportunities there, but I would have had to wait to get as involved as I would have liked. At Point Park, I was able to jump in from day one. I was on air at U-View and writing for The Globe in my first week. There are more opportunities for me to get involved at a small school like Point Park than there are at a bigger school. They don't hold you back here. If you want to get involved, someone will let you. My early involvement has opened up so many new doors for me."

Josh's entrepreneurial approach to his education gave him the confidence to pursue opportunities that would typically be out of the reach of a younger student. "Not even two months into my first semester on campus, I decided to apply to win a trip to the 2014 Baseball Winter Meetings Job Fair in San Diego with The Center for Sports Media and Marketing. I had to Google 'how to write a resume' to submit my application because I had no idea what I was doing. When I was selected out of over 20 applicants, along with two other Point Park students, I was thrilled. I was just a freshman (I later learned they were not originally considering freshman applicants). I spent the next few months preparing for the trip in December, which was one of the best experiences of my life. I made connections, met incredible people and received a few interviews for jobs."

Calling the Play-by-Play from the Outfield

Josh's interest in sports broadcasting is not a new revelation for the high-achieving sophomore. He has been preparing for a career in this field from a very early age. "When I was playing Little League baseball, I did my own play-by-play of the game in the outfield. When I played sports video games at home as a kid, I muted the TV and did my own play-by-play of the games. When my friends played sports outside, I was the announcer. I have always loved playing sports and I love covering sports."

Take Time to Give Thanks

"If I could speak to the 18-year-old version of myself today, I would advise myself to enjoy your time at home now, because when you move to college, the most time you spend at home with your family will be over Christmas break. Take time to thank your parents and enjoy the benefits of living at home while you can. Living on your own is challenging and rewarding, but it makes you realize how important your family is to you. Do not take your parents and your family for granted. They sacrificed so much so that you can have the life you do. Enjoy every moment with them."

More About: The Globe, Center for Sports Media and Marketing, WPPJ, journalism, broadcast reporting